Continental Pool is Wollongong's grand city pool by the sea: a lifeguarded saltwater complex on the Blue Mile with a 50 m pool, a 45 m pool with a ramp entry and a toddlers pool. It's free, opened in 1926, and suits anyone from squad swimmers to grandparents with toddlers in tow.
Key facts
- Type
- Ocean pool or baths
- Length
- 50 m
- Good to know
- Kids area, Step-free or ramp access, Lifeguards
- Facilities and access
- 50 m and 45 m pools and a toddlers pool; ramp entry to the 45 m pool; between Wollongong Harbour and North Beach on the Blue Mile
- Managed by
- City of Wollongong
- Cost
- Free
- Lifeguards
- Yes, during opening hours
- Public transport
- Wollongong station, 15 to 20 minutes' walk
- Best time to go
- Any day but Wednesday
- Water quality
- GoodNorth Wollongong Beach, 0.5 km away. Sampled 24 Oct. Data: NSW Beachwatch, CC BY 4.0.
- Cleaning
- Closes at 9am on Wednesdays for cleaning
- Town
- North Wollongong, NSW
What it's like
Three saltwater pools spread along the foreshore between Wollongong Harbour and North Beach, with lane ropes, lifeguards and plenty of room on the concourse. The 45 m pool has a ramp, which makes getting in easy for anyone who'd rather skip the ladder. Next door is the much older rock pool once known as the Men's Baths. The Continental Baths took their name from continental, or mixed, bathing, still a novelty when they opened in 1926 after a public meeting and a lot of volunteer labour. The pools were extended to their current layout in the 1960s.
When to go
Any day but Wednesday, when the pool closes at 9am for cleaning; other days it runs from 6am to 6pm. Swimmers are asked to be out 15 minutes before closing. Storm damage to the pump system in late 2025 means refilling after cleaning is slow, so hours can change at short notice.
Getting there and facilities
The pool is on Cliff Road, North Wollongong, on the Blue Mile foreshore path and an easy walk from the harbour. There are change rooms and toilets in the pavilion. Wollongong station is about 15 to 20 minutes on foot.
Good to know
Lifeguards are on duty in opening hours. Entry is free, and the ramp goes into the 45 m pool, not the 50 m one.