Bowral Swimming Centre – Bowral, NSW 2576

Don Bradman’s childhood home but he was 63 by the time this pool was opened My experience in the pool It was a cool, cloudy Sunday at the end of the summer holidays when we pitched up at Bowral’s lovely swimming centre. I couldn’t help remembering that in country South Australia, they wouldn’t even open an outdoor pool like this on a day when the air temperature is only 19C, but they’re a hardier lot in New South Wales. This is a lovely swimming complex, with a 50m Olympic Read more [...]

Giles Baths – Coogee, NSW 2034

Named after a Mr Giles who owned the Hot Sea Baths here from 1929 My experience in the pool It was a hot, humid morning when I turned up at Giles Baths, at the northern end of Coogee Beach in Sydney's eastern suburbs. A visit to Giles Baths is a great experience, from the moment you pass under the big archway with the word Baths engraved up high, and the poignant memorial to the locals who died in the Bali bombings 13 years ago now. Walk through the arch and you see the water below. Read more [...]

North Narrabeen Rock Pool, NSW 2101

Narrabeen beach gets a mention in a Beach Boys song… My experience in the pool North Narrabeen rock pool is something of an icon among Sydney's regular rock pool swimmers, and it's easy to see why. The 50m laned pool is separated from the rest of the pool area by a wooden boardwalk which has apparently been there since the pool was built in the 1930s. I think you can swim under the boardwalk to get from the general swimming area to the main pool, though nobody seemed to be doing that Read more [...]

Murray Rose Pool – formerly Redleaf Pool, Double Bay 2028

Named after a gold medallist who learned to swim here as a toddler My experience in the pool The best thing about swimming at Murray Rose Pool in Double Bay (formerly Redleaf Pool) is surely its setting right on Sydney harbour. Just beyond the shark netting perimeter of the pool there's a sprinkling of yachts anchored in the bay; beyond that a handful of boats are out in the harbour with sails unfurled, and if you time your glance out to the horizon, you may spot the Manly Ferry drifting Read more [...]

Drummoyne Olympic Pool – Drummoyne, NSW 2047

Known by many as ‘Crummy Drummy’, but I like the place My experience in the pool Ok, staring at Iron Cove Bridge as you do your backstroke laps at Drummoyne Olympic Pool is not quite the same as North Sydney with its Harbour Bridge views, but I liked Drummoyne Pool and didn’t find it at all ‘crummy’. According to the excellent history of the pool I found on the Drummoyne Swimming Club’s website, the name ‘crummy drummy’ dates back at least to 1950, when a 14 year old Read more [...]