The Cringila Hills Recreation Park has been named the best in the country.
The leading industry group Parks and Leisure Australia awarded the venue the title of National Park of the Year at its awards in Adelaide.
It follows on from the NSW body naming it the best park in the state back in May.
The national award "celebrates and promotes vibrant, successful well-designed and managed new or significantly revitalised parks and open spaces".
Lord Mayor Gordon Bradbery said the national win was "phenomenal".
"It's a great honour for Cringila Hills Recreation Park to be acknowledged in this way," Cr Bradbery said.
"The locals and visitors who use the park every day to ride, walk and play already love it, but this award will share the significance of this park across Australia.
"This park is a whole-of-community space. To have a nationally recognised facility right on your doorstep is something of pride for many of our Cringila residents.
"For our broader community and visitors, it's simply one of the best places in the city to enjoy."
The mountain bike park officially opened at the end of October last year despite concerns the project could be delayed by riders accessing the site illegally and riding on the incomplete circuit.
Located off Lackawanna Street in Cringila, the park includes almost 12 kilometres of mountain bike trails, a jump park and asphalt pump track.
There is also a playground and 2.4 kilometres of shared-use and walking trails.
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Glen Humphries
I'm an award-winning senior journalist with the Illawarra Mercury and have well over two decades' worth of experience in newspapers. I cover the three local councils in the Illawarra for the Mercury, state and federal politics, as well as writing for the TV guide. If I'm not writing, I'm reading.
I'm an award-winning senior journalist with the Illawarra Mercury and have well over two decades' worth of experience in newspapers. I cover the three local councils in the Illawarra for the Mercury, state and federal politics, as well as writing for the TV guide. If I'm not writing, I'm reading.
