Within the Local Government Area there is a mix of natural areas including national parks, bushland and nature reserves. Approximately 24% of land within the LGA is reserved as National Parks which are valued for their scenic, ecological/environmental, cultural and aesthetic qualities. Council manages a small number of bushland areas across the LGA which represent important passive and active recreation resources.
There are 52 parks located throughout the LGA with 41 of these containing playgrounds. Active sporting recreational space is comprised primarily of sportsgrounds/ovals, of which there are 23.
Parks, playgrounds and sportsgrounds within the Cessnock LGA are assigned a hierarchy being local, district or regional, that reflects the level of facilities, service standards and size of the catchment that attracts users of the park and/or sportsground.
