Sydney is home to some of the world’s most beautiful ocean pools, but you’ll also find a number of indoor swimming options in the city. Whether you’re looking for a fun place to take the kids or an easy way to stay fit during the colder months, these local Sydney pools will have your little ones jumping in and out of the water in no time.
Clovelly Pool
One of the most stunning outdoor pools in Sydney is right on the beach at Clovelly. It’s the perfect spot for a summer swim or a relaxing sunbath, and it’s also a popular bottleneck along the Bondi to Coogee walk.
Wylie’s Baths
If you want to swim in a natural rock bottom, look no further than the Wylie’s Baths in Woolloomooloo. Located at the top of the cliffs, this heritage-listed ocean pool is a real hidden gem that’s been around since European settlement and it’s a great place to get close to nature.
The swimming area is surrounded by a grassy bank and rocks, making it a very family-friendly beach. There are toilets, showers and changing facilities at the top of the stairs that lead to the ocean end of the pool.
Mahon Pool
Tucked away on the north side of Maroubra Beach, Mahon Pool is a hidden gem that’s perfect for families and kids. There’s a good-sized leisure pool on one side, and the other side has a shallow toddler pool ideal for baby and kids.
Cook + Phillip Pool
The newest addition to Sydney’s aquatic centre scene, the Cook+Phillip pool is a fantastic facility for both adults and children. It has a good-sized leisure pool with a shallow toddler pool, as well as an underwater viewing area for adults and a fountain area with bubbles for the kids.
It’s also a great spot for family fun, with the Powerhouse Museum next door and a great playground.
Ian Thorpe Aquatic Centre
If you’re looking for a Sydney swimming pool that has it all, then this is the one to go for. It’s home to a good-sized leisure pool with lane lines and a shallow toddler pool, plus there’s a kids’ water play area and an indoor gym.
Gunyama Park Aquatic Centre
The new Gunyama Park Aquatic Centre is attracting a lot of attention, with many swimmers wanting to visit the first Olympic-sized pool in Sydney since 2000. It has two different pools, a 50-metre main pool and a 20-metre leisure pool.
There’s a huge amount of energy used at the Gunyama Park Aquatic Centre, so it’s important to make sure it’s running on an efficient system. The city has recently installed a cogeneration unit to help keep the complex’s power consumption down.
It’s an eye-catching and eco-friendly feature for the Sydney community to be able to enjoy in its own backyard. It uses a gas-powered internal combustion engine to generate both electricity and useful heat, which in turn satisfies the other energy needs of the pool complex.