Normally in picturesque surrounds and charming towns…..
Most ocean pools are best described as coastal, natural, stunning and unspoilt swimming holes.
A place to cool off, there is evidence to show that Aboriginals use several of these sites such as Sydney Harbour’s Reef Beach long ago due to the carvings in the area, however man-made ones, like Newcastle’s Bogey Hole, date back to the early 1800s.
Here are 5 of NSW’s ocean pools for you to visit:
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Bogey Hole, Newcastle
The Bogey Hole is NSW’S oldest ocean bath. Convict carved this pool and platform in 1819, a heritage-listed pool with high seas pounding over the rock platform, sending spray and torrents of foam and white-water coursing across the water’s surface.
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Fairy Bower Pool, Manly
One of the smallest ocean pools in Sydney, Fairy Bower pool can be found between Manly Beach and Shelley Beach. The triangular shape and surrounding sculptures give a unique experience. Built by local residents in 1929, Fairy Bower rockpool is one of a number of historic pools in NSW.
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Blue Pool, Bermagui
This scenic ocean pool embedded in the rock face at the end of Scenic Dr is great for swimming and snorkelling with a viewing platform above. When the swell is up, waves come crashing over the edge of the pool, making it dangerous for swimming but flushing it out with fresh seawater.
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The Rockpool – Gerringong
Deliberately built into the landscape this rock pool is a little more hidden than most, out over the Werri Beach rock platform you need to see it from above to really appreciate its location below the cliffs. In its early days the rock pool was ladies only, but now open to everyone.
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Angourie Blue Pool, North Coast
Once a rock quarry this blue water wonder is a result of quarry excavation that when wrong as an underground freshwater spring was disturbed in the 1890’s it was suddenly transformed into an aquatic haven.
