Penrith Beach to reopen for summer season after $2.5m investment
The Sydney beach is reopening this weekend to provide a swimming spot in an unexpected location after facing questions about its future.
Penrith Beach will reopen this weekend, giving Western Sydney residents a place to swim this summer.
The government has faced criticism from the opposition and media in the last week questioning the site’s continued closure as temperatures have soared across Sydney.
Reopening on Saturday, the artificial lakeside beach colloquially referred to as “Pondi” sits on private land north of Penrith on what used to be a quarry site.
In recent weeks, “no trespassing” signage at the site’s entrance with Penrith Lakes branding indicated the property as inaccessible to the public.
Deputy Premier and Minister for Western Sydney Prue Car said that this site is “critical for the people of Western Sydney”.
“Hundreds of thousands of Western Sydney locals showed up and enjoyed Penrith Beach last year, and I cannot wait to join them for another summer season.”
Responding to calls from opposition leader Mark Speakman to open the beach, Minister for Planning and Public Spaces Paul Scully accused speakman of issuing “dopey press releases that are detached from reality.”
“For 12 years he sat in government and left the padlock on where we saw there could be a beach,” Scully said. “Under the Minns Government, over 200,000 people got to the beach and very soon will enjoy it again.”
Penrith Beach initially opened to the public last summer, attracting more than 215,000 visitors between December 19 2023 and Anzac Day 2024.
The NSW government invested $2.5m in the state budget to fund amenities and staffing for the site this summer, including lifeguards from Surf Life Saving Australia.
The Royal Life Saving Society will also patrol the beach and lead community education opportunities.
“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,” Mr Scully said.
“Bringing back this beach for another summer shows that our Government remains committed to providing access to great places to swim.”
Unlike many other Sydney beaches, the site is inaccessible by public transport or to pedestrians and has 350 parking spaces available. In a change from the beach’s last season, spots cannot be booked in advance.
The government is also set to deliver activations at the site over the summer season, including learn to swim classes, a sunset cinema, beach volleyball and an education program run by Sydney Zoo.
The beach’s opening hours until 2 February will be 10am to 7pm. From 3 February to 27 April, the beach will close at 5pm daily, opening at midday on weekdays and 10am each weekend. The beach will be open daily including Christmas Day.
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