Coledale Rock Pool sits out on a wide rock platform at the south end of Coledale Beach, with a main pool, a sheltered toddlers pool and nothing but ocean beyond. It's free, a short walk from a beachside camping reserve, and a favourite with northern Illawarra families.
Key facts
- Type
- Rock pool
- Good to know
- Kids area
- Facilities and access
- Separate toddlers pool; Northcote Street
- Managed by
- City of Wollongong
- Cost
- Free
- Lifeguards
- Not at the pool
- Public transport
- Coledale station, a walk from the beach
- Best time to go
- Low to mid tide, calm day
- Water quality
- GoodColedale Beach, 0.5 km away. Sampled 30 Oct. Data: NSW Beachwatch, CC BY 4.0.
- Cleaning
- Not stated
- Town
- Coledale, NSW
What it's like
The walk out across the flat rock platform is half the fun, and it makes the pool feel remote even though the village is right behind you. The main pool is good for a proper swim, while the little toddlers pool beside it is shallow and protected, which is why so many local families end up here. Waves wash in at high tide, refreshing the water. Look back towards land and the escarpment fills the view.
When to go
Go at low to mid tide on a calm day, when the walk across the platform is easiest and the water settled. Mornings are quiet. Cleaning dates are estimates that move with the weather and sea.
Getting there and facilities
The pool is at the southern end of Coledale Beach, reached from Northcote Street. Coledale Beach Camping Reserve, run by the surf club, sits behind the beach with toilets and hot showers for campers, and bookings are essential. Coledale station on the South Coast line is a walk up the hill.
Good to know
The pool is unpatrolled. The rock platform is slippery and waves can surge across it, so keep watching the sea.