Tasmania's Outdoor Pools Beat Indoor Laps This Summer

HOBART, July 10, The mercury hit 27 degrees Celsius in the city by midday, and for lap swimmers who’d rather smell eucalyptus than chlorine, the answer lies in a handful of outdoor pools and rock pools scattered across Tasmania.

Demand for open-water and outdoor lap swimming has surged since the pandemic, with local councils reporting a 30 percent increase in usage at monitored swimming spots since 2021. The trend is especially strong among adults aged 40 to 60, who want the cardiovascular benefits of lap swimming without the fluorescent lighting and chemical fumes of indoor centres.

Concrete pools with a century of history

The most obvious option is the Sullivan’s Cove seawater pool on Hobart’s waterfront, just off Elizabeth Street Pier. Managed by the City of Hobart, it’s free to use and measures 50 metres in length. Water temperature hovers around 18°C in winter, but on a day like today it’s a bracing 21°C. Locals have been doing laps here since the 1930s, when the pool was built as a public health initiative.

Further south, the Kingston Beach rock pool, formed by a natural granite barrier at the southern end of the beach, offers a more rugged experience. It’s roughly 25 metres across at its widest point. The Derwent Estuary Program tests water quality here every fortnight from November to March; results are posted on a sign at the foreshore. No lifeguards, so it’s for confident swimmers only.

Wild rock pools and community-run baths

In the north, the Penguin tidal pool on the Bass Strait coast is a favourite among lap swimmers from Burnie and Devonport. The circular concrete basin, built in the 1950s, is replenished by each tide. The local Rotary club maintains the ladder and surrounds. Entry is free. A 2025 survey by the Central Coast Council found that 78 percent of users rated water quality as “excellent.”

For those willing to venture further, the Bicheno rock pool on the east coast, adjacent to the town’s main beach, is a natural formation that fills with each high tide. Local divers recently measured its depth at two metres at the deep end, enough for continuous laps if you time the tide right. The Bicheno Surf Life Saving Club offers a free tide table on its website.

All these spots share one thing: they bypass the need for a gym membership. The average lap swimmer burns 400 to 500 calories per hour in open water, comparable to an indoor pool, according to the University of Tasmania’s School of Health Sciences. Yet the outdoor setting adds a dose of vitamin D and salt air.

UTAS researchers have also shown that exposure to cold water, around 15°C to 20°C, can boost immune function and reduce inflammation in regular swimmers. A 2023 study from the Menzies Institute for Medical Research found that participants who swam outdoors three times a week for six weeks reported a 40 percent reduction in perceived stress.

Before diving in, check the local council’s swimming advisory page for water quality alerts. The Environment Protection Authority Tasmania issues a beachwatch forecast for 41 sites, updated every Friday between November and March. In winter, the focus shifts to safety: never swim alone at a remote rock pool, and always check the tide.

For a complete list of monitored outdoor swimming spots, visit the Tasmanian Government’s Parks and Wildlife Service website or call your local council’s leisure services office. And if you’re unsure about cold-water acclimatisation, talk to a GP before starting.