Cronulla

Shelly Beach Pool (Cronulla)

Visitor info

Highlight: A small beach lets you walk straight in from the sand
Entry: Free
Open: Open at all times
Cleaning: Tidal pool, not drained and not on any cleaning roster. The ocean flushes it.
Where: Shelly Beach, Cronulla NSW 2230 (Ewos Parade)
Council page →

History

Scandalous in the early 1900s as a spot where women and men bathed together, Shelly Beach went from being a rock pool built by residents to a more formal ocean bath as part of the 1930s unemployment relief scheme. With a tiny beach separating the grass from the ocean, you can walk from warm dry sand into the water and keep on going deeper until you’re ready to strike out and swim.

Water temperature by month

Much the same right along this stretch of the Sydney coast. Approximate — the water runs about a season behind the air.

Jan 22–23°C

Feb 23–24°C

Mar 23–24°C

Apr 22°C

May 20°C

Jun 19°C

Jul 18°C

Aug 18°C

Sep 18–19°C

Oct 19°C

Nov 20–21°C

Dec 21–22°C

Approximate. Sources disagree by a degree or two. The water lags the air by about a season, so autumn stays warm after the crowds leave and spring stays cold after summer seems to have started.