My new cossie

Here's a close-up of my new swimming cossie. It would be too yuck to show the rest of me in it. I like Speedo brand, but recently all the ones in shops here have been BORING. I've bought a couple on the Internet from a UK supplier. One of the reasons I like Speedo is because of their fabric called Endurance. It doesn't perish like older style nylon or lycra did, and is great if you swim most days.

Sounds like a free plug, huh? Well, no, I have no connection with the brand - just a satisfied customer.

OK, normal swimming pool transmission will resume now....

Homebush Aquatic Centre

Above: The leisure pools
Above: Outside
Above: The leisure pools
Above: Competition diving and water polo pool
Above: Competition pool (I did my laps here)
Above: The competition pools - diving/water polo and main pool
Above: The competition pool, with inflatable because it's school holidays

Above: leisure pools and th second lap pool (warm down pool during competitions)
Above: Cafe on second level
Above: Ben (on right) and his friends
Above: leisure pool and river run

Visited here today for Ben's birthday. A terrific facility thanks to the Olympics. Two 50m pool, one 8 lane, one 10 lane, diving pool, and freeform play pools with rapid ruver run, water slide etc.

The facility also has gym and fitness centre, sauna, steam room, spa pools. There's swimming classes, training squads, all day lap swimming, cafes. You can book childminding, hosted kids' birthday parties, massage and a triathlon club.


I don't think many people from outside Australia realise how deeply public swimming facilities penetrate the Australian psyche. To use this facility it cost us $28.80 for 3 adults and 4 kids for all day. I've paid more than that for a single session at a European pool. We get a bit purse-lipped if pool entry gets anything beyond about $5-$6 in an indoor heated centre, $3-4 outdoors. Generally swimming pools are one of the community facilities, along with libraries, parks etc which local government maintains (they are NOT however responsible for education - that's a state government level responsibility).

MacCallum Pool, Cremorne

Como

Como, on the Georges River in southern Sydney has both a tidal baths and a free chlotinated wading/paddling/swimming pool. Como was named after Lake Como in northern Italy.

Above: Marina and pools from old railway bridge, now footbridge and cycleway


Above: cafe, marina and pool

Above: Tidal pool and chlorinated pool

Above: Just before opening at midday.
Below: And we're open!




Above: One swimmer prefered the tidal pool
Above: me stretching it out a bit, even though the maximum depth is 0.9m!



Above: Lifeguard on duty!

The Basin, Cataract Gorge, Launceston

7 Nov 2007. A bit too chilly for a swim, but this free pool at Launceston's premier tourist attraction must be fabulous on a hot day.

Campbell Town, Tasmania

5 November 2007. The swimming season not yet started.