Jewels of the NSW coastline
When you’re in NSW, you’re close to some of the best coastlines and beaches in the world.
These places are Australian icons – the surf, sun, and sand attract locals and visitors from around the state and around the world.
Yet it wasn’t always this way. With European settlement came concerns that beaches weren’t places for recreation.
In the 1800s, people faced a ban on public daytime bathing due to the sensibilities of the time – and without a great deal of swimming ability and experience, a dip in the ocean could be quite treacherous.
Credit: Wollongong City Council
However, the hot summers meant people needed somewhere to cool off while also being protected from hazards. Here came the arrival of ocean pools, many of which were built at the time of the Great Depression as part of a public works scheme to create jobs.
Today, there are around 100 ocean pools along the NSW coast, and these have always been popular places, even with the advent of home and indoor pools since the 1970s.
Ocean pools influenced the birth of lifesaving clubs, with people coming together to protect their communities. Some ocean pools also have child-friendly and shallow sections.
Credit: Wollongong City Council
In the Illawarra alone, 9 rock pools draw visitors and locals. This includes Coalcliff Rock Pool, tucked into the rocky shoreline under the cliffs just north of Wollongong.
You’ll enjoy views of the Royal National Park and the Illawarra Escarpment while exploring the tidal rock pools or swimming some laps.
You can then walk 15 minutes to the popular Sea Cliff Bridge, which offers more amazing views of the Pacific Ocean. You can also easily drive or catch a train to other Illawarra pools, such as Coledale Rock Pool.
Credit: Wollongong City Council
While ocean pools bring relief during our hottest days, they also support swimmers through the winter months.
Clubs like the Stanwell Park Sea Eels, the Bondi Icebergs, the Clovelly Eskimos and others have been swimming and competing in ocean rock pools across NSW for decades.
When you join one of these clubs, you’re not just getting fit; you’re creating local connections and sharing stories.