Tried asking this before but I think it got lost in another thread.

Can anyone give an insight to swimming facilities in Perth? (Particularly for kids).

Is there pretty much a pool in every suburb?
Are pools open air or indoors?

I know that this may seem trivial to all of you waiting for visa announcements but I've got promises to keep!!

Thanks

There are excellent pool facilities - some indoor pools with loads of facilities, some outdoor pools (some heated, some not). Lots of swimming schools with indoor pools. I wouldn't say there was a pool in every suburb, but there is an excellent choice.
Do you need more specific than that? Basically, something for all weathers!

Hi went to a few indoor pools in Perth suburbs (winter when I was there) they were great. One particular one was fantastic, cannot remember the name, had 2 big indoor pools, water slides, jacuzzi, hydro pool and an olympic size outdoor pool. Really put our pools in the uk to shame.

Thanks possums and webgum. No I think that I have enough info from you both.

I am edging away from having a pool when we buy - but if all pools were indoors (don't fancy that in summer), or outdoors (ditto for winter) I'd re-think.

We've gone from swimming daily - outdoors - to , in the last year, swimming just once! Our kids looked so unhappy in the pool - really crowded, they were two small to hold their own. And they were absolutely freezing when they went above water....don't talk about the changing rooms!!


So basically - we're all desperate to get swimming regularly again!

Don't forget that huge saltwater pool west of Perth... Just make sure you pick the right times to go paddling around in it.

Good one - but as yet another shark attack hits the news today (albeit off Florida and not Australia) I'm still a bit nervous!

Don't be. Sharks are NOT a problem, getting stuck in a rip and drowning is. You need to pick a time when the wind and swell is low, which isn't always possible in Perth in summer. Having said that, there's usually a sheltered stretch of water somewhere, you may have to drive a bit further though. I'd rather swim in the ocean than in a public swimming pool any day.

There's a few pools in Perth that create waves for you so you can get used to it :-)

http://www.bayswater.wa.gov.au/scrip...?NID=540&Thm=7

Most of the public pools in Perht are run by the councils. Here's a few:
City of Stirling: http://www.stirling.wa.gov.au/recrea...tac_pools.html

(this is where I learned to swim as a little kid - although its changed a lot for the better since then)

Town of Cambridge: http://www.cambridge.wa.gov.au/facil...bold_park.html

City of Fremantle:
http://www.freofocus.com/facilities/html/leisure.cfm

Challenge Stadium:
http://www1.challengestadium.wa.gov.au/aquatic.asp

If you know which council area you will be (or plan to be) in, just go to the council website and follow the links to the pool for info. To find them, go to http://www.onlinewa.com.au/

There are loads of public pools here, some are just for lessons rather than free play, but I'd recommend them for your kids.
Lessons are $12.95 per session at Stateswim, toddlers start independent swimming with floats at 2 1/2, there are then different classes for different abilities, usually 4 or 5 children per instructor. May be well worth trying as water safety is so important here. Kids also learn at school, usually every day for 2 weeks in the year.

NKSK

it really depends where you are living wheather you will have plenty of public pools near you or not. North of Joondalup there is nothing, the closest is the Arena in Joondalup which is good but usually quite busy and Aquamotion in Wanneroo which is a good "fun pool" for kids. For outdoors, well it has to be that big salty one that stretches all the way to India, swimming laps is a nighmare and it's not really that kiddy friendly in some places as it can be rough. Swimming schools are plentiful too, but are just that, schools, no open sessions for families.

Lynn

Thanks Soi and Larissa.

The stirling pool looks fabulous - hope this is the norm.

Back to sea swimming - is pollution an issue in the Perth area (sewage and industrial)?

No. The water is clean and the beaches are kept clean. Nothing is perfect, but its pretty close!

Thanks. Our intention is southern suburbs.

Some areas are polluted, around the Swan and Canning River, avoid around Freo as well (docks). Sounds a bit weird to mention river swimming but many people use the river for watersports and our mates take their kid there :scared: Otherwise there are loads of lovely clean beaches.
More importantly use areas which have life saving facilities and swim between the flags, as there are rip tides as mentioned earlier.

What kind of distances away from perth are beaches marked with flags? e.g. I assume if you head right up towards Shark Bay the beaches aren't flagged?

Also do they still have shark nets or are they seen as being ineffective/not worth it?