As a community pool facility in Sidney, we offer a refreshing escape from the summer heat. Our pools are the perfect place for individuals and families to swim, relax, exercise or play. Our goal is to create a place that is fun, safe and clean for everyone. This is achieved through our staff, programs and amenities.
OUR POOLS
Our city has a long history with ocean swimming pools, which provide a safe environment for swimmers to enjoy the beach without being in the full surf. The first ocean pool was carved – and then dynamited – by convicts in Newcastle in the 1800s, and Sydney’s fabled beaches soon started to feature their own pools, too. The popularity of swimming pools grew as mandatory school swimming lessons were introduced and swimming clubs were established in the 1950s, and the Olympic success of Australia’s athletes gave further impetus to swimming. Today, most beaches have a dedicated swimming pool at their southern end. Serene at low tide, choppy at high, they are the original infinity pools.
Among them, the Bondi Icebergs Pool is a slice of summer perched above the ocean. Its buttercup yellow sun umbrellas and grass-strewn lawns bring a Riviera vibe to the scene. If the beach gets too crowded, head to the adjacent Prince Alfred Park Pool for a swim that’s always at that jump-right-in temperature and plenty of space to spread out and soak up the sunshine.
Other tidal pools to check out include Coogee’s Wylie’s Baths, built by champion long-distance swimmer Henry Alexander Wylie in 1907. The raised decking hugs the cliffs, and offers 180-degree views of the Pacific ocean, including wedding cake-shaped Wedding Cake Island and the iconic Coogee Beach. The nearby McIver’s Ladies Baths is the only women-only ocean pool in Sydney, dating back to the 1880s, and a reminder of how our egalitarian society was once quite different to what it is now.
Rising sea levels due to climate change are a big threat to these pools, however. Many are built on rock platforms, and “there’ll be a point when they need to be raised,” says an architect who specialises in designing such pools. “They’ll need to be maintained differently,” she adds, and there will come a time when some are no longer viable.
But even the best-designed ocean pool can’t beat mother nature. As Jordan explains, the pool’s rocks could eventually be washed away by the encroaching sea, and a cliff face could crumble, sending boulders into the water below. As they’re so popular, a lot of effort goes into maintaining the pool’s integrity – but with Sydney’s population rapidly increasing, the work will only intensify. In the meantime, there are plenty of other beautiful, swimmable spots in the city to discover. And if you have any questions about swimming pools in the city, please contact us at sydneypool@sydney.gov.au. We’re happy to help!