New Sydney Harbour pool to open this summer
Ben Doherty
Sydney’s latest harbour swimming pool, on the banks of Callan Park in Lilyfield, will open for swimmers this summer, the state government says, with construction now under way.
The new tidal baths on the Iron Cove foreshore, along the popular Bay Run and close to sports fields like Leichhardt Oval and King George Park, is expected to attract thousands to the southern banks of the Parramatta River.
Demolition work has also started on nine unsafe buildings in Callan park “which were neglected for so long that they have become not only an eyesore but a safety hazard”, the Minns government said on Monday.
“The removal of these long cordoned off buildings will unlock central parts of Callan Park, delivering the equivalent of two football fields of green space back to free community use,” the government said in a statement.
The baths will include a shark net, a fixed jetty, a pontoon, and an accessible pathway and ramp into the water.
Construction of the new tidal baths was expected to take six months, meaning it should open for summer ۲۰۲۶. The building demolition in Callan park was also expected to be completed by the end of this year.
Key events
Ben Doherty
NSW planning minister calls for bill to allow commercial activity around new pool
The planning and public services minister, Paul Scully, said the Callan park upgrades represented a “new era”.
“The new tidal baths and return of ۱.۶ hectares, or the equivalent of ۴,۰۰۰ large picnic blankets of green open space, to the community will mean more people can enjoy this great parkland,” he said on Monday.
Scully argued Callan park would be further improved by the Parklands bill, which passed the state’s lower house in May and was now before the Legislative Council. Legislation currently prevents any commercial activity in Callan park.
“For the park to be able to host your new favourite café and reach its full potential, we need the … bill to pass parliament,” Scully said.
When opened, the Callan park baths will be the latest of Sydney’s new or re-animated public swimming spots. Marrinawi Cove at Barangaroo was dubbed Sydney’s first city beach in ۵۰ years when it opened in ۲۰۲۳.
Bayview park on the Parramatta River reopened for swimming in ۲۰۲۲ after being closed for more than five decades. The river also boasts Chiswick baths and Cabarita beach, while “Pondi” – Penrith beach – was opened in Castlereagh in ۲۰۲۴.
New Sydney Harbour pool to open this summer
Ben Doherty
Sydney’s latest harbour swimming pool, on the banks of Callan Park in Lilyfield, will open for swimmers this summer, the state government says, with construction now under way.
The new tidal baths on the Iron Cove foreshore, along the popular Bay Run and close to sports fields like Leichhardt Oval and King George Park, is expected to attract thousands to the southern banks of the Parramatta River.
Demolition work has also started on nine unsafe buildings in Callan park “which were neglected for so long that they have become not only an eyesore but a safety hazard”, the Minns government said on Monday.
“The removal of these long cordoned off buildings will unlock central parts of Callan Park, delivering the equivalent of two football fields of green space back to free community use,” the government said in a statement.
The baths will include a shark net, a fixed jetty, a pontoon, and an accessible pathway and ramp into the water.
Construction of the new tidal baths was expected to take six months, meaning it should open for summer ۲۰۲۶. The building demolition in Callan park was also expected to be completed by the end of this year.
Good morning
Stephanie Convery will be with you soon to take you through today’s news as it unfolds.
At ۲pm AEST today, most phones in the country will blare an emergency siren as part of the first nationwide test of the new AusAlert warning system. People who may have secret “safe phones”, kept hidden for personal safety reasons, have been advised to consider turning off their devices for up to ۲۴ hours after the test and drivers have been warned not to touch their phones during the alert.
The Royal Commission on Anti-semitism and Social Cohesion continues in Sydney.
And Ed Husic is up on ABC Radio soon to talk about fallout from the national Labor conference.
