It may be 63km offshore, but a new ‘Bondi-style beach’ is opening this summer in the heart of Sydney’s western suburbs.
Penrith Beach, a vast expanse of sand along Sydney’s western lake system, will be open seven days a week from late December to March 2024.
The beach is open from 7am to 7pm every day except Christmas Day and New Year’s Day. Visitors can drive there if they register in advance.
An artist’s impression of the new Penrith Beach on Sydney’s Western Lakes. A lifeguard can be seen on the right
A family is enjoying a sneak preview of the new swimming hole this weekend
Otherwise a shuttle service is available from Penrith Train Station. The beach is free.
It will be patrolled by lifeguards, have first aid services and will be accessible to the disabled – and there will be very few waves.
Located in the Castlereagh area of Sydney’s Western Lakes, the beach is the result of a $1.7 million government investment in NSW.
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The new swimming spot will be a breath of fresh air for residents of the city’s west, as Penrith was named the hottest place on earth in 2020.
Penrith regularly experiences temperatures 10 degrees warmer than the city’s eastern suburbs.
Penrith beach, above. It is located in Castlereagh. Parking (above) requires prior registration
Education Minister Prue Car told parents: “When school is ready for the fourth term, please take the children home during the school holidays.”
Children who tested the beach during a sneak preview at the weekend received rave reviews. “We love that there aren’t actually any huge waves,” said local Katrina Patridge.
But not every local said they were eager to swim there, given the area’s extraordinary temperatures in mid-summer.
“The last place I would want to go on a day where it’s 40 degrees would be Penrith beach, and I live in the west,” said one cynic.
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