Comments on: Sydney’s Ocean Pools

By: Alice

Alice — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 11:15:53 +0000

Thanks for this, Marcus - I’ve been looking for a good guide to these beauties, and this is fantastic. I plan to visit (and swim in) them all! Will post photos as well, if you care to take a squiz. Have made a bit of a start but have a long way to go: http://www.flickr.com/search/?w=74985359%40N00&q=ocean+pool&m=text

By: Tara

Tara — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 20:59:54 +0000

Dont forget Fairlight Ocean pool, off fairlight cres!

By: Angela C.F.S

Angela C.F.S — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 01:09:23 +0000

Ahh, I love an ocean pool. Of course my favourite is Bronte Ocean Pool and the bogey hole next to it (where is that term from? Bogey?). Slap on some gopggles and the bogey hole is a true reminder that things live in the Sydney sea - large fish, swooshing locks of seaweeds, a blue bottle- ouch…
The pool even has warm showers during the winter months (for free- used to be 10c but the machine broke a few years back). A dip in the crisp clear pool on a weekday morning, a warm shower and a latte from across the road makes for an impressive start to any day. Love cousin Angela.

By: Rachel

Rachel — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 11:22:20 +0000

I have been coming to Sydney for the past 3 years from Boston, Mass., USA, and find swimming the pools to be the most wonderful experience. So far, I’ve found 9 and I appreciate this list. Is there a guide to the pools? I visited the tourist center and they said no, gave me this page, and directions for a few of the pools. Why don’t you do a small book that will be a guide to all the pools with information on their history and so forth? These pools are a gift to dedicated swimmers and a remarkable treasure.

By: Manuel

Manuel — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 10:39:05 +0000

Never noticed that there is a ocean pool in bondi. Ah its to crowded anyways ;)

By: Chris Fiore

Chris Fiore — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 04:20:44 +0000

Yer , started at Palm beach going south ,we take our three kids to a differnt pool each trip in summer , in two seasons we still havent been through them all , it will great to see them all before we cling to a favourite.

By: Marcus

Marcus — Mon, 19 May 2008 01:13:09 +0000

@Tom -
The images on this post are all from Google Maps,
so are easily and widely accessible. I am not sure if what Yahoo’s position to linking to google maps is however…

By: Tom

Tom — Sat, 17 May 2008 03:21:52 +0000

This is just a thought of course i have used and swum in these pools and loved them,
I participate and use a site known as Yahoo Answers where people ask or answer questions on many subjects participants
are located all over the globe,lately i have tried when ever possible to promote our fair Country and often include sites such as your own in my answers,just with this one i thought it would be great if there was more options available such as zooms or other enhancements.

By: sheila

sheila — Fri, 19 Oct 2007 07:30:47 +0000

this site http://nswoceanbaths.info/pools/b089.htm, includes a history of most pools

some were council projects, some were work creation projects during the depression, others were built by private speculators - Wylies, and some by energetic local residents - copacabana, newcastles boggie hole was a natural pool enlarged for Goveror Morriset by convict labour C1830/40’s

By: min

min — Mon, 15 Oct 2007 14:19:56 +0000

the mother of all ocean pools is found in newcastle at the south end of merewether beach. the length of an olympic pool forms the short dimension of the merewether baths. the long dimension is at least double that. a body-width concrete ledge separates the pool from the ocean at high tide. at low tide the pool is lodge into the rock platform. in any reasonable swell, the ocean rolls in over the ledge in easy sets. there are two pools. closer to the cliff is the shallow pool: where the huge length is matched, but the width of the shallow pool might be closer to 25m.
a beautiful pool known as the bogey hole is cut out of the rock at the base of a cliff, one headland south of newcastle beach. it was cut for the commandant’s bath in the early 1800’s.
the newcastle baths have big airy change areas enclosed behind the bath’s art deco (kind of) facade. a stepped, curved, ocean-liner wall breaks the north esterly wind and forms a stage for sun bathing. the oval pool was added later an has a map of the world described at it’s base. the map is always lost under the sand. these baths are being renovated right now so we hope the council is not ruining them.
i will send satellite images if you want to upload them.
min.

By: Andrew Browne

Andrew Browne — Mon, 15 Oct 2007 05:19:38 +0000

How were these built? Are they separate from the ocean, or do the waters mix? How old are they? Were they built by government or local residents?

By: Garvan

Garvan — Tue, 09 Oct 2007 00:18:16 +0000

Marcus,
There a Flickr dude / dudette that is doing a masters on ocean pools (?).
Check it out:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/nswoceanbaths/

What sort of trade related procrastination is this anyway?
G

By: Matt

Matt — Mon, 08 Oct 2007 12:06:07 +0000

Thanks - these are great. I lived in Maroubra for a time and used to regularly walk along the coast to Bondi and beyond. This brought back some great memories

Matt

By: sheila

sheila — Fri, 05 Oct 2007 01:31:03 +0000

sydney’s lovely ocean edge pools …
mmmmmm
marvelous

thanks marcus
some extras to enjoy

some of these sites have several pools, such as cronulla which has three, a tiny toddler pool is just north of the photo frame
coogee also has a “ladies” pool just north of wylies
and at north coogee there is a well used “remnant” pool which used to be associated with Giles Gym on the headland - its depth varies with the tide and it can be like a washing machine in a big swell - its a favourite of mine as its particular situation is unexpected each time i visit it
from Ballina to Eden there are more than 60 ocean edge pools - two beauties @ Forster + Bermagui

By: Marcus Trimble

Marcus Trimble — Thu, 04 Oct 2007 08:47:39 +0000

Thanks Peacay (and fellow shire-ite Brad)!

I have updated the list. I would hate to upset The Shire…