Sydney’s ocean pools provide locals with a place to swim, float and get their daily dose of vitamin D. Attracting thousands of visitors every year with towels and goggles clutched tightly under arm while photographers look for that ideal photograph, they also serve as battlegrounds over heritage funding and future of these iconic swimming spots.
Sydney’s ocean pools range from the Instagrammable Bondi Icebergs to hidden gems at Coogee and Bilgola, all the way back to Henry Alexander Wylie’s tidal pool established by champion long-distance swimmer Henry Alexander Wylie in 1907. Other pools, like Bronte Art Deco pool or McIver’s Ladies Baths have become icons within themselves; both date back centuries!
Prince Alfred Park Pool offers a slice of summer between Surry Hills and Redfern, complete with buttercup yellow umbrellas that create the Riviera feel, as well as its 50-metre pool that is the ideal temperature to jump right in! Whether you need an early release from class for water playtime, or want to recreate yourself as part of some sort of summery coming-of-age film scenario, its scenic overlook of inner Sydney makes this an idyllic setting in which to spend your day.
But North Sydney councillor and independent federal MP Kylea Tink believes the pool’s issues started once it received a $10m grant meant for regional women’s sports. She asserts this windfall “shifted the project up a gear, muddied governance of it” and left it in disarray, according to Tink. Zoe Baker, mayor of Sydney also shared this viewpoint and asserts the pool has become “an expensive political project instead of something desired by its community”.
Mosman’s new pool was scheduled to open in March 2021; however, due to factors including the Covid pandemic, La Nina, and discovering of contaminated materials during construction days. With budget overrunning to an estimated $100 million budget and opening delayed to late 2024/2025.
Sydney residents and visitors are fighting hard for public spaces, including swimming pools in Sydney Harbor. Mayor Clover Moore is leading this charge with plans to transform part of Sydney Harbor into public swimming pools and lounge areas; Australian-based architects Andrew Burges and his firm are being brought in as designers of this project.
Are You Planning on Constructing a Pool in Your Backyard in Sydney? Find a Sydney pool builder that listens to your ideas while adhering to local laws and regulations for the best experience. They’ll help create a space that matches both your lifestyle needs and Sydney climate, with expert landscaping solutions designed specifically for pools. Discover more about creating an inviting landscape that complements both style and maintenance needs using pool-friendly plants that withstand Sydney climate.