How to Choose the Best Tile for Your Swimming PoolHow to Choose the Best Tile for Your Swimming Pool
For most of us, swimming pools are an important part of our backyard landscape. They’re where we kick back and relax, or where we work on our fitness. They’re where kids splash around and swim and dive in safety. They’re also where our mates hang out, and they’re often the focus of backyard barbecues. But a good pool is a big investment and not everyone has the space to build one.
For those who do, a custom-designed pool is a great way to enjoy your outdoor space year round, and make the most of this beautiful Australian summer. We speak to a range of experts about the latest trends in backyard swimming. Plus, we’ll find out how to choose the best tile for your home swimming pool.
Swimming is a favourite pastime for many Australians. In fact, nine out of 10 Australians live within a 20-minute drive of an aquatic centre. Yet access isn’t equal across council areas. Rural and regional areas have far fewer pools, while inner-city councils like Sydney have more than 134,000 residents per aquatic centre.
Ocean pools are a peculiarly NSW treasure; there are more than 100 adorning the state’s beaches, including the iconic Bondi Icebergs Pool at the southern end of Bondi Beach. They’re usually set apart from the pounding surf and offer a refuge for the fit and able, but they also shelter the shy, the cautious, and the elderly. From the tiny, triangular Fairy Bower in Manly to historic Wylie’s at Coogee and Olympic-sized South Cronulla, each has a character all its own.
They’re where generations of swimmers have made memories together, and where older people, even in their 90s, find the sea a youthful elixir. Liz Fraser, 82, a former Australia swimmer at the 1956 Olympics, regularly swims at Shelley Pool in Cronulla. She says the salt and fresh air are “a real health boost”.
There’s a reason people flock to ocean pools. Their clean, calm waters and sweeping views are therapeutic, while the rock walls protect swimmers from waves. They’re a great place for beginners to learn, and for adults to keep fit. But the most important thing is that they’re safe and welcoming places for all.
But with rising sea levels, many ocean pools could be at risk. They may need to be raised, which is expensive and would require a significant community input. Some, like North Sydney Olympic Pool, which fostered the careers of Dawn Fraser and Frank O’Neill and saw 86 world records smashed in its 50-metre lanes, might have to close for good.