Sydney Pools

Sydney’s scenic coastline, picturesque harbour and abundance of urban public pools has long made it one of the world’s great swimmable cities – making for unforgettable swimming pool days when Thirsty Merc is blasting and kids splash around like they’re in an old-fashioned summery coming-of-age film. But nothing beats having your own backyard for swimming pool day festivities!

If you live in a suburb with its own pool, chances are good you have full use of it year round. For those without such privilege, however, there is an abundance of public pools and baths across the metropolis which can be reached with either a short bus ride or walk.

Sydney’s best swimming spots present an array of shapes, colours and sizes with distinct personalities and allure. Bondi Ocean Pool stands out as an idyllic Riviera-esque haven complete with buttercup yellow sun umbrellas and families playing on its grass lawn; others, such as those at Royal Botanic Gardens that won two National Architecture Awards last year are sleek geometric wonders reminiscent of their surroundings – like Bondi cliff behind.

Other pool locations add their own special flavor, like those found in Palm Beach – a wealthy enclave 25 miles north of downtown where movie stars and moguls frequent. Built into cliffs and reefs, Palm Beach’s rock pools – many 50 meters or longer in length – offer stunning enigmatic pools whose geometry often recalls surrealist paintings. At some pools a timber platform has been constructed for enhanced viewing; at Narrabeen the pool edge bends inward into an eye-catching curve off an end peninsular peninsular!

Suburban public pools also offer plenty of fun and excitement, such as Manly’s South Pacific Beach which features an exciting 295 foot-long slide since 2005 and opens between Memorial Day weekend and Labor Day.

However, the slide may not be for everyone – an employee must always monitor it to protect children from fast-moving currents and ensure no one falls through. Furthermore, plastic bottles from bottles left lying around often end up on the slide causing significant environmental problems in Australia’s waters.

Avoiding plastic canning by swimming at the City of Sydney’s Ian Thorpe Aquatic Centre, built for the 2000 Olympic Games but now considered one of Sydney’s finest indoor pools. Entry costs $8 and there’s plenty of fitness courses and events – not to mention having your very own floatie so that your aquatic adventure begins from day one!