Brickpit Ring Walk: Sydney Olympic Park
Free, flat and floating 18.5 metres in the air, the Brickpit Ring Walk is one of the easiest family outings in Western Sydney. It’s a 550m elevated loop above an old brickworks quarry at Sydney Olympic Park, and it takes about 10 to 20 minutes with little legs.
Below you is a protected wetland that’s home to the endangered Green and Golden Bell Frog. Above you is a whole lot of sky. Kids love the height, parents love that it’s done before anyone gets cranky.
Why kids love it
The frog hunt is the main event. The wetland below is protected habitat for the Green and Golden Bell Frog, so make it a challenge: first to spot a flash of green wins. Built in soundscapes play frog calls and the voices of old pit workers, who made around three billion bricks here. Get the kids to stop and listen at each speaker. Even toddlers get a kick out of peering down at the sandstone quarry floor. For school aged kids, the history is a great story. The site was the State Brickworks from 1911 to 1988, and when the frogs turned up before the 2000 Olympics, plans for a venue here were scrapped. The walkway won a 2006 National Trust Heritage Award, so you can tell the kids it’s officially fancy.
Getting there
Driving: Parking is off Marjorie Jackson Parkway. Conditions apply, so check signage and the Sydney Olympic Park parking page before you go, especially on event days.
Train: Olympic Park Station is a few hundred metres away. The walk is well signposted from the station, which makes it a handy outing for kids who love a train ride.
Ferry: Sydney Olympic Park Wharf works too, but it’s a longer walk. Better for older kids than toddlers.
Tips for parents
Toilets aren’t on the walk, so do a stop first. The closest are at Olympic Park Station and the ferry wharf. Bikes and dogs aren’t allowed on the walkway, so bring a lock for the bike racks and leave the pooch at home. The sides are enclosed, but give anyone who gets wobbly up high a heads up. In summer, go early or late. There’s little shade, and late afternoon is when the frogs and birds get chatty. At 10 to 20 minutes, this is a top up rather than a full day out, so pair it with something bigger.
Make a day of it
Wentworth Common Playground, Bennelong Parkway, Sydney Olympic Park NSW 2127. A short drive away, with rope climbing, a flying fox, water play, swings, sand play and big grassy areas. Bring the scooters for the paths around it.
Homebush Bay shipwrecks. A foreshore walking trail leads to five old wrecks in the bay. A good one for older kids with more energy to burn.
Cafes are scattered around Olympic Park, so a babyccino reward at the end is never far away.
DETAILS
Address: Marjorie Jackson Parkway, Sydney Olympic Park NSW 2127
Open: Daily, sunrise to sunset. Free.
The walk: 550m loop, 18.5m up, 10 to 20 minutes. Pram friendly. No dogs, bikes or scooters.
Website: sydneyolympicpark.com.au/parks-and-playgrounds/brickpit-ring-walk
