Port Kembla Pool is a lifeguarded, eight-lane 50 m saltwater pool at the north end of Port Kembla Beach, with a beach-style entry, a toddlers pool and one of the few Changing Places rooms at any ocean pool in NSW. It's free, and it's the pick for lap swimmers and families who want a big pool with the sea right there.
Key facts
- Type
- Ocean pool or baths
- Length
- 50 m
- Good to know
- Kids area, Step-free or ramp access, Change rooms, Lifeguards
- Facilities and access
- Toddlers pool, beach-style entry, a Changing Places accessible adult change facility (24/7 with an MLAK key, or ask pool staff in pool hours)
- Managed by
- City of Wollongong
- Cost
- Free
- Lifeguards
- Yes, during opening hours
- Best time to go
- Mornings, late October to May
- Water quality
- GoodPort Kembla Beach, 0.1 km away. Sampled 24 Oct. Data: NSW Beachwatch, CC BY 4.0.
- Cleaning
- Not stated
- Town
- Port Kembla, NSW
What it's like
This is a proper Olympic-length pool filled with sea water, set right beside the sand, so a serious lap session comes with a horizon view. A sloping, beach-style entry lets you walk in rather than climb down, and the toddlers pool keeps little ones busy. The pool and its pavilion opened in 1937 and still have the clean lines of that era. Early squads and regulars treat it as a second home.
When to go
The pool runs long days through the warmer months, open from 6am into the evening, then shortens its hours in autumn and closes for winter from June until spring. Mornings are best for laps. It can close at short notice for water quality or weather, including lightning nearby.
Getting there and facilities
The pool is at the northern end of Port Kembla Beach. There are toilets, change rooms and a Changing Places room with a hoist and adult change table, open around the clock with an MLAK key, or through pool staff in opening hours.
Good to know
Lifeguards are on duty in opening hours. Entry is free.