Oak Park Ocean Pool is a free, unpatrolled ocean pool at the southern end of the Cronulla Peninsula, with a gently sloping sandy entry that makes it one of the easiest Sydney ocean pools for young children.
Key facts
- Type
- Ocean pool or baths
- Managed by
- Sutherland Shire Council
- Cost
- Free
- Lifeguards
- No
- Parking
- Free, around the park
- Dogs
- Not allowed
- Best time to go
- Calm days, small swell
- Water quality
- GoodOak Park Beach, 0.1 km away. Sampled 28 Oct. Source: NSW Beachwatch.
- Town
- Cronulla, NSW
What it's like
Unlike most rock pools, Oak Park has a sandy bottom at the shallow end that slopes gradually into deeper water, so you can wade in rather than climb down a ladder. Further out it is deep enough to swim properly. The pool sits below a grassy park with an art deco pavilion, and looks out over the entrance to Port Hacking.
Its history is a local one. In 1909, when council would not pay for a bathing spot here, residents made their own swimming hole in the rocks. Council later built a proper pool, completed in 1931.
When to go
Calm days with a small swell are best; in a big southerly or easterly swell water can surge over the walls. Weekday mornings are quiet. On summer weekends the park fills with families and picnics, so arrive early for a spot near the water.
Getting there and facilities
Parking around the park is free. The park has two covered barbecues, picnic tables, a big lawn and toilets in the pavilion. There is no cafe right at the pool, so bring what you need or walk up into Cronulla.
Good to know
There are no lifeguards. Council warns of slippery surfaces, sharp and uneven edges, sea urchins and oyster shells, so reef shoes help. Dogs are not allowed.