Sydney Harbour swimming: Woollahra councillor Harriet Price leads harbour pool push

One Sydney councillor is leading a push to expand the number of harbour swimming spots around Sydney’s eastern suburbs, following the popularity of Marrinawi Cove at Barangaroo.

Henry Fisher and Max Jones photographed jumping off the pier making the most of Sydneys sunny weather at Redleaf pool beach, Double Bay, April 2022. Picture: NewsWire / Monique Harmer

A push to create more harbour swimming spots in Sydney’s eastern suburbs is in motion, with a Woollahra councillors arguing the city’s waterways should be made more accessible and safe.

Residents First Woollahra councillor Harriet Price has proposed Woollahra Council investigate if more harbour swimming spots could be developed along the harbour.

Ms Price has asked the council to explore the feasibility of adding to the popular harbour swimming spots – including the Murray Rose Pool at Redleaf Beach and Watsons Bay Baths – that provide accessible and safe areas of the harbour through netting, jetties, ladders and other amenities.

She said swimming was one of the most popular activities in the eastern suburbs, however there was no available space to invest in indoor or outdoor swimming centres.

“Our stunning harbour is a valuable public asset but we need to do more to ensure that it is accessible and safe for all to use,” she said.

Woollahra councillor Harriet Price (right) photographed at NSW parliament with State MP for the seat of Sydney Alex Greenwich.

Rushcutters Bay along New Beach Rd has been proposed as a potential new harbour swimming spot. Image: Philip Thalis.

Architect, urban design expert, and local resident Philip Thalis, who has voiced support for the project, said there were a number of potential new locations for harbour pools, including at Rushcutters Bay along New Beach Rd, where a pool previously existed.

Other spots included McKell Park at Darling Point, Seven Shillings Beach at Point Piper, and at Rose Bay at the harbour next to the Rose Bay Police Station.

Seven Shillings Beach at Rose Bay. Image: Philip Thalis.

Rose Bay Harbour. Image: Philip Thalis.

The notice of motion highlights the successful opening of several natural water swimming spots in recent months, including the Bayview Park Baths on the Parramatta River at Concord and the opening of Marrinawi Cove at Barangaroo – where swimming had previously been banned.

Infrastructure, Cities and Active Transport Minister Rob Stokes made a splash when he and independent Sydney MP Alex Greenwich celebrated the opening of the swimming spot in January by diving fully clothed into the harbour pool.

Mr Stokes said at the time it was possible to swim at the Cove because the NSW Government had invested in cleaning up Sydney Harbour.

“We’ll continue to explore more ways to increase public access to the harbour for swimming and water sports across urban renewal sites including Barangaroo, Blackwattle Bay and Bays West,” Mr Stokes said.

Sydney just got a new beach at Barangaroo. ☀️And it looked so good that @AlexGreenwich and I couldn’t resist jumping in. Shame we couldn’t convince @[e-mail]/brKzM1uX2z

— Rob Stokes MP (@RobStokesMP) January 9, 2023

This time next year, Lake Parramatta will be a better place to swim thanks to a $900,000 grant from the Liberals and Nationals Government's Places to Swim program.

Construction is set to begin in a little over a month! @LaneCoveMP@[e-mail]/jBzv00QSoW

— Rob Stokes MP (@RobStokesMP) January 27, 2023

To ensure swimmer safely, safety netting, signage and a new shower were installed.

The NSW Department of Planning and Environment (DPE) ‘Places to Swim’ Program began awarding grants to enable communities to enjoy rivers, lakes and other inland waterways in 2021, allowing the Bayview Park Baths to reopen 50 years after they were closed. A new project at Lake Parramatta is set to begin construction in March.

“Our city stopped building ocean and harbour pools more than half a century ago – it’s past time to provide more great, safe public places to swim,” Mr Stokes said.

Ms Price said the months-long closure of Shark Beach at Nielsen Park due to upgrade delays had also revealed the community were “desperate for more swimming opportunities”.

“The footage of Alex Greenwich diving into the clear waters at Marrinawi Cove over the summer got me thinking about what might be possible for Woollahra,” she said.

The motion, backed by Residents First Councillors Lucinda Regan and Luise Elsing, will be put to a vote at Monday’s Woollahra Council meeting.