Beverley Whitfield Ocean Pool in Shellharbour has been a swimming spot since the 1890s and was rebuilt in concrete in 1930. It reopened in December 2025 with a new permanent access ramp and is named after local Olympic swimmer Beverley Whitfield.
Key facts
- Type
- Ocean pool or baths
- Good to know
- Step-free or ramp access
- Managed by
- Shellharbour City Council
- Cost
- Free
- Lifeguards
- No
- Best time to go
- Calm mornings
- Water quality
- GoodShellharbour Beach, 0.9 km away. Sampled 24 Oct. Source: NSW Beachwatch.
- Town
- Shellharbour, NSW
What it's like
The pool sits on the rocks beside Shellharbour's harbour, with lanes for laps and the sea washing over the outer wall in a swell. A new ramp on its western side makes it much easier to get into, and council added a water wheelchair in 2026.
Swimming here goes back to at least the mid-1890s, when the Ocean Baths were a small tidal pool used for segregated bathing. In 1930 the pool was rebuilt in its current concrete form, as one of the Depression-era public works now on the National Trust register. It was renamed in 1994 after Beverley Whitfield, the Shellharbour swimmer who won gold at the 1972 Olympics.
When to go
Calm mornings are best. Council closes the pool for a few weeks each winter for maintenance, so check its website for current status.
Getting there and facilities
The pool is beside Shellharbour Village and its harbour, with cafes and shops a short walk away.
Good to know
There are no lifeguards at the pool.