The eclipse over Parramatta CBD, to scale · 2 h 34 min end to end
Parramatta eclipse times (AEST)
Eclipse begins 12:40:21 pm · Totality 1:59:19 pm to 2:03:08 pm · Eclipse ends 3:14:33 pm.
Watch out for the towers
In Parramatta, tall buildings are the main thing that can block your view. At totality the Sun is only 29° up in the north-north-west, so a 200 m tower a few hundred metres away can hide it completely. Avoid Parramatta Square and the streets between the CBD towers. Head for the river, the park or the lake, where the sky to the north-west is open.
Getting there
Parramatta station, the Parramatta Light Rail (Westmead to Carlingford) and the Parramatta River ferry all bring you within walking distance of Parramatta Park and the river foreshore. Lake Parramatta has a small car park and will fill early, so walk or cycle in from North Parramatta. Sydney Olympic Park has rail and its own event transport if an official event is run.
Making a day of it
The eclipse runs for about two and a half hours, from 12:40 pm to 3:14 pm. Bring a picnic, a rug and warm layers. Kids can make pinhole projectors while they wait, and the Old Government House lawns and The Crescent at Parramatta Park have room for families to spread out.
What you'll see in Parramatta, minute by minute
Times are AEST for Parramatta CBD.
- 12:40:21 pmfirst contact. Glasses on, and you can see the Moon take a small notch out of the Sun's right-hand edge.
- About 1:29 pmthe Sun is about 52% covered. Light on the Old Government House lawns turns flat and faintly metallic, and the shade under the park's big heritage trees fills with small crescent shapes.
- About 1:44 pmabout 76% covered. The air cools and the light looks like late afternoon. Around Lake Parramatta the birdlife may start to settle as if dusk is coming.
- About 1:54 pmabout 93% covered. Keep the CBD towers behind you and watch the north-west: that sky darkens as the Moon's shadow arrives at more than 4,000 km/h.
- 1:59:19 pmthe diamond ring, then totality. Glasses stay on. The eclipsed Sun is 29° up in the north-north-west. The sky goes dark, and all round the horizon it glows like sunset.
- 2:03:08 pmthe diamond ring flashes again on the other side. Glasses stay on.
- 3:14:33 pmlast contact. The Sun is whole again and the eclipse is over.
Where to look
The Sun will be 29° up at totality, bearing 328° true, which is north-north-west. In Parramatta, check that no building or tree stands between you and that point in the sky. A tree or building to your NNW blocks the Sun if it is closer than about 1.8 times its own height: a 10 m tree needs to be at least 18 m away and a 20-storey tower (60 m) at least 110 m away. The CBD has towers far taller than that, which is why Parramatta Square is a poor choice. On the Parramatta Park lawns the towers sit to the east, well clear of the line you need, and at Lake Parramatta you look north along the water.
Where the Sun is at totality · North-north-west, away from the CBD towers
The path near Parramatta · numbers match the spots below
A building or tree to your NNW blocks the Sun unless it's more than about 1.8× its own height away: 110 m for a 20-storey tower, 18 m for a 10 m tree.
How long totality lasts around Parramatta
Length of totality
| Place | Totality begins | Totality | Coverage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parramatta | 1:59:19 pm | 3m 49s | 100% |
| Westmead | 1:59:18 pm | 3m 49s | 100% |
| Epping | 1:59:26 pm | 3m 49s | 100% |
| Ermington | 1:59:24 pm | 3m 49s | 100% |
| Sydney Olympic Park | 1:59:25 pm | 3m 49s | 100% |
| Castle Hill | 1:59:18 pm | 3m 49s | 100% |
Times AEST, computed from JPL DE421 lunar ephemeris and cross-checked against NASA/Espenak Besselian elements. Parramatta is near the centre line, so these figures barely change across the area; durations only swing by 10 s or more close to the path edges.
Where to watch in Parramatta
Parramatta Park (Old Government House lawns & The Crescent)
Heritage parkland (85 ha) · City of Parramatta
A large heritage park in the centre of Parramatta, a short walk from the station.
Sightline. Broad open lawns; the CBD towers are to the east, well away from the NNW sightline. Choose lawns clear of the big heritage trees.
Getting there. 5 to 10 min walk from Parramatta station; light rail L1. Facilities. Toilets, cafes, paths
Heads up. Possible ticketed or official event. Check closer to the date.
Lake Parramatta Reserve
Bushland lake & swimming beach · City of Parramatta (North Parramatta)
Open water to the north-north-west, surrounded by bushland.
Sightline. The visitor hub and beach sit at the southern end, with the lake stretching north. You look up the lake towards the NNW, so the eclipsed Sun hangs over open water framed by bushland.
Getting there. Enter via Lackey St from Bourke St, North Parramatta; 68 car spaces plus street overflow. Walk or cycle if you can. Facilities. Toilets, cafe, BBQs, playground
Heads up. Very limited parking.
Sydney Olympic Park (Cathy Freeman Park & Bicentennial Park)
Major events precinct · City of Parramatta
Best crowd infrastructure in Western Sydney, with toilets, transport and space.
Sightline. Wide plazas and parkland. Bicentennial Park's open lawns and lookout give the clearest NNW sky away from stadium roofs.
Getting there. Olympic Park station (T7 shuttle); Parramatta Light Rail stage 2 when open. Facilities. Full event-precinct facilities
Heads up. Keep stadium stands and towers out of your NNW sightline.
Prince Alfred Square
CBD heritage square · City of Parramatta
A walk-up option for CBD workers and visitors.
Sightline. Low-rise surroundings to the NNW. Stand in the northern half of the square and check that no tower is closer than about 1.8× its height in the NNW.
Getting there. 5 min walk from Parramatta Square / Church St light rail. Facilities. Nearby CBD facilities
Heads up. Avoid Parramatta Square itself, where towers up to 200 m tall can block a 29° Sun.
Glasses on, the whole time
Wear ISO 12312-2 certified eclipse glasses for the whole eclipse, 12:40:21 pm to 3:14:33 pm, including totality from 1:59:19 pm to 2:03:08 pm. Sunglasses, smoked glass and homemade filters don't count, and a camera, binoculars or a telescope is only safe to look through with a proper solar filter fitted to the front.
Every pair is ISO 12312-2 certified and tested by an independent lab. You can check the test certificate online.
Buy eclipse glassesWill it be clear?
A typical July · Prospect Reservoir, BOM 067019
Prospect Reservoir, 10 km west, averages 11.3 clear and 6.6 cloudy July days. Morning river fog usually clears well before 2 pm. The July mean at 3 pm is 15.9°C, so bring layers for a long afternoon in the park.
Parramatta's high-rise CBD means the best viewing is in its big green spaces. Parramatta Park will be the focal point.
Common questions
Is Parramatta in the path of totality?
Yes, near the centre. Totality lasts 3 min 49 s.
Can I watch from the CBD?
Only if no tower is in your NNW sightline. A 29° Sun is easily hidden by a high-rise within a couple of hundred metres. Parks are safer.
Schools, councils and events
22 July 2028 is a Saturday, so Parramatta schools will need to hand out glasses and run safety lessons on Friday 21 July 2028 or earlier. An event at Parramatta Park or Sydney Olympic Park, or for a school or club anywhere from Westmead to Epping, should allow one certified pair for each person attending. Order early, as stock will be in demand in the final weeks. We can supply bulk cartons, fundraising boxes of 20 to 250 pairs, and custom-branded glasses from 500 units, with an artwork proof sent before anything is printed.
Nearby guides
- Sydney eclipse guide
- Western Sydney eclipse guide
- Penrith eclipse guide
- The Hawkesbury eclipse guide
- 2028 eclipse times across Australia
- Interactive eclipse map
- The 10 best places in Sydney to watch