The result of aggressive and disruptive large-scale construction projects seen across Sydney in the past decade is finally starting to become apparent, and will continue to bear fruit over the next few years. As the State Government tries to completely transform Sydney into a world-class destination, it seems an important piece of the puzzle has been allowing people to actually swim in Sydney Harbour for the first time since the city stopped building ocean and harbour pools more than half a century ago. As such, the general public is now able to swim at Marrinawi Cove as a new area of Bangaroo Reserve opens up.
After investing heavily in an ambitious clean-up program, clearing up industrial waste in Sydney Harbour, the Ministry for Infrastructure, Cities and Active Transport has now been able to install a sandstone-edged ocean pool at Marrinawi Cove.
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The public is protected from a shark net, which has been installed after significant water testing. And while there will likely always be a need for constant testing, considering boats and wild weather – which Sydney has seen a lot of in the past year – will continually affect water quality, it appears the cove has officially been deemed safe for swimming.
Marrinawi Cove is located at the northeast corner of Barangaroo Reserve and its opening has already been made official along with relevant signage and a shower. Reports indicate that the state government will be adding ladders and decking to the pool area at the end of the summer, making this one of the major developments in a potential swarm of new Sydney swimming spots that’ll pop up over the next few years.
We already know that Pirrama Park in Pyrmont is set to go ahead with a floating pool in the near future, although the City of Sydney has yet to set a date for the project. All that’s been confirmed so far is that a water-quality monitor has been installed to check in real-time if the harbour water is clean and safe for swimming. Of course, this will also require a shark net to be installed, especially given recent reports of fisherman catching a massive bull shark near Birchgrove.
“Our city stopped building ocean and harbour pools more than half a century ago – it’s past time to provide more great, safe public places to swim,” said Minister for Infrastructure, Cities and Active Transport Rob Stokes in a statement.
“Being able to swim at Marrinawi Cove is only possible because we have invested in cleaning up our harbour from industrial wastelands to aquatic playgrounds.”
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Right now, the government seems to be looking at other places to introduce more Sydney Harbour swimming spots, including Blackwattle Bay and Bays West.
When the news of Pirrama Park was announced last year, Lord Clover Moore referenced Copenhagen as a model for Sydney’s aquatic future.
“Copenhagen spent 15 years transforming its harbour from a highly polluted waterway from a swimmer’s paradise where wildlife is thriving,” said Moore.
“There is so much potential in having a swimmable harbour – from relatively simple swimming sites for locals to the development of key harbourside swimming attractions for tourists and Sydneysiders alike.”
And being able to swim in Barangaroo is a big deal. As possibly the most modern example of Sydney’s attempt to completely change its cityscape, from Crown Tower to Barangaroo House, this now well-established precinct was always going to be the testing ground for a project like this. If it’s a success, we could be looking at an incredible next few years of sweeping change to how Sydney functions on the world stage.
