North Sydney Olympic Pool has thrown open its doors, ending the long wait for one of Sydney’s most photographed stretches of water.
The harbour-side North Sydney Olympic Pool, which first opened on 4 April 1936, welcomed swimmers back on 8 August, with extended opening weekend hours. It has now moved to standard hours: 5.30am to 9.30pm on weekdays, 7am to 7pm on weekends, and 8am to 5.30pm on public holidays. Pools close 30 minutes before the facility does.
A pool with a serious record collection
The views are hard to beat.
If the venue feels like hallowed ground, that’s because it is. 86 world records have been broken in the Olympic Pool, including Shane Gould’s famous 100-metre freestyle swim in January 1972, which toppled Dawn Fraser’s long-standing world record. Fraser herself swam here, as did Murray Rose, Frank O’Neill, Michelle Ford, Jon and Isla Konrads and Lorraine Crapp. The site hosted the fourth British Empire Games – now the Commonwealth Games – in February 1938.
It remains the only surviving example in Australia of a harbour-side Olympic pool built in the neo-classical style of the 1930s, and is heritage listed.
What’s new
Focus on all the little details.
86 world records have been broken here.
The gym covers about 500 square metres.
Quite a lot. The refurbished outdoor 50-metre program pool now has a boom that splits it into halves or quarters, so carnivals, squads, lap swimmers and birthday parties can all run at once. Indoors there are two more pools – a 25-metre lap pool and a program pool – plus a spa, sauna and steam room.
Families get a children’s outdoor splash pad and a creche with indoor and outdoor play spaces, catering for children from eight weeks to six years at $7 per hour.
The gym has moved to Level 2, covering roughly 500 square metres with floor-to-ceiling views of the harbour, bridge and CBD. It’s kitted out with 42 cardio machines, 21 pin-loaded resistance machines and 92 pieces of free-weight equipment. The old Lane 9 gym space has been converted into a group fitness studio, and a new Reformer Pilates studio on Level 1 houses 12 beds.
Then there’s the cafe serving Campos coffee, a gelato bar on Level 2, and an upgraded sun deck with astro turf and new sun lounges.
A temporary animated artwork, Whale Dreaming by Saltwater Elder Uncle Bryce Moran, is on display against the downstairs living sandstone wall. Described as a Dreamtime story of the Cammeraygal Nation told through the whale’s journey to the Headland and north for mating season, the painting was animated by First Nations creative consultation company Dark Lightning, with cultural consultation from Auntie Jeanie Moran. A permanent commissioned work is expected to be announced in early September, with installation late this year.
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The old bones are still there
The North Sydney Olympic Pool still has its heritage charm.
Four heritage walls and structures remain, including the Eastern Stair Tower and the Southern Heritage Wall with its restored neoclassical stucco motifs. Original 1930s bricks were salvaged and reused where possible, with replacements hand-painted to match. Look out for the brass frogs scattered through the facility – a nod to the original frog motifs on the heritage walls – and the children’s pool sign, recreated as an exact replica from a plaster cast of the original.
Details
North Sydney Olympic Pool first opened in 1936.
Casual entry is $11 for adults, $8.80 for children and $8.25 for concession.
Weekly memberships start at $37 for a Legends adult membership, with Legends Plus at $65 including unlimited Reformer Pilates and hybrid run club.
Learn to Swim lessons start at $24 and squads from $42.50.
Cafe-only visitors can wander in free of charge, provided they’re not dressed for swimming or carrying a swim bag.
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Emily Murphy is Australian Traveller's Email & Social Editor, and in her 4+ years at the company she has been instrumental in shaping its social media and email presence, and crafting compelling narratives that inspire others to explore Australia's vast landscapes. Her previous role was a journalist at Prime Creative Media and before that she was freelancing in publishing, content creation and digital marketing. When she's not creating scroll-stopping travel content, Em is a devoted 'bun mum' and enjoys spending her spare time by the sea, reading, binge-watching a good TV show and exploring Sydney's vibrant dining scene. Next on her Aussie travel wish list? South Australia and The Kimberley.
The outback is calling, and the adventure is made all the easier with this hot new AAT Kings’ tour.
It’s the desert palette of rust-red earth and vast cobalt sky that calls you at first, for where better to get away from it all than the outback? Of course, once you start driving, taking note of all the weathered pubs, dusty tracks and tiny towns held together with humour, resilience and more corrugated iron than ever deemed possible, something else grabs a hold of you: the idea that far from the celebrated icons and landmarks associated with Australia, you’re finally immersed in an authentic slice of local life that few have ever experienced.
Ancient landscapes, proud pastoral histories, ghost towns, culinary powerhouses and a rich Indigenous heritage; there are plenty of facets to life on the land. The best way to experience all of the above with both ease and like-minded friends? AAT Kings’ new Outback New South Wales Adventurer, a 9-day small group tour. This Sydney-return itinerary is designed to connect travellers not only with iconic outback destinations, but with the characters, culture and experiences that bring each place to life.
Highlights? The Adventurer has more than a few, but here are eight to start.
1. Broken Hill
See the striking art at Living Desert and Sculptures. (Credit: Destination NSW)
Welcome to Broken Hill, where mining history, outback eccentricity and a surprisingly rich arts scene unite in a rusty desert landscape. In Australia’s first heritage-listed city, exploration is quickly rewarded. Begin with a guided walking tour taking in the city’s grand Victorian and Art Deco architecture. Later, enjoy visits to both the Broken Hill City Art Gallery and the Living Desert and Sculptures – the perfect place to enjoy the changing colours of an outback sunset. Of course, no visit to Broken Hill is complete without a stop at the historic Palace Hotel Broken Hill, famous for its role in The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert. Happily, it makes for the perfect spot for dinner.
2. White Cliffs
Strap on your hardhat and head underground. (Credit: Destination NSW)
Strap on your hardhat and start spending your imaginary fortunes; White Cliffs, Australia’s oldest commercial opal field, is begging you to come in search of rare pineapple opals. Admittedly, you’re much more likely to find white opals, but the true gems of White Cliffs – where much is built underground to escape the desert heat – are everywhere.
Here, you’ll descend 13.5 metres underground into a working mine to learn about the region’s heritage, and observe how miners continue the search for these prized gemstones. Perhaps you’ll even find a couple yourself?
3. Mungo National Park
Spend time in the striking, lunar-like landscape of Mungo National Park. (Credit: Destination NSW)
With its lunar-like landscape made up of ancient, dried lake basins and sculpted sand and clay formations, a drive into UNESCO World Heritage-listed Mungo National Park is somehow two things all at once: uniquely Australian with vast outback skies, and somehow otherworldly, as though you’ve been dropped off by spaceship. At its heart lies the iconic Walls of China, a 30-kilometre sand-and-clay lunette shaped by thousands of years of erosion.
Understanding more than 40,000 years of Barkindji, Mutthi Mutthi and Ngiyampaa history begins with a visit to the Visitor Centre, and concludes with a sunset tour led by local Aboriginal guides. A key experience? Learning about the discovery of Mungo Man and Mungo Lady. At 40,000+ years old, these are among the oldest human remains found anywhere in the world.
4. Kinchega National Park
Meet the locals of Kinchega National Park. (Credit: Destination NSW)
Some come to Kinchega National Park for its iconic Darling River landscapes full of birdlife and haunting river red gums; others visit for its rich First Nations and pastoral history. Your visit will encompass all of the above, with a guided tour (part of AAT Kings’ MAKE TRAVEL MATTER Experience) designed to give a deeper understanding of Barkindji cultural heritage, history and traditions.
Walk with local guide David as he shares ancestral knowledge and creation stories, and explains how native plants – through bush food and bush medicine – have sustained Indigenous communities for thousands of years. Then sit back and enjoy those views alongside native tea and sweet treats.
5. Griffith
Treat your tastebuds to ‘the food bowl of Australia’. (Credit: Destination NSW)
How can you say no to a visit to a destination widely regarded as ‘the food bowl of Australia’? Shaped by fertile farmland and home to approximately 75 per cent of New South Wales’ wine grapes, this is a day to roll up your sleeves and enjoy the best gastronomy the state has to offer. Think vineyards, cellar doors, cafes and restaurants largely shaped by its multicultural heart (Griffith is not only home to over 60 nationalities, but has the highest proportion of Italian ancestry anywhere in Australia).
6. Mudgee
Visit some of Mudgee’s best wineries. (Credit: Destination NSW)
Nestled by the Cudgegong River, Mudgee packs a big punch for a heritage country town, having carved a reputation for itself as one of the country’s leading (and award-winning) wine regions, a key epicurean destination, and a regional arts centre growing in both visibility and vibrancy.
Take a moment to enjoy the town’s 19th-century charm before heading to Lowe Family Wine Co. for a guided tasting of organic and biodynamic wine, followed by a relaxed lunch featuring a feast of homegrown and local produce. Will you walk away with bottles of Mudgee’s iconic reds under your arms? It’s a distinct possibility.
7. Silverton
See the living ghost town of Silverton.(Credit: Destination NSW)
A once-booming silver mining hub, the dystopian setting for Mad Max 2, and now a tranquil settlement that’s home to around 50 people; Silverton is considered a living ghost town and remains a sight to behold.
Take time to explore its heritage streets (and perhaps take a look at the quirky Mad Max 2 Museum) and the Silverton Hotel, an iconic outback pub, before a visit to Silverton Gaol & Historical Museum. It’s home to a wealth of colonial artefacts, early mining equipment and stories from the outback’s pioneering past which will serve to anchor you firmly in place.
8. Shear Outback
Get a glimpse behind the wool curtain. (Credit: Destination NSW)
If you ever find yourself singing, “click go the shears boys, click, click, click…”, you’ve come to the right place. Shear Outback, an award-winning tourist and education attraction located in Hay, brings to life the traditions and stories of one of the outback’s most enduring industries: sheep shearing.
Here, in the heart of the Riverina, you’ll enjoy live shearing demonstrations, meet the shearers, shedhands, sheepdogs and yes, sheep, who come together to show guests exactly what it takes to provide Australians with all that glorious wool.
