If there’s anything Sydneysiders love, it’s their suburban swimming pools. Serene at low tide, choppy at high, they’re the original infinity pools and one of the most popular ways to while away a hot summer’s day in Sydney. And while the city’s iconic beach pools are often in a state of disrepair, many are still thriving and are in need of some TLC.

The Sydney pool scene is a patchwork of tidal pools, ocean pools, rock pools and concrete baths that dot the city’s coastline. Some have changed names, others are still there and have been repainted, and some are even getting new additions. But despite the best efforts of the council and volunteers, they are struggling to keep up with the needs of swimmers and maintain them for the community’s benefit.

The nexus of the sidney pools is in Woolloomooloo, where 11 outdoor bathing establishments have operated since European settlement, including the Andrew “Boy” Charlton Pool in The Domain. Named in honour of the Olympic champion and five-time world record holder, the eight-lane, salt water pool is a popular spot for swimmers looking to escape the pounding surf. It also hosts public events, like its annual free swimming day.

Another of the city’s famous pools is the Wylie’s Baths in Coogee, a tidal pool built into the cliffs and open to women only from the 1800s. It has the reputation of being Australia’s most beautiful ocean pool, with sweeping views of Wedding Cake Island and the Pacific. But it’s been marred by a history of council infighting, claims of pork-barrelling and a lack of transparency.

North Sydney mayor Zoe Baker is an outspoken critic of the pool project, and she has voted against what she calls a “bloated vanity project” 23 times. The problems began, she says, when the project was given a $10m grant that should have gone to regional and remote sports. “It’s not the bread and butter of local government to do $60m, $70m projects,” she says.

But with the COVID-19 pandemic limiting travel and people staying at home, the need for outdoor pools is becoming more urgent than ever. The pool scene will need to be resilient and ready for a return to normality in mid-October when chlorinated pools can reopen. It’s not going to be easy, according to an epidemiologist at UNSW. She said it would be necessary to have a combination of quick testing and double vaccination in order to make swimming safe again.