Shelly Park Ocean Pool, the Cronulla rock pool most people mean when they say Shelly Beach ocean pools, sits on a sheltered little beach at the south end of the Esplanade. It's free, backed by a big lawn and a fenced playground, and an easy family day out a short walk from Cronulla station.
Key facts
- Type
- Ocean pool or baths
- Managed by
- Sutherland Shire Council
- Cost
- Free
- Lifeguards
- No
- Parking
- Free, fills on summer weekends
- Public transport
- About 15 minutes' walk from Cronulla station
- Dogs
- Not allowed
- Best time to go
- Mornings; most swell conditions
- Water quality
- GoodShelly Beach (Sutherland), 0.1 km away. Sampled 28 Oct. Data: NSW Beachwatch, CC BY 4.0.
- Town
- Cronulla, NSW
What it's like
Shelly Beach is tucked in from the open swell, so the pool is calmer than the surf beaches to the north on most days. Behind it you have lawns, shade, picnic tables and an art deco pavilion with change rooms and toilets. Locals swam here in the early 1900s, but it only became a proper ocean pool in the 1930s, when the walls went up as a Depression-era relief project.
When to go
It works on most days, thanks to the shelter. Mornings are the quietest time. On summer weekends the park hums with families and barbecues.
Getting there and facilities
Walk about 15 minutes from Cronulla station along the Esplanade, a sealed coastal path with sea views all the way. Parking around the park is free but fills up on warm weekends. Across the road there's a takeaway shop and a cafe.
Good to know
There's no lifeguard on duty. Expect slippery surfaces, sharp edges, sea urchins and oyster shells. Dogs are not allowed in the pool.