Engadine Leisure Centre – NSW 2233

Named after a valley in the Swiss Alps…for some reason! My experience in the pool Only three lanes out of nine were in use when I arrived at about 11am on a bright, sunny morning in July for my swim. So there was lots of room for relaxing laps, and even though a few others had come along by the time I was out, we were still few enough to have a lane each, and that always feels like a real privilege. It was a cold morning, though. As I swam my freestyle, I could feel an icy touch on Read more [...]

Sutherland Aquatic Centre – NSW 2232

The biggest swimming centre in the southern hemisphere, they say. My experience in the pool It was a bright winter’s morning for my swim here. Air temperature quite cool but water a comfortable 25C. There were three lanes free when I arrived at about 10.30am, though by the time I left there were at least two swimmers in each lane. There’s a nice combination of graded lanes (fast, medium, slow) and lanes where you just go the pace you please. I opted for one of the empty lanes Read more [...]

Bomaderry Aquatic Centre – NSW 2541

The end of the line for trains from Sydney My experience in the pool The air temperature was little more than 10C on this June morning when I turned up for a dip. Thank goodness there are no temperature limits here (as there are in places like South Australia, where 26C can be the point below which swimming is considered dangerous!!). This delightful little aquatic centre fits snugly in between the local High School, Basketball centre and bowling greens, with the pool surrounded by Read more [...]

Dapto Olympic Pool – Dapto, NSW 2530

There’s more to Dapto than the Dogs… My experience in the pool I was here on a cold but bright June morning. The air temperature was 13C but felt a good deal colder with a chilly wind from the SW. This made for interesting sensations as I swam. The feel on the back switched between warmth from the sun, cold from the wind and something in between as the water splashed onto my back with each stroke. It’s a beautiful pool, with palm trees by the side and views up to the escarpment Read more [...]

Corrimal Memorial Pool – NSW 2518

The original home of Streets ice cream in Australia (the town, not the pool!) My experience in the pool I came here the day after the big storms of April 2015 finally abated. For a midweek morning, in a suburban pool, it was quite busy, perhaps with others like me who had cabin fever after four days sheltering from the wind and rain. It’s a heated pool (24C the day I was there) open all year round, and particularly welcome when the ocean baths were still needing a good clearout after Read more [...]

Prince Alfred Park Pool – Sydney, NSW 2010

Nearest pool to Sydney Central Station in the park named after Queen Victoria’s second son My experience in the pool A beautiful autumn day for this swim. I got in just around 12 noon and there was lots going on, with lessons in a couple of lanes and graded speeds in the other lanes. With just three people in my lane, though, there was no pressure, so I could take it easy, still recovering from my bout of bursitis. It’s a great setting for a swim, with palm trees lining one end Read more [...]

Victoria Park Pool – Sydney, NSW 2050

A pool in the park, with the beautiful old buildings of the University of Sydney just up the hill My experience in the pool It’s a beautiful pool, with palm trees on the park looking down on you as you swim. This is a very organised pool, too, with three wide, but speed-labelled lanes, and to help guide you into the right lane for your ability, they have a board with average lap times for ‘fast’, ‘medium’ or ‘slow’. I was nursing my tight shoulder so opted for slow, Read more [...]

North Sydney Olympic Pool – NSW 2000

Surely the best views in the world for a swim: Sydney Harbour Bridge & Luna Park entrance My experience in the pool My first visit here was after work time on a hot, summer’s day in January. The pool was heaving with bodies ploughing up and down the lanes, though they always a keep one wider lane free for fun swims, so the kids tend to go in there. Don’t forget, this is a salt water pool (I overheard one child complain to his Mum: “It’s too salty”), though it has all the Read more [...]

Andrew (Boy) Charlton Pool – Woolloomooloo NSW 2011

Named after Australia’s 1924 Paris Olympics gold medal winner, who famously beat a world record-holding Swede as a teenage in pools at this site My experience in the pool I visited here with swimming buddy and fellow writer Therese on the pool’s penultimate day of opening before they closed for the 2015 winter. What makes this pool so special is its setting and its history. You’re right on Woolloomooloo Bay, with naval dockyards opposite and the old Navy shipping sheds in sight Read more [...]

The Entrance Ocean Baths – NSW 2261

The 'Pelican Capital of Australia', where Natalie Imbruglia went to school! My experience in the rock pool At least there was already one guy swimming in this pool when I got there on a cool July afternoon, so I knew it was possible. But he was wearing a wet suit and all I had were my brief bathers, having left at home my wet suit and my goggles. But the warm(ish) afternoon sun made the pool look irresistible, and I couldn’t help thinking: if he can do it, so can I. And there’s always Read more [...]