Maccallum Seawater Pool, Cremorne PointCredit: Destination NSW
Sunrise is a particularly pretty time to swim at Maccallum Pool, on Sydney’s North Shore, your backdrop being Sydney Harbour Bridge.
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Sea-fed rock pools, the gentle undulations of the Pacific Ocean, protected harbour coves or long laps in Olympic pools? With so many options on offer, deciding just where to swim in Sydney can be tricky. Follow the lead of locals and dive in to these refreshing waterholes.
In Sydney Harbour
There are many idyllic sandy beaches lining the shores of Sydney Harbour, including Redleaf Beach in Double Bay, a 10-minute drive east of the city centre. Pack your swimming gear for a dip in the Murray Rose Pool, a netted sea enclosure named for an Australian Olympic swimming champion of the 1950s and 1960s. This calm harbour pool is a favourite among locals, who come here to cool off year round — the two floating pontoons are some of Sydney’s most prized summer perches. After a few laps, take a stroll over the water on the wooden boardwalk that forms the perimeter of the enclosure while soaking up views of the moored pleasure craft and the harbour beyond.
And on Sydney’s North Shore you’ll discover Maccallum Pool, cut into the coast on the western side of the waterside suburb of Cremorne Point. These historic 33m-long seawater baths are today concreted and ringed by a wooden boardwalk, with plenty of shady nooks to gaze over the harbour (including the Sydney Harbour Bridge) after you’ve had a splash about. It’s within easy reach as well — just a 7.5km drive north of the city centre.
Murray Rose Pool, Double Bay Credit: Destination NSW
Murray Rose Pool, Double Bay.
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Murray Rose Pool, Double Bay Credit: Destination NSW
Murray Rose Pool, Double Bay.
Andrew Boy Charlton Pool, Sydney Credit: Destination NSW
People swimming laps at Andrew (Boy) Charlton Pool in Sydney.
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Andrew Boy Charlton Pool, Sydney Credit: Destination NSW
People swimming laps at Andrew (Boy) Charlton Pool in Sydney.
In an Olympic pool
Running along the edge of The Domain — 34 hectares of parkland on the eastern fringe of the city centre — the Andrew (Boy) Charlton Pool looks out over wharves of Woolloomooloo and the naval ships that at anchor off Garden Island. The saltwater Olympic pool is popular with both serious lap swimmers and those who prefer to laze about on stylish wooden deckchairs. Depending on the time of year, the facility also hosts alfresco yoga, so you can stretch out then dive in.
In the Pacific Ocean
In the Eastern Suburbs, along the legendary clifftop coastal walk between Bondi and Coogee beaches, secluded Gordons Bay is like a cool oasis, its slip of sand cradling an opal-like finger of ocean. Climb across the rocky headland to find the perfect place to spread your towel, before cooling off with a dip in the crystal-clear water. Divers and snorkellers can follow the Gordons Bay Underwater Nature Trail, marked by concrete-filled drums and a chain and with information displayed on steel plaques.
A 15-minute drive further south, the Malabar Ocean Pool is a protected swimming enclave fed by the sea. There are more than 100 such rock pools across the state, but this one is particularly pretty for its crowd-free views over Long Bay. Bring a snorkel to spot fish and starfish floating about.
Gordons Bay, Coogee Credit: Destination NSW
Boats moored at Gordons Bay, Coogee.
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Gordons Bay, Coogee Credit: Destination NSW
Boats moored at Gordons Bay, Coogee.
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Blue Pool, BermaguiCredit: Destination NSW
The scenic Blue Pool on the Bermagui coastline.
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You’ll find spectacular ocean pools dotted along the southern coastline of New South Wales. These handmade pools, fed by the ocean’s waves, are often built into the rocks near beautiful sandy beaches, can be hidden away along the coastline and are enjoyed mostly by locals. Ocean pools are great for kids learning how to swim, lap swimming and for a dip on the days when the waves are a little too big for your liking. Here’s where to find an ocean pool on the coast south of Sydney.
In the Illawarra
You’ll find many spectacular ocean pools in the Illawarra area, from south of the Royal National Park all the way through to the popular seaside town of Kiama. These include lovely pools at Coledale, Bulli, Towradgi, Port Kembla and North Wollongong.
Take the road through the Royal National Park to Stanwell Park and onto Coalcliff Beach, where the ocean pool is set against a dramatic backdrop of the escarpment.
Nuns Pool, at Flagstaff Point in Wollongong, is one of the oldest in the state, dating back to the 1830s. (The title of oldest ocean pool goes to the Bogey Hole in Newcastle, north of Sydney. It was built by convicts in 1819.) Located below the lighthouse, the Nuns Pool (formerly known as Chain Baths and used by the nuns of St Mary’s convent) sits in a small, sheltered cove and is accessed via a narrow path chiselled into the sandstone.
Further south at Kiama, the Blowhole Point Ocean Pool offers a safe swimming spot near the area’s famous blowhole, the largest in the world, on a headland near the town centre. This beautiful, hand-cut pool is an irregular shape and has a varied depth and rock bottom – it was also once a men-only bath. You can also take the 15-minute walk around Kiama Harbour from the blowhole to Black Beach Reserve. Here you can do 50-metre laps in the Olympic-size Continental Ocean Pool.
A 15-minute drive south of Kiama is the tiny coastal town of Gerringong. Head down to Gerringong’s Werri Beach for a swim at Ourie Ocean Pool, at the southern end of the beach. This rectangular pool, carved into a flat rock shelf, has a smooth concrete bottom and is perfect for a summer’s day dip.
Bulli Rockpool, Bulli Credit: Destination NSW
Sun setting over Bulli Rockpool, Bulli.
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Bulli Rockpool, Bulli Credit: Destination NSW
Sun setting over Bulli Rockpool, Bulli.
Ourie Pool, Gerringong Credit: Destination NSW
Scenic aerial over Ourie Pool off Werri Beach, Gerringong.
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Ourie Pool, Gerringong Credit: Destination NSW
Scenic aerial over Ourie Pool off Werri Beach, Gerringong.
From the Illawarra to the Shoalhaven
Drive an hour further south into the Shoalhaven region and seek out Huskisson Sea Pool at Huskisson. This coastal town has a rich shipbuilding heritage, which you can explore at the Jervis Bay Maritime Museum after your swim.
A 45-minute drive south of Huskisson brings you to Mollymook, where you’ll find the South Coast’s famous Bogey Hole, a natural rock pool on the headland south of the beach. There’s also a lovely ocean pool at Ulladulla, a five-minute drive further down the coast.
On the Sapphire Coast
One of the state’s most famous ocean pools is found at Bermagui, a little over five hours by car from Sydney, on the Sapphire Coast. Bermagui’s Blue Pool is revered as one of the prettiest, filled with azure-hued water fading to turquoise and green. At 50 metres long it makes for a great lap-swimming pool and there’s also a shallow wading pool, ideal for kids, just next to the pool.
One of the southernmost ocean pools on the NSW coastline is the Aslings Beach Rock Pool, a hidden gem carved into the pink-and-white cliffs at Aslings Beach in Eden, a six-hour drive from Sydney. It’s only a short walk from town, but its low profile makes it hard to spot from further down the beach. Make your way over the rocks from the beach and take a dip at low tide before the waves have a chance to deposit any seaweed.
Blue Pool, Bermagui Credit: Destination NSW
The picturesque Blue Pool situated along the Bermagui coastline.
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Blue Pool, Bermagui Credit: Destination NSW
The picturesque Blue Pool situated along the Bermagui coastline.
Aslings Beach Rock Pool, Eden Credit: Destination NSW
Aerial overlooking Aslings Beach Rock Pool in Eden.
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Aslings Beach Rock Pool, Eden Credit: Destination NSW
Aerial overlooking Aslings Beach Rock Pool in Eden.