Penrith Beach to finally open this week after landholder stalemate

The opening date for Penrith Beach or ‘Pondi’ for the 2024-25 summer season can finally be revealed.

Western Sydneysiders will finally be able to escape the summer heatwave this week as Penrith Beach, affectionately known as “Pondi”, is set to open this Saturday for more than four months.

The Minns government is under pressure to open the beach early this year after a record-breaking heatwave hit Penrith last week, getting up to 39C on Wednesday.

The Daily Telegraph can reveal that Pondi will open for the first time this season on Saturday December 7 between 10am to 7pm. It will be open everyday including Christmas Day, until the public again lose access at the end of April next year.

Unlike most other beaches across the state, which are open to anyone at any time, Penrith Beach is on private property. As a result, the state government is required to negotiate a yearly agreement with landowners Western Sydney Lakes over its opening every season.

Penrith Beach will open to the public on Saturday December 7. Picture: Jonathan Ng

The new opening date comes after scrutiny from this masthead and 2GB last week, as to whether the beach opening had been delayed due to a disagreement with the landholders over the future of the site. Negotiations between the Minns government and Western Sydney Lakes over the long-term development of the site has still yet to be resolved. The owners are pushing for approval for a multi-use lakeside precinct across the 2000 hectares, which would require the government to rezone the land in order for the development to go ahead.

Gates closed stopping people from swimming at Penrith Beach. Picture: Jonathan Ng

Western Sydney Lakes Board Director Jacqueline Vozzo did not respond to multiple requests to comment from this masthead. She previously said on the proposal in June this year that Penrith Beach was “an important step forward” but that “the people of Western Sydney deserve more.”

This year, Pondi will have more amenities after the NSW government spent $2.5 million to staff the area with life guards and improve the facilities. These include more than 300 parking spaces, meaning beach goers will not need to secure vouchers to park like last season.

NSW Deputy Premier Prue Car said more than 215,000 people visited Pondi last season. Picture: NewsWire / Gaye Gerard

Deputy Premier and Western Sydney Minister Prue Car said more than 215,000 people visited Penrith Beach between its initial opening on December 19 last year and Anzac Day.

“This is about equity. A place like Penrith Beach is critical for the people of Western Sydney,” she said.

“It is fantastic to see Penrith Beach will open its gates again in one week’s time, so our community has somewhere to relax and cool off in our local area.”

Planning Minister Paul Scully said the opening of the beach for summer meant less travel for Western Sydney residents to get in the water.

“Penrith residents previously needed to travel 40km to swim in Lake Parramatta, 63km to get to Bondi Beach, or 75km to get to either Cronulla or Manly,” he said.

“We had huge numbers visit Penrith Beach last season and we look forward to welcoming even more people this summer.”