Construction of the Callan Park Tidal Baths, the Inner West’s first new harbour swimming spot in more than a century, began on 28 July 2026.
The $4 million facility will feature a 50-metre tidal pool with lanes, an accessible ramp, play pontoon and shark barrier on the Iron Cove foreshore. Works are scheduled to run until January 2027, with opening expected in summer 2026/27, weather permitting. Construction hours are Monday to Friday 7am to 6pm and Saturdays 8am to 1pm.
Inner West Council Mayor Darcy Byrne said the project was the culmination of years of advocacy. “We’ve fought hard for years to transform Callan Park into one of Sydney’s great recreation destinations and the addition of the Callan Park Tidal Baths will make it even better. This swim site is the next step in the rehabilitation of the Parramatta River and will attract swimmers and families from across the Inner West and Sydney.”
Leichhardt resident Jude Page welcomed the news. “I’m 100% for it. We should use the water. I’m in Leichhardt and am not going trek to Drummoyne or Dawn Fraser. A great community use for Callan Park. It will create a community of local swimmers. It will be the centre of my swim and picnic world in summer,” she said.
But the project hasn’t been without controversy. Rowing clubs, including the Leichhardt Rowing Club founded in 1886, argued the baths would encroach on the 2000-metre Iron Cove course and create navigation hazards for rowers who face backwards, particularly in pre-dawn and evening training. A Change.org petition and survey showed 23 per cent opposition, mostly centred on water quality, safety and open-space preservation. Council reduced the pool size in the final design, included rowing representatives on the design panel, and committed to water quality monitoring with swimming only permitted in safe conditions.
The baths are one part of a broader $6.8 million Callan Park master plan that includes a new all-weather playing field on Balmain Road and a clubhouse for Balmain District Football Club. Mayor Byrne said the timing was right with major renovations already underway at Leichhardt Park Aquatic Centre’s outdoor pools.
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Inner West Council
Local government authority serving Sydney’s Inner West, responsible for parks, community facilities and planning including the Callan Park revitalisation.
Callan Park
Historic parkland on the Parramatta River foreshore in Lilyfield and Rozelle, formerly a hospital site, now a major recreational area with sports fields and walking paths.
Visitors are encouraged to walk, cycle or catch public transport because parking is limited. The site sits directly on the popular Bay Run loop; bus routes serve stops near Callan Park and the Rozelle and Lilyfield area.
A visit to the baths can be combined with a lap of the Bay Run circuit, time on the sports fields or exploration of the wider Callan Park green space.
For residents who previously crossed the bay to Drummoyne or paid admission at heritage-listed Dawn Fraser Baths, the new tidal pool offers a free, modern alternative with accessible ramps and a play pontoon. Demand is expected to be high on hot days when the baths open.
For Ms Page, the project marks a personal turning point. “It will be the centre of my swim and picnic world in summer,” she said.