Swimmers back in the Seine in Paris after a century: Can Melbourne’s Yarra River be cleaned up too?

If the River Seine in Paris can be cleaned up for swimming, so can the Yarra, an expert says. Melbourne Lord Mayor Nick Reece agrees, saying we’ll be taking a dip “well before the year 2050”.

If the filthy River Seine in Paris can be cleaned up to welcome back swimmers after a century-long ban, so too can Melbourne’s Yarra, an expert says.

But beyond improving the quality of the water, other barriers to swimming in the city’s main waterway would need to be addressed, including boat traffic, stormwater and safety, RMIT urban and social studies expert Dr Rebecca Olive said.

“Swimmability should be part of a healthy city and hopefully international examples, like the success in Paris, will encourage the Victorian government, councils and community to work towards creating cleaner and safer access to the Yarra for public swimming,” she said on Thursday.

A central Melbourne CBD stretch of the Yarra River. Picture: David Crosling

The River Seine in Paris legally opened to swimmers on July 5, after being closed to bathers in 1923.

The opening was made possible after the river was given a massive and expensive clean-up when it was named as a venue for the Paris Olympics, with the once stinky and polluted waterway now able to accommodate more than 1000 swimmers daily.

Melbourne Lord Mayor Nick Reece said Melburnians wanted to be able to swim safely in the Yarra and it was one of the council’s top priorities in its recent Melbourne 2050 Summit.

“Melbourne is already known for its beautiful environment, parks and gardens, clean air, water and food. So it makes sense that we are also a city where families can swim in the rivers and waterways, including the Yarra.

“We know there are a lot of issues to overcome, but as a city with a united goal, I’m confident we can get make it a reality well before the year 2050.”

Dr Olive, an associate director in the Centre for Urban Research and a fellow in the Regenerative Futures Institute, said making Melbourne’s Yarra River a swimming spot would be a shot in the arm for the city’s tourism, recreation and hospitality sectors, as well as good for the environment.

Advocates had long campaigned for Melbourne’s Yarra to be rehabilitated, she said.

Swimmer Tom Statham enjoys swimming in the Yarra River at the Deep Rock swimming hole. Picture: David Caird

Melbourne’s dirty Yarra River. Picture: David Crosling

Earlier this year some of those advocates told the Herald Sun a key step to encouraging Melburnians to become regular swimmers in the Yarra River could be the installation of a floating sauna and adjoining plunge pool in the city stretch of the waterway.

Lead convener for the Swimmable Birrarung project, Charity Mosienyane, said in February there was strongly growing interest among Melburnians about swimming in the Yarra.

“It’s now not that far-fetched,” she said.

“Could we have a boat anchored in the city area where you could have a sauna and a plunge pool in the river?”

People swim at the Pont Marie safe bathing site, one of the three swimming sites opened for the summer on the Seine River in Paris in July 2025. Picture: AFP

The River Seine was specially cleaned for the 2025 Olympics. Picture: AFP

Ms Mosienyane said a lot of planning and environmental work needed to be done before the dream was realised but any actions to encourage more people to swim in the Yarra River would deliver big benefits to the health of the waterway and the vibrancy of the city.

“We want the entire river to be healthy and thriving again,” she said.

Originally published as Swimmers back in the Seine in Paris after a century: Can Melbourne’s Yarra River be cleaned up too?