Pool Reviews

Berry Village Pool – Berry, NSW 2535

Berry Village Pool

Berry was named after the first family of white settlers in the area.

My experience in the pool

Getting there, getting in, getting changed

There are trains to Berry on the line south from Kiama to Nowra. If driving, the pool is just off to the left off the main road south through Berry, within the Showgrounds.

There seemed to be just vertical steps into the pool at both ends; the type of steps that are cut into the pool wall. Alternatively just slide in from the edge since it is not so deep.

I rather like the quaint old changing sheds. There is a stable door which you can bolt (!) to the single shower in the gents shed, and they clearly aren’t used to 6′ plus gents in here as the shower itself spouted from about my chest downwards. Nice strong flow though, and the cooling water quickly turned warm, so you can make your choice of temperature if you time things right.

Other practicalities

Pool closed in winter and check those quirky opening hours, even in summer.

$4 entrance fee for adults.

Pool depth: 85cm in shallow upto 1.4m in the deep.

History and stories about this pool

The plaque by the pool in Berry suggests is opened its doors in 1963.

My trawl through the Trove website showed that there were discussions about opening public swimming baths in Berry as early as 1933. There was a swimming pool in the village back then but it looks as if it was on land  owned by a Mr Jorgensen.

I’m not sure whether that pool was on the same site as the current Berry Village Pool, but the discussion in the local council at the time resonated for some of the more recent debates not only in Berry, but also in Sydney too…

One councillor argued that Berry was a hot place on a hot day and the pool wold be well-used. He also complained that when funds were not found for facilities like this which would save lives in the long term, there always seemed to be funds readily available to build roads. Not much has changed there then in 84 years…

What’s your story? Any memories of swimming here? 

Any stories to tell? Or did you just have swimming lessons in days gone by?

Whatever you have to say, however brief, I’d love to hear from you and will add any stories to this section of the site as and when I receive them.  Add your comment or story under ‘Leave a Reply’ below.

Links to other articles on this pool

It’s always difficult to search for articles on pools in places where the name of the town or village or suburb has another more general meaning. I had this problem in Forster, in Eden, in Blackhead, and now in Berry.

It means I found no other bloggers or other social media pieces on Berry Village Pool so I have nothing to link to here. If anyone has written about swimming here or finds something, please comment below so we can all read it.

Coffee, tea or milkshake after the swim?

If it’s a post-swim coffee, you’re after, there are a few decent places for good coffee in Berry, but none stands out for me. Whereas, if tea (and cake) is your tipple, this place is a must

Berry Tea Shop – 1/66 Albert Street, Berry, NSW 2535

Open Daily: 10am-5pm

Berry Tea Shop reviewed by the FancyaCuppa website.

Tea room in Berry

Fantastic loose-leaf tea here (they don’t even sell tea bags let alone serve tea with them); great quality and beautifully presented. But almost the thing I come here regularly for are the cakes, freshly baked every day by fellow Pommy guy Cliff. The humming bird cake is unbeatable. Great place to come and replace those swimming calories, in a delightful setting.

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