Lake Parramatta

Lake Parramatta is located in Lake Parramatta Reserve, a 73 hectare protected wildlife area. Its opening marked an important step for the 'Our Living River' an initiative which seeks to make more of the Parramatta River swimmable by 2025.

The lake is 10.5 hectares in size and was officially re-opened for public swimming and water recreation activities in January 2015.

The Lake Parramatta Reserve is popular with visitors who enjoy picnics, swimming, aquatic activities such as kayaking, and bush walking.

For information on getting to Lake Parramatta and swimming at the lake, please see our Swimming at Lake Parramatta page.

2024 Lake Parramatta Swimming Area Upgrade – construction starts April 2024

City of Parramatta is excited to announce construction work on the Lake Parramatta Swimming Area Upgrade will begin in late April.

For safety, the swimming area and surrounds, including some walking tracks and the picnic areas, will be closed from late April to September 2024.

Key features of the upgrade include:

• Construction of an underwater retaining wall to create a sand bed or ‘beach’ within the swimming area.
• Improved water access through construction of a formalised and gently sloping sandy beach, concrete footpaths, and other accessibility features such as handrails and traction treatments for steps.
• Installation of a formal lifeguard viewing platform providing improved sightlines over the swimming area for lifeguards.
• New seating, shaded areas, landscaping, and bushland regeneration.

For safety, the swimming area and surrounds, including some walking tracks and picnic areas, will be closed from late April to September 2024.

Areas will be fenced and signs will provide information on detours to open walking tracks.

Work will take place Monday to Friday from 7.30am to 5pm and from 8am to 1pm on Saturday.

Subject to weather and site conditions, it is expected that work will be completed by September 2024 allowing Lake Parramatta to reopen for the 2024/25 swimming season. City of Parramatta will keep residents advised of progress via updates to its websites.

Project background

In 2021, City of Parramatta commissioned a concept plan for improvements to the Lake Parramatta swimming area and began the process of applying for NSW Government grants to fund the project.

Council’s grant application was successful, and in late 2022 we began community consultation around the proposed upgrades.

The key aims of the project are:

• To improve access
• To enhance safety

Responding to community feedback on the initial concept design, a refined concept design was placed on public exhibition in mid-2023.

In July 2023, Council approved the revised concept plan for the upgrade at Lake Parramatta. City of Parramatta began the tender process looking to finalise designs and appoint a contractor.

City of Parramatta appointed a construction partner in early-April 2024. Subject to weather and site conditions, the 19-week construction program is expected to be completed by September 2024.

For more information, and to follow the project, please see Lake Parramatta Swimming Area Upgrade.

Proudly funded by the NSW Government in association with City of Parramatta.

The Places to Play program is part of the Open Spaces Program, a $50million investment in public open space across three streams: Places to Play, Places to Swim, and Places to Roam.

Places to Play supports investment in nature and water playspaces to promote recreation and connection with nature for people of all ages, abilities, and backgrounds.

For more information see Places to Play.