North Sydney Olympic Pool Reopens After $122 Million Restoration

Sydney's beloved harbourside swimming landmark is back, complete with indoor and outdoor pools, a gym, a spa and a retro gelato bar.

After a lengthy closure, the North Sydney Olympic Pool welcomed swimmers once again on Friday, August 7 — drawing more than 10,000 visitors over its first weekend back in the water beneath the Harbour Bridge.

First opened in 1936, the heritage-listed pool marks its 90th anniversary this year. Set on Cammeraygal Country at the northern edge of Sydney Harbour, it has long been one of the city's most cherished public pools and a key part of Australia's sporting story. The venue hosted the 1938 British Empire Games (now the Commonwealth Games) and has seen 86 world records broken in its waters. Its comeback follows a major — and at times controversial — redevelopment intended to give the site a fresh start while preserving the character that made it special.

The pool's Art Deco heritage has been painstakingly restored, with original 1930s bricks salvaged and reused where possible and replacement bricks individually hand-painted to match. The old-world charm remains the defining feature, but the facilities have received a thoroughly modern 2026 upgrade.

The revamped complex now features a restored 50-metre outdoor pool with a movable boom that can split it into halves or quarters for competitions, school carnivals, extra lap swimming and birthday parties. Two indoor pools — a 25-metre lap pool and a program pool — sit alongside a children's outdoor pool and splash pad. Those who prefer relaxing to racing will find a spa, sauna and steam room, an upgraded sun deck, a state-of-the-art gym, group fitness and Reformer Pilates studios, plus a creche with indoor and outdoor play areas.

No Sydney pool day is complete without a snack, and the redevelopment delivers with a new café and an old-school gelato bar. Across the opening weekend alone, the venue served 818 coffees, 487 scoops of gelato and 282 cups of hot chips.

The North Sydney Olympic Pool is open 5.30am to 9.30pm Monday to Friday and 7am to 7pm on weekends, with public holiday hours of 8am to 5.30pm. Pools close 30 minutes before the facility.

Visit the council website to learn more and plan your swim.

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