The Best Swimming Pools in Sydney For Families

There are literally hundreds of Sydney swimming pools, many of them super special places to swim and play.

swimming pools in sydney best adults kids families
This is Andrew ‘Boy’ Charlton pool, perched above Sydney Harbour – stunning

If you’ve got busy kids then you’ll know that splashing and swimming can really wear them out. In a good way!

Plus we all know that every kid in Sydney needs and deserves to learn to swim. It’s a simple safety issue. So if you are looking for a great swimming pool. Sydney can provide one!  All the pools listed here have their own very detailed post, so just click through to read all the information you need to plan a visit.

If you’ve searched for ‘swimming pool near me’ just have a look as the pools here are listed by area. 

NB Don’t forget the many free outdoor rock pools and ocean and Harbour pools that Sydney has. You can find these listed on our big Sydney beaches and map post, click here.

And just to add all of these are public swimming pools, Sydney also has private pools within gyms but the public pools are the best.


 

Swimming Pools in Central Sydney

Cook + Phillip Park Aquatic Centre

An indoor pool complex right beside Hyde Park in the centre of Sydney. Check out the post here, and see the little video above.

Andrew ‘Boy’ Charlton Pool At The Domain 

This outdoors pool perched on the shores of Woolloomoolloo Bay has some of the best Sydney Harbour views around. There’s a kids pool though just a small one. A beaut lap pool in a spectacular spot.

Ian Thorpe Aquatic Centre in Ultimo

One of the best indoor pools Sydney has to offer, certainly in the city centre.  The Ian Thorpe Aquatic centre is an indoor pool complex with a 50m pool plus a leisure pool and a learn to swim.

All the details are here.

swimming pools in Sydney Ian Thorpe aquatic centre
Love this elegant photo from the pool’s Facebook page – thank you

Victoria Park Pool, Camperdown 

Gorgeous location with outdoors pools only.  The kids pool is open only in summer, but 50m lap pool outdoors is open all year round and there’s a gym and creche too, so good for parents. Read all about Victoria park Pool here.

Victoria Park pool

 

 

Western Sydney Swimming Pools

Sydney Olympic Park Aquatic Centre

Most people agree with is the best indoor Sydney aquatic centre.  This vast indoor complex has a 50 metre Olympic pool, 50 metre training pool, a huge leisure pool with a rapid river run and a slide. There are also two baby splash pools, adults spas, steam room and saunas. Read all the details you need here.

sydney swimming pools olympic park aquatic centre

Blacktown Leisure Centre, Stanhope

A wave machine in the west, hooray! The leisure pool here is fun plus there are two baby and toddler pools and lap pools too.

Read all about Blacktown Leisure centre on this post.

sydney swimming pools western sydney blacktown

Riverstone Swimming Centre

This spacious outdoor swimming centre is only open over spring, summer and early autumn. It makes a great way for families to keep cool in the west. There are all sorts of fun places to splash and play, plus kiosk and wee playground. Read all about Riverstone Swimming Centre here or click the picture.

 

 

North Western Sydney Swimming Pools

Waves Fitness and Aquatic Leisure Centre, Baulkham Hills

Indoor and outdoor pools plus a trampoline centre there too. Check out Waves Fitness and Aquatic Leisure Centre here.

waves in the hills best Sydney pools swimming

 

Swimming Pools on Sydney’s North Shore

MacCallum Pool, Cremorne Point

This is a free pool on the side of Sydney Harbour with the BEST VIEWS over the Harbour and city.

Check out all the info on this gorgeous swimming venue here.

MacCallum Pool, Cremorne Point: Sydney Harbour Pools
Boardwalks around, little shallow areas and walks and picnic spots nearby, MacCallum Pool is highly appealing for many reasons
 

North Sydney Olympic Pool

My most fave pool of all.  Gorgeous complex between the Bridge and Luna Park. 50m heated outdoor pool and kids pool plus indoor pools too. Stunnin’ views. Check it out here.

North Sydney Olympic Pool swimming pools in Sydney
Views from North Sydney Olympic Pool to Luna Park and McMahons Point – sigh

Ku-ring-gai Fitness and Aquatic Centre

The old West Pymble is all jazzed up with indoor and outdoor options, plus it’s right beside a fab playground.

Read the post here for all details.

Ku-ring-gai pool
Fun indoor pool at Ku-ring-gai, photo courtesy of the pool

Lane Cove Aquatic Centre

A suburban haven with classic 50m outdoor pool plus 25 lap pool indoors and a wonderful leisure pool with fun stuff for kids.

Read all the inside info you need on Lane Cove Aquatic Centre on this post.

Lane Cove Aquatic Centre Sydney swimming pools in sydney
Lovely Lane Cove, lots of bubbly fun for kids
 

Ryde Aquatic Leisure Centre

A pool for everyone, great for adults and teenagers as well as children. Pools, a slide, a wave machine and a rapid river run. Great day trip, worth a drive.

Read all the details and see photos of Ryde Aquatic Centre here.

The slide and toddler pool at Ryde Aquatic Centre

Hornsby Aquatic and Leisure Centre

An outdoor 50m pool and a fun indoor pool with great splashy fun and a slide too.

Read all the details about Hornsby Aquatic and Leisure Centre here.

Hornsby Pool water Play

Warringah Aquatic Centre

Warringah Aquatic Centre

With indoor and outdoor pools and diving boards, this Northern Sydneyswimming complex is a summer favourite. Read all about it here.

Willoughby Leisure Centre

This is a very family friendly pool on Sydney’s north shore with bubbly beach and leisure pool and fun inflatables at the weekends. Read all about Willoughby Leisure Centre here.

Southern Sydney Swimming Pools

Sutherland Leisure Centre

Indoor and outdoor pools, terrific large leisure pools. A great spot for all ages of children… and adults.

Read all about Sutherland Leisure centre here.

Sutherland Leisure Centre swimming pools in Sydney

 

Warringah Aquatic Centre

Eastern Suburbs Swimming Pools

Bondi Icebergs Club

An outdoors pool at Bondi which charges a small fee and is open all year. Sydney’s most iconic (and most photographed pool).

Find all the info on Bondi Icebergs here.

best swimming pools in Sydney
Beautiful Bondi Icebergs pool and the beach beyond

More Great Sydney Swimming Pools 

Pools we know are good and need to visit to take pix:

Annette Kellerman Aquatic Centre at Enmore

Cabarita Swimming Centre

Drummoyne Swimming Centre

Hurstville Aquatic Leisure Centre

Leichhardt Park Aquatic Centre

Ripples Leisure Centre, St Marys

Springwood Aquatic and Leisure Centre

We reckon these are the best pools in Sydney, but where have we missed!?

Your advice very welcome and I’ll keep adding more in.

Let’s go swimming!

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6 Comments

  1. says: Lisa

    We love Fanny Durack pool in Petersham – plenty shade, lawn, fountains for little ones, plus toddler enclosed paddle pool and a 25m pool with ramp in and a playground at the entry. Coffee shops not too far are Pig & Pastry and Brighton on the corner.

  2. says: Mark

    Hi Seana, your lists pretty much capture then all, but there are some other superb pools in and around Sydney that we’ve tried out and highly recommend for kids. Willoughby Leisure Centre is a good indoor facility with a number of kid’s splash areas & a slide pool (a smaller steel slide). Peninsula Leisure Centre ay Woy Woy is one of the best- all indoors; beautifully designed (the same people who designed the Emerton Leisure Centre); a great water slide; a free inflatable slide in the summer and great attendants (important for us, when our ASD 7y.o. boy loses sight of his need to queue up for a slide).

    1. says: Seana Smith

      Thank you so much. I must have missed out Willoughby Pool somehow… we have been there a zillion times when the kids were small, I must have a post about it somewhere. Hadn’t heard of the one at Woy Woy so shall make a mental note of that and add it to the list. When our ASD son was young, the attendants at Willoughby were NOT so understanding, I can tell you. He is 18 now… unbelievably. Big hello from us and hope the year has started well for your family xx

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