This lovely park, surrounded by North Shore suburbia, flanks the Lane Cove River, which spills into the harbour. It's a great place to stretch out on some middle-sized bushwalks and is on the Great North Walk (www.greatnorthwalk.com) from Sydney to Newcastle. It’s home to dozens of critters, including some endangered owls and toads. If you visit in spring, the water dragons will be getting frisky and the native orchids and lilies will be flowering. The information office near the main entrance has a cafe.
There's a path along each bank of the river; you could walk out one side, cross the river (5km away) and walk back the other side for a 10km round trip. There’s a boat shed on Lane Cove River that rents out rowboats and kayaks, but swimming isn’t a good idea. You can also cycle or grab one of the many barbecue spots. There's a good campground here too, and some sections are wheelchair accessible.
You can reach the park easily from North Ryde Station; from Chatswood Station, the 545 and 550 buses can drop you close to the main entrance.