Pool Reviews

Eden Olympic Pool – Eden, NSW 2551

Posted by: on:

Eden was named after a 19th century politician, not after anything biblical... My experience in the pool We were in Eden to swim in the ocean pools, but when you drive past a superb 50m Olympic Pool on your way into town, it's hard to resist popping in to stretch out and do a few laps as well as jumping in the rock pools. Eden's War Memorial Pool was built in the 1970s to give local kids an opportunity to swim when the local rock pool filled up with sand and meant proper lap swimming Read more [...]

Thompson’s Point Baths – Eden, NSW 2551

Posted by: on:

My experience in the pool We'd never have found Thompson's Point Baths in Eden on the NSW Sapphire Coast without the help of this site. Well, actually, local gent Rob Whiter found me via my ABC Radio interviews last year and got in touch to make sure I didn't miss his hidden gem, which was the first rock pool in Eden - built very early in the 20th century - but fallen largely into disuse since the old wooden ramps that used to link it to the main cliff tops crumbled away with termite infestation Read more [...]

Temperatures Rising over Petition for Parramatta Pool

Posted by: on:

When I wrote about my experience in Parramatta Olympic Pool last year, I also mentioned the plans to demolish the pool when the nearby stadium gets expanded. There's been a petition up to show local support for the pool in Parramatta, based not only on its heritage (1950s architecture), and its unique facilities (not many diving boards left in NSW pools these days), but also on its vital role as a resource for the local community. This weekend, as temperatures are expected to rise above Read more [...]

Como Learner’s Pool – Como, NSW 2226

Posted by: on:

Como was named for its similarity to the city on Italy's lakes. My experience in the pool I hadn't planned a swim in Como Pool on this particular Friday in February, but the grey skies over Sydney put me off going into the water at the harbour baths I'd hoped to visit, and in any case sea water really needs blue skies to bring it out best in photographs, so I changed my plans and decided to do a drive around to check the location and facilities at the next tidal baths I plan to swim in. This Read more [...]

Paradise Beach Swimming Enclosure – Avalon, NSW 2107

Posted by: on:

My experience in the pool I really envy the two blokes I saw sauntering down the road to Paradise Beach swimming enclosure, towel in hand, ready to take the plunge presumably just a couple of hundred yards from their home. I drove down to the end of Paradise Road and saw the beautiful baths from the car, but then had to drive half a mile back up the hill before I could find a reasonable place to park. There are at best 6 parking spots by the baths at Paradise Beach and on a hot morning Read more [...]

Greenwich Baths – Greenwich, NSW 2065

Posted by: on:

Greenwich is named after its namesake on the River Thames in London My experience in the pool Greenwich Baths sit on the north side of Sydney harbour, with great views back to the Sydney CBD skyline. Greenwich Point, next door to the baths, lies just round the corner from where the Lane Cove River meets the Parramatta River, hence the briney water mentioned by one of the other swim bloggers I link to below. This was my first swim on the NSW ocean pools (and harbour baths) quest since Read more [...]

Chiswick Baths – Chiswick, NSW 2046

Posted by: on:

Chiswick is named after the riverside suburb of London My experience in the pool Chiswick Pool in south west London is where I finally learnt to do front crawl, or freestyle as they call it in Australia. That was back in the 1990s. But I couldn’t help thinking of those swimming lessons as I strode into the water at Chiswick Baths. The name is about where the similarities between the two Chiswicks end, though. And the Thames is a very different beast from Sydney Harbour. Chiswick Baths Read more [...]

Bronte Bogey Hole – Bronte, NSW 2024

Posted by: on:

My experience in the pool Bronte Bogey Hole has always taken second place on my previous visits to the area because Bronte Rock Pool is one of my favourites of all the NSW ocean pools. But I needed to have a swim in the bogey hole one day to complete my coastal quest. I’d partly shied away from trying to swim in the bogey hole because I couldn’t work out exactly where the swimming area actually was. But my friend, and fellow swimming blogger, Therese put me right when we met last weekend: Read more [...]

McIver’s Baths – Coogee, NSW 2034

Posted by: on:

Sydney's women-only rock pool is named after Rose McIver, who was founder of Randwick & Coogee Ladies Swim Club in 1922. My experience in the pool This wasn't of course 'my experience in the pool' - fortunately my wife was able to jump in and give her impressions of swimming at McIver's Baths. Two female friends joined me, and the day we visited there was quite a swell, with waves crashing over into the pool, and a bit of a ‘washing machine’ effect in the baths.  One friend, Read more [...]

Norah Head Rock Pool – Norah Head, NSW 2263

Posted by: on:

" template="/home/oceanpoo/public_html/wp-content/plugins/nextgen-gallery/products/photocrati_nextgen/modules/ngglegacy/view/gallery.php" order_by="sortorder" order_direction="ASC" returns="included" maximum_entity_count="500"] Norah Head lighthouse was the last staffed lighthouse along the NSW coast. My experience in the pool Norah Head rock pool has to be my favourite of the many ring of stones rock pools along the NSW Central Coast. Catch it on the right tide in sunny weather, as I did Read more [...]