The Andrew Boy Charlton Revamp & A New Era For Sydney’s Harbourside Pools & Baths

Harbourside pools and baths are a fabled part of Sydney’s sun-loving culture – and, although they never disappeared, they seem to have entered something of a new era.

As it does annually, the historic Andrew (Boy) Charlton Pool beside the Domain opened on 1 September for the period through to the end of April. This time, however, it has undergone a major refurbishment by the City of Sydney.

Close to 50,000 tiles were laid before the pool was refilled, treated and heated for the open season ahead of it.

Lord Mayor Clover Moore said that the facility is located in a “harsh marine environment” for an outdoor pool, and that “working on a structure suspended above the harbour has been a challenging engineering feat.”

The pool’s gas heating systems were swapped out for “more efficient” electric heat pumps, which the Lord Mayor said “really shifts the dial and gets us closer to our sustainability goals.”

A City of Sydney spokesperson told the City Hub that the pool clocks about 120,000 visits per season, which equates to a little over 495 per day. Perhaps the prolonged rainy weather which Sydneysiders recently experienced will have an effect on that number.

Meanwhile in Rozelle, the envisioned Callan Park Tidal Baths are one step closer to reality, after the Inner West Council and the New South Wales Government recently came to a funding agreement.

Mayor Darcy Byrne said that the baths would be “the next step in the incredible rehabilitation of the Parramatta River, and will attract swimmers and families from all over the Inner West to take a dip in Callan Park.”

A recent piece in Australian Traveller calling the baths “like our own Swiss lake” bodes well for their reception.

Unofficial spots

The proposed tidal baths have been made possible by a substantial improvement in the cleanliness of the Parramatta River, which previously had become polluted by industrial refuse. This was despite the river having a long history of hosting public baths.

In 2016, the Inner West Courier reported that a number of locations were under review by enthused local councils, including some in Abbotsford and Rodd Point, as the cleanliness of the water continued to improve.

However, this happy turnaround has allowed some unofficial dipping spots to emerge.

Rodd Park, located on the opposite side of Iron Cove to Callan Park, is one example. This little peninsula boasts a small beach on its southern side which is a popular swimming spot among locals, and a smaller one on its northern.

Sydneysiders have a healthy love for that deep blue surrounding them, and all indications are that they are eager to make the most of its improved cleanliness.