The world might know Sydney’s Opera House and Harbour Bridge, but its sdy pools are its own hidden treasure. The city’s tidal seawater pools are separated from the surf by rock clusters and small seawalls, enabling swimmers to safely enjoy the water without a fear of sharks or stingers. Open to the public for little or no cost, they sing a particular brand of offbeat culture that is distinctly Australian. Many have Victorian changing pavilions and host swimming clubs with quaint names. The oversize, man-made tide pools were built in the 19th and 20th centuries along Sydney’s rugged coastline to protect swimmers from dangerous rips and currents.
A swell of councillors from both sides of politics are urging the state government to take more seriously the value of local swimming pools and investigate discounted pricing models. The idea is that charging less to enter a pool would increase visits, improve profitability and create more income from café sales and swim and aquarobics classes. They point to a trial in far south NSW, where free entry to five council-owned pools saw visitor numbers rise 23 per cent while operating costs only increased 1.5 per cent.
In Lane Cove, Greens councillor Rochelle Flood and independent Kathy Bryla are pushing for the NSW state government to consider a similar model for the town’s five swimming pools. They also cite a pilot in Snowy Valleys, where free entry to council-owned pools saw visitation rise and revenue from cafe and pool-related activities increase more than 50 per cent. But they are aware that the success of a pool’s business model depends on how well it is managed.
Despite their popularity, some of Sydney’s sdy pools are in need of urgent repair or have closed altogether. Parramatta’s local pool was shut in April 2017 to make way for a new stadium and was only recently reopened after the Berejiklian government promised to build a “like-for-like” replacement by December 2020.
Other communities have lost their local pool to development or to the need for maintenance – or to political considerations. The loss of a pool can have devastating impacts on locals, especially when it occurs during school holidays and hotter summers.
A growing swell of councillors from both the state and federal benches are putting pressure on the Berejiklian government to take more seriously the value of local pools and investigate discounted pricing models. The idea, they say, is that charging less to enter a pool will increase visits, improve profitability and create more income – from café sales and swim and aquarobics classs – while also protecting the environment and preserving the pool’s heritage assets. If you’re a regular reader, you can add this article to your reading list and come back to it later. Or sign up to get our articles delivered straight to your inbox.