Pool Reviews

Camden War Memorial Pool – Camden, NSW 2570

Camden War Memorial Pool

Camden was named after a former Minister for War (!) rather than the north London suburb.

My experience in the pool

Getting there, getting in, getting changed

There are trains and buses to Camden, though we drove this time. Parking was tricky on a busy Saturday morning, though by the time we left after lunch, there was bags of room to park.

There are nice shallow and wide steps into the Olympic Pool at the shallow end. No disabled ramp, but presumably with the wheelchair ramp down to this level, the must be a hoist or some other means to facilitate disabled access at Camden?

Warm showers in the spacious changing rooms. Nice on a cool morning, but I’d have liked a cold option for hot days.

Other practicalities

Pool closed for winter.

Entrance fee $4.35 in 2017-18.

Olympic Pool depth from 1.3m to 1.8m, with a standing ledge at the deep end. The bunting over the two ends to help backstroke swimmers judge distance felt as if they were placed a little less than the usual 10m from the end of the laps, maybe even at 5m at one end.

History and stories about this pool

For history of Camden Pool, you won’t find better than this article from a local Camden website. It includes a video of the new pool after refurbishment, but I liked it best for its early memories of swimming in Camden.

The article starts with mention of Albert Baker who first promoted the idea of a pool in Camden in 1946. As a lover of old arcades that are still well-used today, I was delighted to find the Baker Arcade in Camden, with information on the man himself and his campaign to promote swimming in the town. Don’t miss that gem after your swim.

There is a plaque by the Olympic Pool with some detail on the opening day of Camden Pool in 1964. Nice mentions for synchronised swimming, the brass band, and of course Albert Baker, who became the swim club’s president once it set up on the pool premises. (see photo in the gallery above)

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

I haven’t found any other bloggers writing about Camden Pool. The local newspaper had a piece on lighting issues not too long ago. But that’s the only link I could find.

Coffee, tea or milkshake after the swim?

We got lucky in our search for a post swim coffee in Camden. We didn’t find the coffee shop we were looking for, but were directed by a local resident towards a relatively new place, which surely serves the best coffee in Camden…

Jally’s – 10 Larkin Place, Camden, NSW 2570

Open Daily: 5.30am-5pm Mon-Fri; 7am-3pm Sat-Sun

Coffee in Camden NSW

Jallys reviewed by the FancyaCuppa website.

Certainly the best coffee I have drunk in quite a few weeks. We found this coffee shop in Camden quite by chance, after asking a local for directions to a different coffee shop! Jally’s has no branding or name board anywhere, and is behind the main street’s buildings, but find it for fantastic coffee and cake.

They use a new coffee roaster in Wollongong called Abstract Coffee (I think that’s the name…), and they let me have the single origin, even though I like a flat white. And wow, this was one of the smoothest coffees I have drunk in a while. Lovely fresh, moist muffin to go with it too. This coffee shop is less than a year old, but already doing a roaring trade. Perfect for your post swim coffee.

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