7 November 2009

Good swimming spots for summer

| mazelbium
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Can anyone recommend any good pools/waterholes in Canberra?

Price or location is pretty irrelevant, just looking for somewhere far from the madding crowd, preferably.

Any suggestions appreciated, thanks!

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i have just learnt how to swim in a pool (obviously) but i have heard that it is a totally different experience to swim in a river because of the stream .
i would love to take that kind of an experience . hopefully i will get back alive :p

Indeed there is a footbridge. it’s a lovely area with its copses of Casuarinas. Can I just say btw, that I am thankful to whoever it was that has cleaned up the litter in the lower Molonglo. Perhaps it was flushed away by Mother Nature – but perhaps it was picked up by some good folk.

There are some some nice deep waterholes on the lower Molonglo at the footbridge near to Uriarra Rd. The water is dark and clear and contains many carp, which are caught by the local fisherfolk. It’s close to the water treatment plant and the junction with the Murrumbidgee. Critically, I can’t work out whether it is above or below the outlet from the plant. Even though the outflow is well-treated, it makes a difference in the mind of a swimmer. I’d be very interested if someone can enligten me on this point.

p1 said :

@#7

The best spot I know of is just upstream of the treatment plant at the bottom of of Drake Brockman Drive. Get out at the gates just before the treatment plant, jump the fence into the paddock, walk about 10 minutes down a hill and a secluded beach with cliffs and deep clear water to jump into.

Just down stream of the plant there is more water in the river… 🙂

The gates you are talking about are at the end of Parkwood road which is along way away from the gates before the treatment plant. I thought you were talking about the spot near the existing treatment plant, near Shepherds hill lookout.

Hey P1, what size are the cliffs downstream from the falls? Do you need to break the water first? I wouldn’t mind trying some new ones if they are big enough.

I have done the 3m, 11m, 15m, and 23m cliffs at the falls, never seen anyone do the 32m though.

Heavs said :

@#7

The best spot I know of is just upstream of the treatment plant at the bottom of of Drake Brockman Drive. Get out at the gates just before the treatment plant, jump the fence into the paddock, walk about 10 minutes down a hill and a secluded beach with cliffs and deep clear water to jump into.

Any chance of a GoogleMap link?

la mente torbida9:23 am 10 Nov 09

Please, stay away from Manuka Pool….the more people discover this oasis, the more crowded it will get.

Holden Caulfield5:28 pm 09 Nov 09

Heavs said :

@#7

The best spot I know of is just upstream of the treatment plant at the bottom of of Drake Brockman Drive. Get out at the gates just before the treatment plant, jump the fence into the paddock, walk about 10 minutes down a hill and a secluded beach with cliffs and deep clear water to jump into.

No shit?

I-filed said :

bileduct @ #9, I’d rather swim in fish wee in a running river than human kid wee in a pool …

You’ll get no argument from me regarding that – I swim at Pine Island regularly.

@#7

The best spot I know of is just upstream of the treatment plant at the bottom of of Drake Brockman Drive. Get out at the gates just before the treatment plant, jump the fence into the paddock, walk about 10 minutes down a hill and a secluded beach with cliffs and deep clear water to jump into.

Just down stream of the plant there is more water in the river… 🙂

Are there any spots on the river from the Northern/Western suburbs. Surely there has to be access and a reasonable picnic spot around the Dunlop/Hall or even West Macgregor area that doesnt require you to drive to Woden 1st.

Unfortunately Ginninderra Falls have been closed since the ’03 fires. Private ownership didn’t want to deal with the insurance/cleanup/etc.

The spot where McCarthy Road intersects the ‘Bidgee is nice for a swim, and isn’t too far away from the north side. No facilities at all though.

The track that runs between Point Hut Crossing and Pine Island goes right along the river. If you’re willing to do a bit of a walk from either end you can find a nice secluded spot anywhere along that track.

@#7

The best spot I know of is just upstream of the treatment plant at the bottom of of Drake Brockman Drive. Get out at the gates just before the treatment plant, jump the fence into the paddock, walk about 10 minutes down a hill and a secluded beach with cliffs and deep clear water to jump into.

The cat did it9:59 pm 08 Nov 09

Casuarina Sands is closed at present, and for the summer, for renovation (another example of great timing from the ACT government), And how the Cotter Dam expansion will affect access and amenity is anyone’s guess.

Casarina Sands (a few minutes on out of Woden from Cotter camp ground) is nice if the water is up..I don’t know how quickly the levels have dropped

Up The Duffy3:36 pm 08 Nov 09

The Shoalhaven River Bridge on the Kings Highway near Braidwood. About a 1hrs drive from Canberra but the fresh bread coffee etc in Braidwood is worth the extra distance.

anonymous gungahlian2:34 pm 08 Nov 09

There is a small pool in Gold Creek- Nicholls, but not many people know about it so it’s not that crowded… from my experience.

bileduct @ #9, I’d rather swim in fish wee in a running river than human kid wee in a pool …

Well, as far as public pools go, Manuka Pool is a lovely old pool. Worth the visit if you don’t mind paying.

+1 for Pine Island, if you don’t mind swimming in a river.

are only gay nudist aloud

Are there any spots on the river from the Northern/Western suburbs. Surely there has to be access and a reasonable picnic spot around the Dunlop/Hall or even West Macgregor area that doesnt require you to drive to Woden 1st.

Please help

Chop

The Kambah Pool nudist beach isn’t just for the queers.
I know a lady who thinks its great she can all over tan and not have to worry about being hit on.
Her husband, on the other hand…

But the upstream bit of Kambah Pool is fine, and family-friendly.

Pine Island in Greenway, Tuggers is ok, but can get very crowded on hot weekend days with the usual rabble of drunk and rude juveniles. Nice place for a dip otherwise.

Or, if you are a gay nudist, there is always Kambah Pool? 😉

Kambah Pool. Just don’t go right out of the car car park into the nude area. Unless you’re into that kind of thing of course.

Pine Island further up stream is alright as well but a little more crowded.

If you get in before the end of summer Point Hut Crossing is all right, you can pick your own little spot & if you go for a walk through the scrub there are some secluded spots.

Angel Crossing is also a nice spot. Access can be either from Tharwa or Williamsdale. But if you are unsure where to go take the Williamsdale way as there aren’t many signposts on the dirt tracks past Tharwa.

Stay away from Queanbeyan pool. It’s filthy, the floors, walls and lane dividers are coated in mouldy scum, there are leaves, bobby pins and even band aids across the floor of the pool.

There’s a reason why it’s not especially crowded there.

grunge_hippy10:09 am 07 Nov 09

down past tharwa there are some nice parts of the ‘bidgee. its just a matter of going for a drive and seeing what’s good. i dont know what the water levels are like, but you can find some decent quiet places if you have a wander.

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