Where it’s hard to find a pool in SEQ: our cheapest dips in SEQ

Where can you find the best pools in SEQ? And what are the costs? COMPARE YOUR POOL

Cleveland Aquatic Centre has one of the highest resident-to-pool ratio in the country and is still awaiting refurbishment works which will not be completed before June. Picture: Contributed

Southeast Queensland public pools are sinking under huge demand with swimmers in some council areas having to share facilities with more than 83,000 other people.

If you’re looking for a peaceful spot to dive in and cool off over the weekend, Redland City Council pools may not be the answer.

Redland was listed as having the lowest number of public swimming pools per resident across all local council areas in the state.

The bayside city was the place hardest to find a public pool in the southeast compared with Ipswich, Gold Coast, Logan, and Brisbane.

Ipswich council pools may be a better option with about 79,465 people per pool, while Gold Coast has 78,136 residents per pool, Logan 57,516, and Brisbane 56,492.

Despite the high ratio of residents to pools in southeast Queensland, the area’s pools offer some of the most competitive entry fees in the country.

Brisbane City Council offered the country’s cheapest adult entry fee of $2 with Redland council’s two pools coming in next as the cheapest, charging adults a mere $4.50 entry.

Council pools in Somerset and Scenic Rim also offered cheap entry fees of $5, with Ipswich, Logan and Sunshine Coast City Council pools charging $6.20, compared with the most expensive adult entry fee of $11.40 at the Mosman council pool in Sydney.

Brisbane City Council is one of a handful of councils across the country that dropped entry fees to a standard $2. Picture: BCC

None of the surveyed council pools across the three states offered free swims; however, swimming is free at a range of beach enclosures in Woollahra, Sydney, Port Phillip Bay and Redland beach enclosures.

There are 2113 publicly accessible municipal swimming pools across Australia, equivalent to one facility per 12,200 people.

But Redland has only one public pool per 83,405 residents, topping the “high and dry” list in southeast Queensland.

The bayside city of 166,809 people, has two public pools owned or managed by the council – the Cleveland Aquatic Centre on the mainland, and the Bay Islands Aquatic Centre on Russell Island.

Cleveland Aquatic Centre is awaiting further maintenance work. Picture: Contributed

The embattled Cleveland Aquatic Centre received public criticism two years ago when mould was found in its showers, its water quality failed testing standards and its toilets were clogged.

Anger boiled over last month when Cleveland pool goers complained about hygiene standards again and about the failure to replace a popular slippery slide into the children’s pool.

The popular slide at Cleveland Aquatic Centre was removed in May last year but eight months later it has not been replaced. Picture: Contributed

The slide was removed in May last year after it reached the end of life with expectations it would be replaced by the Christmas school holidays but has still not been replaced.

Redland council responded to concerns about its limited public swimming pool facilities, with a spokesman defending the region’s aquatic infrastructure and highlighting recent investments aimed at improving services for residents.

The council said the city made up for the lack of swimming pools with seven beachside swimming enclosures, easily outstripping Moreton City Council which has no beach enclosures.

Popular swimming enclosures in Redland are at Redland Bay, and on the islands of Karragarra, Lamb, Macleay, Russell and North Stradbroke Island (Minjerribah).

Avoid the crowds and have a dip in one of Redland city’s free swimming enclosures. Picture: Contributed

Redland pointed to its ongoing efforts to maintain and upgrade the ageing facilities spending $1.3 million overhauling the complex in 2019-2020 after the complaints about hygiene and safety.

That work included replacing broken pool filters, electrical upgrades, and installing a 100kW solar system.

The council also allocated $1.4 million for capital and operating works for the Cleveland Aquatic Centre and the Bay Islands Aquatic Centre in the 2023-2024 period.

But the refurbishment work on Cleveland’s ageing 50m pool grandstand and perimeter fencing scheduled will not be completed before June.

“A significant portion of this funding, $487,560, was directed towards upgrades at Cleveland Aquatic Centre, including the refurbishment of both the 25m and 20m pools, as well as the children’s play pool area,” the council said.

“Additional work includes the cleaning and resealing of the rapid river pool, upgrades to safety features like bus and drop-off zones, and the external repainting of the main building.”

Hobsons Park in Sydney is one of the more expensive council pools. Picture: Hobsons Park Aquatic Centre

In response to calls for more public pools, the council noted that residents in the western corridor could also use the Brisbane Aquatic Centre at Chandler.

While southeast Queensland’s pool infrastructure is in high demand this summer, the data showed outer suburbs of Melbourne and Sydney, such as Melton and Blacktown, were drowning in the lack of access, with up to 138,000 people per pool.

The more affluent inner-city suburbs in the two southern capitals fared better with one pool for every 7000 residents