The Sydney harbour bridge and opera house may be the city’s most iconic icons, but the city also has one lesser-known secret: its pool culture. Sydney is home to more ocean pools than any other city in the world. It’s a city that loves to swim, and these pools are more than just places where people come to soak up some sun and sea. They’re places where locals gather for a drink, or where kids learn to swim and splash with friends. They’re a place to de-stress and reconnect with nature.
The COVID-19 pandemic may have forced many people to stay at home and swim indoors, but the need for outdoor pools has become even more pressing. And with warm seawater temperatures and sunny weather, the city is in dire need of more coastal pools to help people get outside and re-connect with the water.
Ocean pools are man-made public seawater pools situated on a surf coast, so that waves wash over the sides and wash up on the beach. Most have changing rooms and showers, and are free for swimmers. Serene at low tide, choppy at high tide, they’re in many ways the original infinity pools. And the best thing about them is that they are part of a spectacular natural landscape.
One of the most popular is Wylie’s Baths, which was built by champion long distance and underwater swimmer Henry Alexander Wylie in 1907. It’s located in Coogee, along with the pristine cliff-top Wedding Cake Island. It’s the only ocean pool in the country to be dedicated solely for women and children, and it remains one of Australia’s most beautiful tidal pools today.
In suburban Sydney, there are dozens of hidden swimming spots where people come to relax and escape the hustle and bustle of city living. They’re tucked away in secluded parks and suburban beaches, where you can find locals swimming and soaking up the sun. They’re places where families meet, teenagers chill out and asylum seekers connect with the community. And they’re places where you can see ingenuity at work.
One suburbian who’s become a fan of these hidden gems is Michael Easton, a 41-year-old television graphic designer. He’s started exploring the city’s suburban pools, and documents his adventures on Instagram. He’s swum in 68 different pools, and says it’s hard to pick a favourite. “There’s something instinctive about the water. It’s where we all came from and it’s where we all return to in order to feel good,” he says.
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