There are 52 parks located throughout the LGA with 41 of these containing playgrounds. The 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.
Local parks are generally a minimum size of half a hectare, are within a maximum 10 minute walk from residences, contain basic facilities for short term visits (e.g. picnic shelter and seating, rubbish receptacle, shade etc) and would usually contain a local playground catering for the 0 to teen age bracket.
| Examples of Local Parks in the Cessnock LGA | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Park | Town | Park | Town |
| Abernethy | Abernethy | Manning | Cessnock |
| Alkira Avenue | Cessnock | Margaret Street | Cessnock |
| ANZAC Reserve | Wollombi | McFarlane Street | Cessnock |
| Apex | Cessnock | Meredith Street | Weston |
| Apex | Kurri Kurri | Norman Brown | Greta |
| Community Hall | Bellbird | North Cessnock | Cessnock |
| Miners Memorial | Bellbird | North Rothbury | North Rothbury |
| Bluey Frame | Weston | Nulkaba Playground | Nulkaba |
| Brunner | East Branxton | O'Brien Street | Cessnock |
| Chalmers | Kurri Kurri | Macquarie Avenue | Cessnock |
| Crawfordville/Millfield | Millfield | Oxford Street | Greta |
| Edgeworth David | Abermain | Paxton | Paxton |
| Ellalong | Ellalong | Plantation Reserve | Greta |
| Ernie Dunlop | Weston | Quarry Street | Cessnock |
| Hall | Cessnock | Shiraz Close | Cessnock |
| Harle Street | Abermain | Simm | Kurri Kurri |
| Hedleigh | Heddon Greta | Slacks | Wollombi |
| H J Sternbeck | Cessnock | Spion Kop Reserve | Spoin Kop |
| Jefferies | Abermain | Stanford Merthyr | Stanford Merthyr |
| Lloyd | Pelaw Main | Thomas Fell | Weston |
| Winter Park | Kurri Kurri | ||
District parks are generally greater than half a hectare, but less than two hectares, generally cater for a population between 10,000 and 20,000 people, offer a more diverse range of activities than local parks and contain facilities for medium term visits e.g. public toilets, barbecues etc. Many contain a district playground catering for the 0 to teen age group.
| District Parks in the Cessnock LGA | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Park | Town | Park | Town |
| Abermain Centenary | Abermain | Margaret Johns | Kurri Kurri |
| Bailey | Abermain | Pokolbin | Pokolbin |
| Buckland Avenue | Cessnock | Rotary | Kurri Kurri |
| Log of Knowledge | Kurri Kurri | Veteran’s Memorial | Cessnock |
Regional ParksRegional parks are generally a minimum size of two hectares, usually cater for a population of over 20,000 people and serve more than one local government area where users will be prepared to drive significant distances. Regional parks typically contain facilities such as a formalised car park with the capacity for bus/coach parking, seating with the capacity for large groups incorporating at least two barbecues, public toilets incorporating male, female and accessible cubicles, good access to public transport links and major roads as well as a regional playground.
| Regional Parks in the Cessnock LGA | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Park | Town | Park | Town |
| Bimbadeen Lookout | Mount View | Miller Park | Branxton |
| Bridges Hill | Cessnock | Peace Park/Chinamans Hollow | Weston |
| Cessnock Civic | Cessnock | Poppethead Reserve | Kitchener |
| Hunter River Reserve | Greta | ||
A number of public toilet facilities and barbecues are provided throughout Council's local, district and regional parks. These are outlined below:
| Park | Toilets | Disabled toilet | BBQ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Turner Park Cessnock | Yes | Yes | Yes on Grass |
| Mulbring Park | Yes | Yes | Yes on Grass |
| Log of Knowledge Park at Kurri Kurri | No | No | Yes on Grass |
| Rotary Park Kurri Kurri | Yes | Yes | Yes on Grass |
| Margaret Johns Park Kurri Kurri* | Toilet block opposite Kurri Kurri Aquatic Centre | Yes | Yes on Concrete |
| Chinamans Hollow/Peace Park Weston* | Yes | Yes | Yes on Concrete |
| Kitchener Poppethead | Yes | Yes | Yes on Grass |
| Crawfordville Hall Millfield* | Yes | Yes | Yes on Concrete |
| Slacks Park Wollombi | Yes | No | Yes on Grass |
| North End Park Cessnock* | No | Yes | Yes on Concrete |
| Pokolbin Park | Yes | No | Yes on Grass |
| Miller Park Branxton | Yes | Yes | Yes on Grass |
| Norman Brown Park | Yes | No | Yes on Grass |
| Veterans Memorial Park Aberdare* | Yes | Yes | Yes on Grass |
The facilities marked with an asterisk* have good disabled access. Most have disabled parking, but some may not necessarily have a concrete path extending all the way to the barbecue and toilet block.
