Known as one of the oldest suburbs within Sydney dating back to the 1790s, Greystanes is nestled within the Cumberland City Council surrounded by the Western Sydney Parklands to the west, and Merrylands to the east. The traditional custodians of the land in Greystanes are the Darug People.
Greystanes is best explored by car and is very well connected to the major roads that run throughout Greater Western Sydney. To start your day off, head to AJ’s Café Greystanes, to grab yourself a coffee before you begin your adventure. With a wonderful selection of food and Campos Coffee to complement, your day is going to be off to a great start!
After you have appropriately caffeinated yourself, jump back into the car and head towards the Boothtown Aqueduct. The Aqueduct is best reached from Macquarie Street, Greystanes. Approaching the Aqueduct, you will be walking on a cycle track that takes you right over the top. For the best views, we recommend as soon as you approach the first turret building, head onto the grass and cross underneath the structure. From here you will really get an appreciation for the size and scale of the Aqueduct!
The Aqueduct measure 225 meters in length and boasts 22 arches with a 9.1meter span. Completed in 1888 to transport water from the nearby Prospect Reserve, the lifespan of the Aqueduct was quite short, being replaced by the Boothtown Syphon in 1907. In the 1990s the Aqueduct was threatened to be demolished but thanks to the many objections by the local community, the Aqueduct and surrounding reserve was saved and included as part of the Western Sydney Cycle Network.
Once you have finished exploring the impressive structure, head back to the car and drive a small distance up to Cedary Bakehouse on Hibiscus Street, a quick two-minute drive from the Aqueduct. Cedary Bakehouse is a quintessential neighbourhood bakery. With suburbia surrounding the bakery you really start to feel part of the Greystanes community when you walk in!
Grab yourself some sweet Lebanese treats or if a savoury option is more your thing try one of the many Manoush. If you have time to spare, take a seat on one of the velvet lounges and try some Ahwee (Lebanese-style coffee). If you more prefer the outdoors, grab your treats and head across the road to Alpha Park for a picnic while the kids play.
If you are still up for some exploring, jump back into the car and head to the Central Gardens Nature Reserve on Merrylands Road. The nature reserve is the perfect spot to spend an afternoon. It has so many great features such as two adventure playgrounds, animal enclosures, educational bush trails, ponds and water features, tennis courts, large open grass areas, as well as BBQ and picnic areas.
One of our favourite features of the parklands is the wildlife and animal enclosures that are dotted throughout the park. You can get up close to a whole heap of different animals such as kangaroos, emus, wallabies, birds and more!
Greystanes is so well connected to all areas of Sydney and is often overlooked. We recommend taking the car out for a relaxing day and exploring all Greystanes has to offer.
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