Things to do in Penrith, NSW – Free visitor guide

The best things to do in Penrith include the Cables Wake Park, Penrith Whitewater Stadium, Museum of Fire, iFly Downunder and the Great River Walk.

Penrith is on the western edge of Greater Sydney, and is one of the main population centres in the Western Sydney area. It more-or-less acts as a small city in its own right.

Most visitors to Sydney won’t have cause to visit Penrith. They might pass through on the way to the Blue Mountains. The train to Katoomba passes through Penrith Train Station, while the M4 Motorway crosses the Nepean River just to the south in Jamisontown.

There are some worthwhile attractions in Penrith, NSW, though.

Top things to do in Penrith include the Cables Wake Park, Penrith Whitewater Stadium, Museum of Fire, iFly Downunder and the Great River Walk.

Things to do in Penrith: Cables Wake Park and Aqua Park

The Cables Wake Park focuses on watersports – mainly wakeboarding and waterskiing. One hour wakeboarding lessons cost $99, and those who already know what they’re doing can hire equipment.

The attached Aqua Park is the best thing to do in Penrith for kids. It’s essentially a big obstacle course playground with inflatable slides, jumping pillows and climbing frames set on the lake. Children can clamber, run around and get soaking wet to their heart’s content. A 50 minute session costs $20.

For more information on the Cables Wake Park and Aqua Park, visit the website.

Penrith Whitewater Stadium and iFly Downunder

There’s more water-based action at the Penrith Whitewater Stadium in the neighbouring Cranebrook suburb. This facility was built to host the canoeing events at the 2000 Sydney Olympics. Top level canoeists and kayakers still train here, but the average visitor will be more interested in the whitewater rafting sessions held on the course. 90 minute whitewater rafting trips at the Penrith Whitewater Stadium cost $94 per person.

If that doesn’t ramp up the adrenalin quite high enough, you can try out iFly Downunder. This is essentially indoor skydiving inside a vertical wind tunnel. You jump on top of a big, powerful fan, which pushes so much air upward that you float on top of it. The effect is similar to that of freefalling during a skydive. The basic two flight package at iFly Downunder in Penrith costs $109.

Things to do in Penrith: Museum of Fire

The top museum in Penrith is the Museum of Fire, which isn’t especially gripping, but has a cool collection of fire engines throughout the ages. Other exhibits at the Museum of Fire promote fire safety, and there’s plenty of button-pushing interactivity for the kids.

For something more adult, try the original Pinot and Picasso studio. This paint while sipping wine experience has since spread all over Australia, but it was born in Penrith.

Things to do in Penrith: Nepean River

The star attraction of Penrith, however, is the Nepean River. It marks the boundary between Sydney and the Blue Mountains, and has parkland along much of its banks. Much of this is included in the Great River Walk, which stretches for 8km along the river. 6km of the Great River Walk is a loop circuit, which takes in lookouts on both sides of the Nepean River. You can also see the river on a boat. The Nepean Belle paddlewheeler runs one of Australia’s best river cruises through the Nepean Gorge, departing from Jamisontown.