- Duration
- ~2 km, about 2 h (≈ 1 h 50 min: moving and stop time only)
- Who it suits
- Everyone
- Transport
- walk
- Start
- Paddington Reservoir Gardens
- Finish
- Centennial Park
- Pace
- relaxed pace
- Best time
- morning, while the park still has shade
- Budget per adult
- freePrices as of: July 2026; transport and zoo prices October 2026
Getting there
Walk from Museum station, or take a bus along Oxford Street. Cars are allowed in the park only in daylight. Pay with a bank card.
Stops in order
The text version of the route: stops, time at each and the legs between them. Times are estimates, without queues, traffic or swims.
1. Paddington Reservoir Gardens~25 min at the stop
The old underground reservoir, opened as a garden. Entry is free, and it stays cool inside on a hot day.
Worth knowing: The reservoir was built in 1866, drained after 1899, and reopened in 2009 as a sunken public garden.
Tip: Paddington's streets and the Five Ways cafes are the way on. Enter the park by the Paddington gates.
Open on the map ↗↓ walk · 25 min · 2 km
2. Centennial Park~1 h at the stop
Ponds, paperbarks and the Grand Drive loop. This is where locals run and ride.
Worth knowing: Centennial Park opened in 1888 for the centenary of the colony. The Federation of Australia was proclaimed here on 1 January 1901.
Tip: Free on foot. The park is open year-round: 6am to 8pm October to April, 6:30am to 5:30pm May to August, and no cars between sunset and sunrise. Return the same way or by bus from Oxford Street. Centennial Homestead on Grand Drive: breakfast 8 to 11:45am, lunch until 3pm weekdays and 3:30pm weekends.
Open on the map ↗
Before you go
- Route times are estimates: walking, driving and a sensible pause at each stop. Add queues, traffic and swims yourself.
- Prices, timetables and trail status change. Check the venue's official site and the state transport app before you go.
- On beaches, swim only between the red and yellow flags. Use sun protection even when it is cloudy.