If you’re about my age, you’ll remember the good old days of the Entertainment Centre and McDonald’s opposite Paddy’s Markets. Well, how things have changed. Gone is the Entertainment Centre and in its place, new apartment blocks, offices and an entire new eating district. The revamped Darling Quarter now includes this, along with the existing Tumbalong Park and Chinese Garden of Friendship. Within it, an updated playground and water feature for the kids!
Date Visited: 3rd April 2022
Location: Darling Quarter and Tumbalong Park Playground – 1-25 Harbour St, Sydney NSW 2000, Australia
Getting There: Short walk from Town Hall station, slightly longer walk from Central station. Plenty of buses and trams close by. Parking is also available.
Cost: Free again as with most parks in Sydney! Only expense was an obligatory ice cream.
Splish splash
We were staying in the city close to Town Hall for the first few days after landing to ensure we were Covid-free. This also allowed us to eat whatever we wanted! One of the additional benefits was being close enough to Darling Quarter.
Back in the day, Darling Quarter was pretty empty and deserted. These days, it’s filled with life thanks to nice restaurants, a roller skate ring, a large office for a bank and apartments. This is nicely combined with the old Chinese Gardens and Tumbalong Park.
Cara loved the playground and wet area near Tumbalong Park. After we had some nice Vietnamese food, we strolled over and burnt off the excess energy. Cara wasted no time splashing around and when she was tired of that, switched back to dry clothes and headed for the swings and slides. Lovely.
Once we were all done after an hour or so, we treated ourselves to an ice cream. There’s lots of seating, but not a lot of shade so keep that in mind on super hot days.
ABC Dad Tips:
- Like our other visit to Blaxland Riverside Park, make sure you pack the swimmers and towel if the weather is good
- It’s Australia, so bring and apply the sunscreen, there’s not a lot of shade coverage in the water area, more coverage in the playground
- Plenty of food to eat – try the Vietnamese crispy skin chicken at Tan Viet. No affiliation, just delish.
Ratings:
Burn Time: 5 out of 5 – With the option of wet play or the playground, there’s plenty to do (and eat).
Value: 5 out of 5 – Playground and park are free, only spend was for the ice cream
Overall: 5 out of 5 – Lovely play area for the kids (and adults). Lots of space for everyone
Do you remember the old Entertainment Centre area? What are your thoughts of it now? Let us know below!
