Swimming in a pool is a great way to enjoy the summer with family and friends. It can also improve heart health, lower blood pressure and strengthen bones and muscles. It can also help reduce stress and anxiety. If you’re looking for a swimming pool in Sydney, consider working with a reputable pool builder who can help you design one that meets your lifestyle needs and budget. They can also provide tips and advice on how to maintain your pool.

Ocean pools offer visitors the opportunity to swim and appreciate the sea’s stunning beauty without encountering its dangers directly. But as recent exhibitions by photographers and other artists have shown, these relatively wild swimming environments still present challenges – from slippery rocks to bluebottles and rockpools full of seaweed, shells and sea urchins.

These rock-pool-like pools are a hallmark of Sydney’s rocky coastline, used by Aboriginals before European settlement and now enjoyed by locals and tourists alike. In their various shapes, sizes and locations, they provide a safe way to swim, play, exercise, sunbake and socialise — as well as a wonderful opportunity to interact with and learn about the marine life that flourishes in Australia’s tidal pools.

Most of Sydney’s sandstone ocean pools are privately owned and run by councils, state parks or private organisations. Some have a formalised layout, such as the Bronte Baths, and are known as ‘ocean baths’; others are more informal and may be referred to as ‘bogey holes’ or ‘rock pools’.

The City of Sydney pool, for instance, is a favourite among families with young children and aims to encourage community bonding. Gail Younts, a co-manager of the pool, says that although it’s a popular summer destination for city residents, the pool has been struggling this year. The cost of repairs has pushed operating expenses beyond revenue.

Younts and Rhonda Hobbie, another co-manager at the pool, say they’re hopeful that a new management structure will improve the situation next summer. The City is considering replacing the pool with a new water-based amphitheatre that would accommodate spectators and provide more recreational opportunities for children.

The ocean pools on Sydney’s northern beaches were especially memorable recreational and learn-to-swim venues for country children staying at the Stewart House Preventorium or taking part in other social tourism programs during the 1930s. The Bondi and Bronte Amateur Swimming Clubs provided free swimming instruction for children in country areas.

The ocean pools are now a treasured part of Sydney’s summer landscape. But the pools aren’t just a swimming spot: they’re a reminder of how Sydneysiders and visitors once managed to keep the surf at bay.