22 November 2023

Best of Canberra – river and lake swims

6 October 2015 | Charlotte

Until now, the RiotACT’s Best of Canberra has been limited to food-related experiences, but with a new editorial team on deck, we thought it was time to give the series a bit of a shake up. There is more to life than food, after all.

First up, then, to coincide with this balmy weather and today’s first quality testing of the lakes’ waters for the season, we’re calling for your picks for river and lake swimming holes in and around Canberra.

Which is your favourite sandy bank from which to take the plunge? Let us know and we’ll test the top two out this weekend and report the results of this swim-off on Monday.

You will find some ideas in this story we published earlier today.

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oh_3:52 pm 11 Oct 15

Kambah pool on a hot day, if the water level and flow is right

zllauh5:59 pm 08 Oct 15

Why to swim in a lake or a river when one can crash at the neighbors and use their pool :p

HenryBG10:17 am 08 Oct 15

Roksteddy said :

Shepherds Lookout is a beautiful spot, unfortunately its just downstream of the LMWQCC outfall. Make your own decisions on that. Apart from that, Angle Crossing, Pine Island, Kambah Pool, Casuarina Sands and Uriarra Crossing are all worthwhile checking out

The Murrumbidgee is pretty dirty, especially downstream at places like Uriarra and Shepherds lookout. Angle Crossing is too shallow. Cotter Bend is an excellent clear-water deep swimming hole.

Roksteddy10:25 pm 07 Oct 15

Shepherds Lookout is a beautiful spot, unfortunately its just downstream of the LMWQCC outfall. Make your own decisions on that. Apart from that, Angle Crossing, Pine Island, Kambah Pool, Casuarina Sands and Uriarra Crossing are all worthwhile checking out

rubaiyat9:10 pm 06 Oct 15

Do NOT swim in any of the lakes or pools in Canberra, we have manage to thoroughly trash them in the short time we have been here.

I will second Casuarina Sands and anything else far enough out of (our) harms way.

Not a natural spot but the Manuka Pool is a classic. Every time I look at it I want to do a commercial for anything, just so I’d have the excuse to put slim fit young people in swimmers set under Canberra’s clear blue skies surrounded by the pool’s white walls.

Then I wake up out of my revery to look around at what we have become and realise our days as a happily healthy nation are a dim memory.

curlylocks7:07 pm 06 Oct 15

I would not like to recommend any lake here at all. But we do like to go down to Uriarra crossing in summer or even Causurina Sands (sorry for the spelling mistakes have no idea how to spell them

Ezy5:00 pm 06 Oct 15

Yesterday I went for a walk to Shephards Lookout which offers a good place for a dip in the Murrumbidgee River after the couple of kms of walking down some steep terrain. I then ventured out to Uriarra Crossing where there were so many dogs playing in the water – this is definitely the spot if you have a little furry mate!

Mels4:18 pm 06 Oct 15

Bombing range at Pine Island.

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