Bilgola Beach

Bilgola Rock Pool

Visitor info

Highlight: Eight 50 metre lanes plus a wading section
Entry: Free
Open: Open at all times
Cleaning: Closed for cleaning Tuesday evening, reopens Wednesday. Weekly September to April, fortnightly May to August. Unavailable roughly three hours before and twelve hours after.
Where: 1 The Serpentine, Bilgola Beach NSW 2107 (southern end). Car park off The Serpentine. Disability access.
Council page →

History

A young pup in the Sydney rock pool world, the Bilgola pool was only built in the 1960s and has two sections: one for wading and relaxing, and another with eight lanes where more serious swimmers can do 50-metre laps. In 1968 part of the pool was covered in huge boulders after council blasted the cliff to remove loose rocks, and as you look up at the rockfall nets you might find yourself chatting with a local who remembers that unusual interruption to their morning 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.