Maccallum Pool, on the western side of Cremorne Point, is a unique harbourside pool with heritage…read morecharacter and superb views. Its waterside timber deck is an unparalleled sun bathing spot. It was originally just a rock pool created by local residents to form a safe harbour swimming hole. You need to work out the timing of the cleaning of the pool which is once a week and varies. When its closed for cleaning it will be up for 9 hours. The days leading up to the clean the pool can be very dirty. Take a picnic blanket, a wine, cheese, crackers and really indulge in one of Sydney's free attractions.

There is nothing better than finding a spot near the pool on Australia Day and hopping in to cool…read moreoff as you enjoy the park, the views of the harbour and bridge, and digest your prawns and sausages. The rock pool is a nice safe swimming area with some of the best views of Sydney. What makes this such a great place is that it is free.

For those of us living in the Inner West, sometimes Dawn Fraser Baths is the closest thing we can…read moreto the beach. For you East/North/South shore folk this may seem ridiculous. But, despite the lack of sand, waves and seagulls, it is still the ocean and sometimes you've got to take what you can get. In the middle of summer Dawn Fraser ocean pool is packed with kids, water-polo teams, pregnant mums, big groups of teens, lap swimmers and anyone wanting to escape the city heat. The pool rises and falls with the tides, and we can kid ourselves that there's some surf if a ferry goes past creating a minuscule swell. Yes the beach may be free and Dawn Frasers may not be, but Dawn Frasers also has free parking, whereas many beaches do not. What's more, Dawny allows for jumps into the pool, it is shark-free and with timber boards instead of sand, you can make your way to the kiosk and back without sand being blown all over your icecream. Whilst I have some friends that won't come back here due to the occasional jellyfish, this is a standard ocean-related risk not specific to poor Dawny. And besides, this just makes it all the more of a genuine beachy experience. OPENING HOURS Oct - Nov 7.15am - 6.30pm Dec - Feb 6.45am - 7.00pm Mar - Apr 7.15am - 6.30pm Closed Christmas Day and Good Friday

I've been going to Dawny since I was a tot, and thankfully it hasn't changed much! It's a fabulous…read morespot for people watching: a lot of old Balmain characters still hang out there, leathery skin and Speedos .... you can also watch local teams play water-polo. When I lived in Balmain, Dawn Fraser Pool was the next best thing to a beach, and a whole lot closer. There isn't any sand (unless the tide is super low, I guess), but what you get is wooden boards to lie upon, which is actually really, really nice. You can stare down through the cracks at the water below. There's a mix of sun and shade, and a little canteen where you can buy hot chips and ice cream. You will probably see clear jellyfish, sea-weed, and little schools of fish in the water - it's a harbour pool so it comes with the territory. Sea lice can be a problem, though that's never happened to me. Dawny is generally nicer at high tide than during low tide, although at low tide you get to see the holes in the wooden slats: some big enough to let sharks in! Don't worry, there are no sharks, and they fixed the hole. I think. This pool is great for kids, and there are life savers hanging around watching everyone. As with Sydney beaches, it's best not to swim here after a heavy rain, as the run-off can contaminate the water.

Macquarie University Sports and Aquatic Centre…read more Like many things at Macquarie University, it's sporting and athletics complex has been recently renovated. Although universally refered to as «the gym» by students, the Macquarie University Sports and Aquatic Centre is actually so much more. The complex's facilities are extremely impressive; no matter what time of day or night you find yourself there, you rarely need to wait to use your chosen piece of equipment; a pleasant contrast to many gyms around the 6pm mark. The centre also offers its members free use of its multiple squash, tennis, basketball and netball courts, as well as its indoor and outdoor pools. Swimming lessons for all ages are available here, as well as squads and the ability to leisurely push yourself up and down the pool for as long as humanely possible. The cafe attached to the gym is widely considered to produce the best coffee on campus, and - bonus! - there's never a line. In case you've committed the rookie error of coming for a swim and forgotten your swimmers, the Sports and Aquatic Centre stocks a full range of swimming costumes and goggles, plus a formidable range of other affiliated gym gear. Plus, there is a carpark with two hours of free parking - happy days! The centrex also has an impressive range of classes, at a range of times deeply convenient to uni students on campus for the day. Wanna try Tai Chi? Now's your chance! Pilates? Body Attack? Body Pump? Spin? All the old favourites - plus some newcomers on the gym class scene, the most obvious being Zumba - are avaiable. Plus, they come at student (and working-professional, obviously) friendly prices; for the non-member, classes are only $10 a pop! Compare that with the Fitness First's of the world.... If team sport is your thing, then you're also covered; the Sports and Aquatic Centre's mind blowingly popular social netball is offered three nights per week, while social touch football and soccer are on twice weekly. For the less traditional, you can partake in weekly competitive badminton. (I'm not joking). The centre's staff are also always friendly and courteous, the bathrooms clean and the lockers available. Plus, the value is astonishingly good. A membership with the Sports and Aquatic Centre feautres no lock-in contract, no joining fee and a getting-started session with a personal trainer. Students, staff and alumni of Macquarie University are lucky to receive a discounted rate, but others will still find this membership won't break the bank!

It's as good as Fitness First, but cheaper. A lot cheaper, especially if you're a Macquarie…read morestudent. There's a wide choice of group fitness classes with knowledgeable instructors. Gym is well-equipped with fairly new weights & cardio equipments. Other facilities include outdoor & indoor pools, squash courts, basketball / badminton courts.

El Dorado, the Lost City of Gold, exists, and it's right there in plain sight, right next to…read moreCentral station and just down the road from every damned hipster bar and coffee shop worth caring about. What the hell am I talking about? Prince Alfred Pool is what I'm talking about. No, not talking. Gushing, in strictly the non-chatroom sense. I always thought this was a scummy hobo park littered with needles and broken dreams. But I took a punt on a friends advice and hit this pool up for an afternoon swim and I stand before you a changed man. Firstly, it's free until November. Nada, nix, bupkiss. Secondly, it's a hella nice pool, with clean, clear water, lotsa lanes, and - the best - a huge slope of grassy wonderland for sunbaking and, sure, perving, because why not? There's a big wooden deck under a tree, umbrellas, a cafe, and state of the art changerooms. We even smuggled a bottle of wine in and got a little sozzled in the sun. Fine a lot sozzled. What a day though. I particularly enjoyed the city workers who busted out the budgie smugglers and were sprawling out in the sun while getting through a fat stack of reports. Now that's how you read, son. That's how you read.

They've finished building it, and it's beautiful. This is an outdoor Council pool set within the…read morelandscape at Prince Alfred Park, near Central Station. It's a great design: grassy hills, big yellow sun umbrellas, with detailing in dark wood and swimming-pool blue. There's not that much to it: a 50m pool and a cafe, change rooms, lockers, and little fountain thing for toddlers to run around in. It's highly green rated : sustainable materials, tri-gen energy, water recycling. The pool is clean and heated (though not too too hot). Suitable for wintertime laps, though getting out of the pool is the unpleasant bit. Today I was a bit unimpressed with people's pool etiquette (the slow lane is not for standing around in with your boyfriend, it's for swimming, morons - and a few stray legs from the play lane heading into the lap lanes, hmph), but I guess that's life in a public pool. It has the standard fast, medium, slow, and leisure lanes and mostly people understand what that means. I'm pretty thrilled that I had a swim in late May, and lay around in the sun. Go Sydney. Go Prince Alfred Park. And the best bit: it's free for the first 6 months! (Until some time in November 2013...)

Tucked in at the foot of the Sydney Harbor Bridge, North Sydney Olympic Pool has a pretty…read morespectacular setting with panoramic views of Sydney Harbor, Sydney City, The Opera House and Mrs Macquarie's Chair. The views alone are enough to warrant a visit to this magical place, but inside is just as special. The historic art deco inspired 50m salt water pool is a favorite with locals. The pool is the perfect place for a couple of laps whether you're a fast, slow or even leisurely swimmer - my tip is to try backstroke for an incredible close up of Sydney Harbor Bridge. The facility has expanded over the years to include a 25m indoor pool, spa, sauna, gym and café, so there is plenty of ways to make the most of this place. The best feature may actually be the sun deck which on a sunny day is a beautiful place to relax with a book. Entry prices to the pool vary depending what facilities you choose to use. Basic access to the pool for an adult costs $6.70.

I think this pool could well win some award for most scenic public swimming pool in the world. You…read morewon't need a yacht and an offshore bank account to win entry to this pool, just a paltry $6.50. Although there's tonnes of room I'd recommend coming here at quieter parts of the day so you can really laze around on your back and gaze at the views. And by views, I'm not just talking about the bridge, there are some rather dashing specimens of lifeguards...who hopefully don;t judge my terrible swimming.