Chiswick Baths is a small netted swimming enclosure on the Parramatta River at Bortfield Drive, with a childproof fence, a little beach and a grassy slope for picnics. It's free, reopened in 2022 with a new net and outdoor shower, and a good local cool-off within reach of the inner west.
Key facts
- Type
- Harbour or river baths
- Facilities and access
- Childproof fence, picnic seats
- Cost
- Free
- Lifeguards
- No
- Public transport
- Ferry to Chiswick, short walk
- Best time to go
- Summer, after a dry spell
- Water quality
- GoodChiswick Baths, 0.2 km away. Sampled 27 Oct. Data: NSW Beachwatch, CC BY 4.0.
- Town
- Chiswick, NSW
What it's like
A short flight of stairs leads down to a netted enclosure about 25 m long, fenced off for children and backed by a steep, shaded lawn. The river is calm and the setting quiet, with boats and ferries sliding past on the Parramatta. Locals have swum here for more than 60 years, and the 2022 upgrade brought a new netted enclosure, an outdoor shower and better access to the water.
When to go
Summer days after a dry spell are the time to come. Swimming isn't recommended for up to three days after heavy rain.
Getting there and facilities
The baths are at 19 Bortfield Drive, Chiswick. There are picnic tables, a shaded lawn and toilets, and Chiswick ferry wharf is a short walk away.
Good to know
There's no lifeguard on duty. Check the latest Beachwatch result before swimming in the river.