Bilgola Rockpool may be the prettiest pool on the Northern Beaches: 50 m and eight lanes at the foot of a steep, green valley, with the sea washing over its far wall. It's free, the beach is quieter than its neighbours, and it suits lap swimmers and families in equal measure.
Key facts
- Type
- Rock pool
- Length
- 50 m
- Good to know
- Step-free or ramp access, Toilets, Change rooms, Parking, Cafe nearby
- Facilities and access
- Disability access, change rooms, toilets, pay-and-display parking (car park off The Serpentine), cafe opposite the surf club
- Managed by
- Northern Beaches Council
- Cost
- Free
- Lifeguards
- Not at the pool
- Parking
- Pay-and-display, off The Serpentine
- Best time to go
- Early morning; check the cleaning roster
- Water quality
- GoodBilgola Beach, 0.3 km away. Sampled 26 Oct. Data: NSW Beachwatch, CC BY 4.0.
- Cleaning
- Dated roster published through 2026-12-30Council roster entry: Wed 28 Oct 12:45AM to Wed 28 Oct 05:00PM. Times change with weather and tides.
- Town
- Bilgola Beach, NSW
What it's like
The drive down The Serpentine sets the tone, dropping through bush into a little valley between Newport and Avalon that feels a long way from the city. The pool sits on the rock platform at the southern end of the beach, with an eight-lane, 50 m lap pool and a broader, calmer section for wading and floating. Its concrete floor keeps it clean and easy underfoot. Built in the 1960s, it is one of the younger ocean pools in Sydney.
When to go
Early mornings bring the lap swimmers; by mid-morning on summer weekends families take over the shallow end. The pool closes from about three hours before each published cleaning time until up to twelve hours after, depending on the sea, so check the roster first.
Getting there and facilities
Drive down The Serpentine from Barrenjoey Road to the pay-and-display car park behind the beach. There is disability access to the pool, change rooms and toilets, and a cafe opposite the surf club. Buses on Barrenjoey Road stop at the top of the hill, but the walk down and back up is steep.
Good to know
There are no lifeguards at the pool. On big days swell breaks over the outer wall.