A new man-made beach has opened in Sydney's west to mixed reviews as temperatures rise in the city.
Penrith Beach, already dubbed 'Pondi' by locals in reference to the iconic Bondi Beach in the city's eastern suburbs, opened to the public early on Tuesday morning.
Visitors have flocked to the new location as local temperatures were forecast to reach a sweltering 38 degrees on Tuesday afternoon.
All 700 parking spaces were reportedly reserved days in advance.
The new swimming spot is just a few miles from Penrith's CBD and will be much more convenient for locals looking to cool off in the summer heat than traveling to popular beaches in the east of the city.
A new man-made beach in Penrith, in Sydney's west, opened to the public on Tuesday
Visitors reportedly flocked to the new swimming spot as local temperatures were forecast to reach 38 degrees on Tuesday afternoon
Adam Leto, CEO of the Western Sydney Leadership Dialogue, said the site – which has a coastline as long as Bondi Beach and the Blue Mountains in the background – has been in the works for years.
“This is a historic day, after many years of advocacy and battles with the bureaucracy, this pristine watering hole is finally open to the public – hopefully this is just the beginning of things to come,” Leto said. Nine news.
“This transformational project will provide much-needed access to safe, clean and cooling recreation and is truly a win for the West.”
The beach is located in the Castlereagh area on Sydney's western lake system and is the result of a $1.7 million government investment in NSW.
The site will be open seven days a week from Tuesday to March 2024
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.
Children who tested the beach during a sneak preview in November received rave reviews.
“We love that there are actually no huge waves,” said local Katrina Patridge.
But not every local said they were keen 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.
Some social media users were also cynical about the new beach.
“Literally dumped a few loads of sand across the lake and there's 'Penrith beach',” read one comment.
“That's not a beach, that's a pond, lol Penrith pond hahaha,” said another.
While a third said they would 'rather drive 40 minutes to the ocean where it is also 10 degrees cooler'.
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.