With sweltering summer temperatures and long stretches of pristine beaches, Sydneysiders can take to their swimming pools for relaxation or sport. But owning a pool also comes with a significant level of responsibility. Whether you’re looking to renovate your backyard pool or build a new one from scratch, it’s important to find a Sydney pool builder that can ensure your pool meets all the necessary specifications and safety standards. In addition, the pool builder should have a good track record and a reputation for quality work.

In a city like Sydney, with its enticing harbour waters and rocky beaches, it’s no surprise that the suburbs are dotted with venues for what Britain’s Kate Rew calls “wild swimming”. [1] Developed along the rocky coastline from Palm Beach in the north to Cronulla in the south, these ocean pools cater for recreational and competitive swimming, learn-to-swim programs, treasured forms of wave-play and exuberant art.

Some of the most popular ocean pools are those sited on the sand at Coogee and Bondi. These have a rich history of club swimming carnivals, including men’s and women’s diving events and water polo matches as well as novel novelty swims for both. Ocean pools are more sheltered than non-tidal beaches and are therefore a safer option for recreational swimming.

But the story of ocean pools along Sydney’s eastern beaches is a complex one. Despite their popularity, they were often the target of environmental concerns and political manipulation. As early as the 1970s, pollution from sewage and industrial waste reduced support for swimming at beaches in general, and drove community fundraising to develop ocean pools as an alternative.

The story of the North Narrabeen pool reflects this complexity. It started as a “bloated vanity project,” says councillor Tink Baker, who has voted against the project 23 times. The construction schedule was beset by the Covid pandemic, a La Nina and an independent review that predicted it would hit $86m by late 2024.

Even when the pool is finished, it will be difficult to recoup its enormous costs. It will need to charge for fashion week shows, production companies and private parties – far from the usual remit of a local pool – to cover its running and maintenance costs. Ultimately, however, it’s the public that will foot the bill for this costly political folly. In a city like Sydney, where the pool is such an icon, this may prove the final nail in its coffin.