Day: June 24, 2025

Rockpools may seem like the ideal spot for an invigorating summer dip, but getting great shots requires more than simply donning swimmers and diving in. Composition is key when shooting at iconic locations like this and finding different angles can be a tricky endeavor. To optimize your images make sure to move around the pool to discover different views. The pool is more than a place for swimming; it’s also a social hub where we meet others and share memories. Swimming can provide relief from life’s bustle, provide relaxation or challenge the fittest among us, provide inspiration or teach lessons on water, the body and its environs. Attracted by water’s soothing qualities, people have long used swimming as a form of sport and recreation as well as to enhance healing and well-being. Studies have demonstrated the positive benefits of swimming for reducing depression, anxiety and stress levels while improving cardiovascular health as well as managing symptoms associated with arthritis and osteoporosis. Swimming can also provide great cardiovascular exercise while helping maintain a healthy weight through weight management as well as helping manage pain management – plus it may even increase sleep quality! Early pools in Sydney were formed by rockfalls, followed by man-made channels. Ocean pools became increasingly popular in the 1800s as safer alternatives to the sea where strong waves could cause drowning and shark attacks were an ongoing danger. Men’s and women’s swimming clubs were established later on for recreational and competitive swimming; many local councils, private individuals, and organizations began building ocean pools along the beaches and coastline of Sydney as well. There are still some pools around that have not been renovated; some feature plaques with their history while others do not; regardless, all offer beautiful places for swimming. A book entitled The Pool: A Social History of Sydney’s Rockpools is now out, providing an in-depth account of how Sydney’s rockpools came to exist. This volume features stories of various individuals involved – environmentalist Tim Flannery, fashion designer Romance Was Born, novelist Christos Tsiolkas and Olympic swimmer Ian Thorpe among them – who each played their own part. This book takes an engaging approach to exploring Sydney’s swimming pools while also considering their role in shaping cultural identity. A must-read!