Construction Kicks Off on Callan Park's New Harbourside Swimming Spot

Sydney's Inner West is one step closer to a brand-new waterfront swimming destination, with construction officially underway on the Callan Park tidal baths along the Iron Cove foreshore. The Scandi-inspired swim zone is slated to welcome its first visitors this coming summer.

First announced by the NSW Government in August 2025, the project has captured the imagination of local swimmers and outdoor enthusiasts alike. Since the initial reveal, a comprehensive 10-year masterplan for the cherished harbourside park has been released, and work on the baths — the centrepiece of the revitalisation — has now begun in earnest.

Nestled beside the popular Bay Run walking track, the new facility will include step-free access via a dedicated ramp and pathway, a broad fixed jetty, a floating pontoon, and protective shark netting — making it one of the most accessible saltwater swimming locations anywhere on Sydney Harbour. Close to Leichhardt Oval and King George Park, it is expected to draw the walkers, joggers, cyclists and families who already flock to Callan Park year-round.

The project goes beyond the water's edge. Demolition crews are clearing nine derelict buildings that have sat boarded up on the site for years. Removing them will free up roughly 1.6 hectares — about two football fields' worth — of fresh public green space. A long-empty heritage structure is also being transformed into a new clubhouse for Balmain & District Football Club. The works are supported by $6.8 million in state funding plus an additional $1.8 million from Inner West Council specifically for the tidal baths.

All of these upgrades sit within the newly adopted Callan Park Plan of Management 2026–2036, a forward-looking blueprint for the 61-hectare waterfront reserve. Beyond the swim spot and expanded lawns, the plan prioritises unlocking neglected corners of the park, boosting accessibility, and safeguarding the site's heritage and ecology even as neighbouring suburbs continue to grow.

According to state officials, the plan was shaped with input from more than 3,500 residents, community organisations, First Nations representatives, heritage specialists and sporting bodies. Callan Park already welcomes over 2.4 million visits a year, and with the surrounding population forecast to hit 415,000 by 2041, the upgrades are designed to ensure the park keeps pace with demand well into the future.

The government has also signalled upcoming legislation that could enable further activations — think cafés tucked into heritage buildings — while bolstering the long-term sustainability of Greater Sydney Parklands.

In short: Sydney's newest harbour swim is no longer a distant vision. Shovels are in the ground, and if the timeline holds, locals could be cooling off in this corner of the harbour before summer is out.

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