5 /5 David Baxter: There could be few better places in the Inner West of Sydney to feel the benefit of a cooling north-easterly breeze on a hot day in very pleasant scenery.
Nonetheless, one of the many positive aspects of this park is how its pleasures can change due to time of year and time of day, due to tidal conditions, and even just small differences in daily weather. Is today a day to sit on the exposed yellow sand around Rodd Point, or to wander over exposed dark rock and rock pools, or to watch the water wash up to the sandstone at the very edge of the grassed area? Is it time to find a bench seat or patch of grass and relax - looking at the view from that particularly spot and, beyond that nothing in particular, or instead closing the eyes; or to watch cloud or wave patterns or people playing water sports in boats or on (sail) boards. It is never stale time spent here.
The area of Rodd Point, even expanded by a low tide, is not large, but it is generally quiet and uncrowded; sufficient for a sense of being out of the suburban hustle and bustle. The car parking area at one end is small but almost always sufficient, and at the Bay/Inner Harbour end is a beautiful picnic area with three covered tables with benches; and there are cooking facilities.
(Just) acceptably clean permanent public toilet facilities are at the picnic ground end of Rodd Point, the roof of which actually provides a lookout point from the picnic area to Rodd Island.
If you want to extend your time here but do not want to bring a picnic with you, the Nield Park Pavilion Cafe 400m north west on Henley Marine Drive is a worthwhile diversion with very tasty and reasonably priced food and beverages. I have found the service there to be attentive and friendly - in a genuine way. Milkshakes cold in a metal container: at least 4 stars for that alone.
The attached photos were taken in a combination of a late summer mid afternoon - with a fresh seabreeze keeping the temperature and humidity very comfortable - and a low tide. Such a cloudless bright sky and such a very low tide! I wish I had the camera and time to do justice to a sunset on such a day from Rodd Point. A few fisherfolk are setting up on the pontoon of the Aquatic (boating) Club building for those sunset conditions when the seabreeze will typically drop. (Some twilight picnic groups will certainly arrive later too today - great idea).
Rodd Point seen in other conditions will surprise you with some differences. Worth repeated visits.
Update: 30/5/2024. Added a dozen photos from a different season, different time of day, different tide, different sky (different year). Hopefully supporting the case for the concluding paragraph of the original review.
