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The opening of a new ‘beach’ on Sydney Harbour, just minutes from the city’s sprawling CBD offices, was greeted with enthusiasm by sticky workers sweating in the summer humidity, and I was no exception.
The ocean pool opened to the public at Marrinawi Cove, at the northern end of the Barangaroo Reserve, for the first time this week.
I rushed to try the new secluded spot, conveniently located just a 12-minute walk from my own office, and quickly realized I wasn’t the only one.
By the time I arrived at the cove at 11:30am on Tuesday, the area was already packed with locals eager to take a dip while enjoying panoramic views of the Harbor Bridge.
But while the new venue offers incredible views, there are some aspects of the city’s newer ‘beach’ that could use some improvement.
Daily Mail Australia reporter Olivia Day (pictured) takes the plunge at Sydney’s newest saltwater swimming spot, located just minutes from the CBD
The closed ocean pool (pictured) opened to the public at Marrinawi Cove, at the northern end of the Bangaroo Reserve, for the first time this week.
Kids on boogie boards and inflatables were seen trying out the new pool on Wednesday.
The first is slippery rocks. While moss is to be expected in a saltwater pool, entering the water via the rocky beach, with no stairs or railings, can be slow.
It’s also tricky to gauge the depth of the pool as the water is cloudy and after paddling around the perimeter I found I couldn’t touch the bottom even in the shallows.
While diving is off-limits due to the shallow rocks, swimmers quickly discovered that a high platform at the “deep end” provided a great place to jump into the water.
One boy on a boogie board was particularly delighted when the enclosure suddenly turned into a wave pool as a boat passed by; however, others were less impressed when their belongings got soaked in the wash.
Another drawback is the lack of sand — swimmers can perch on the large slabs of rocks around the perimeter of the water, or snag a space on a limited area of grass.
Cyclists and runners had the opportunity to cool off in the salty water while others lay back reading, chatting and soaking up the city sun.
A shower and male and female toilets are located a few meters from the swimming spot for office workers short on time.
Swimmers should be careful when entering the water on slippery rocks like this one.
However, I won’t pass up the opportunity to enjoy a refreshing lunchtime dip in one of Australia’s most iconic waterways.
On my visit, the space was naturally divided into two camps: one side for families and the other for people looking for a quiet place to enjoy the views.
When I returned with a friend at 4:00 pm, it seemed that word had spread about the new, modern swimming hole.
There were at least 30 people sitting around the water’s edge; however, the low tide meant that the water level had dropped and more slippery rocks had been exposed.
This made it even more difficult to get into the water, however this problem would be easily solved with the addition of some metal ladders.
The New South Wales government has promised to upgrade the space with terraces and stairs if the venue proves popular.
For now, signage around the space warns visitors about slippery surfaces.
Workers short on time or moms on the go will enjoy fully equipped bathrooms just feet from the water’s edge, as well as an outdoor shower.
The swimming spot also benefits from being located just minutes from the city, with cafes, restaurants, pubs and public transport all in close proximity.
The area is the first swimming spot to open to the public west of the Harbor Bridge in 50 years and has so far been a delight for residents.
A sign next to the watering hole warns swimmers of the slippery and uneven surface
On my visit, the space was naturally divided into two camps: one side for families (pictured) and the other for people looking for a quiet place to sit and read their books.
In welcome news for those wishing to take a dip, the NSW government hopes the popular watering hole will be the first of many new public swimming spots.
Infrastructure Minister Rob Stokes, who jumped into the harbor pool on Monday, said it was the first to be built in more than half a century.
“Our city stopped building ocean and harbor pools more than half a century ago, it’s time to provide more safe public places to swim,” he said.
“Being able to swim at Marranawi Cove is only possible because we have invested in clearing our harbor from industrial wastelands to water parks.”
The new swimming experience has sparked a divided community response.
A swimmer is seen floating in the cove on Wednesday, despite the gray sky overhead.
While diving is off-limits due to the shallow rocks, keen swimmers quickly discovered that a high platform at the “deep end” provided a great place to jump into the water (pictured)
Those with a space on the lawn stretched out in the sun while curious office workers still in their corporate gear came to dip their toes in the water.
‘How amazing. I would have loved to swim at lunchtime when I was working in the city,” commented a Sydney resident.
Another added: “Looks like an extra place to swim, which is great, as long as you have shark nets.” However, I would not call it a beach, since it does not have sand.
The NSW Government will review sponsorship levels at the end of the summer.
The government also plans to explore further ways to increase publicly accessible swimming locations at the Barangaroo, Blackwattle Bay and Bays West locations.