North Sydney pool, one of Australia's most iconic swimming venues, is finally close to reopening after years of delays and budget overruns that have pushed costs to $122 million. The heritage-listed art deco pool, situated under the Harbour Bridge, was originally scheduled to reopen in 2022 after closing for a major refurbishment in 2021. However, the project has been plagued by setbacks and ballooning expenses.
Olympians Get First Glimpse
A host of former Olympic swimmers, including Michael Klim and Ian Thorpe, were given a first look at the refurbished pool during a charity event for the Klim Foundation. Klim, a gold medallist, established the foundation after his diagnosis with the rare autoimmune disease CIDP. The event also gathered former teammates like Daniel Kowalski to support fundraising efforts.
Mayor Confirms Handover Timeline
North Sydney Mayor Zoë Baker stated that builders will formally hand back the site in the next two to three weeks. Following this, it will take eight to ten weeks to prepare the pool for public use. Baker acknowledged the financial challenges but expressed optimism: "We will still be dealing with the financial and other legacies of the pool, but for users, it'll be a joy to be back."
Technical Challenges and Design Details
A significant setback involved the pipes that draw water from the harbour to fill the pools and heat the outdoor pool to a pleasant 26°C, even in winter. Baker explained: "There were too many turns in the pipes so they had to redo it to make certain that it pumped at the right volume."
Remaining work includes painting heritage stucco seashell reliefs in bright colours matching the original design. Much of the site has been rebuilt, but original sections like the southern wall with its sundeck remain. The pool's outer rim features a terracotta colour to match surviving 1930s bricks, including those in the northern wall, where the gym known as "Lane 9" once operated.
New Features and Tributes to the Past
Excavation into the hillside above the pool has added a new gym and pilates studio in a basement level beneath the rebuilt grandstand. The design pays homage to the original site with a frog motif mimicking reliefs on the surviving eastern stair tower. Tiling at the children's outdoor pool has been painstakingly reconstructed from a slab of concrete stored at a council depot. The concrete walls of the new changing area echo the art deco seashell reliefs.
A completely new feature is a hinged wall in the centre of the pool, allowing it to transform from one 50-metre pool into two 25-metre pools, creating 16 lanes from eight.
Final Preparations
Construction fencing removed for the charity event will be reinstalled as work continues. The pool has been refilled but awaits its first swimmers; only the filtration system cleaning team has entered the water so far.
