Belmont Baths

Belmont, New South Wales

Belmont Baths is a netted swimming enclosure in Belmont, on the eastern side of Lake Macquarie, with views of the foreshore, the yacht club, and out across the lake to Coal Point in the distance. This saltwater pool is around 60 metres long, but for lap swimming I preferred swimming the 45 metres across the pool in consistently very deep water. Above: Belmont Baths on Lake Macquarie (Order this image)

The pool has several great features for swimmers including a wheelchair accessible ramp and submerged platform for getting into and out of the deep water section of the pool more easily. When entering here, there is a genuinely steep drop off the edge of the submerged platform into deep water that is not overstated by the warning signs. This entry point makes for a sand-free swim, where you don't even have to touch the bottom if you don't want to. The lake is tidal, with roughly a one metre height difference from low to high tide, so swimming conditions can change quite dramatically during the day. Above: The ramp and steps leading directly into deeper water at Belmont Baths (Order this image)

I also liked the vibe along the foreshore, with a bike path and promenade, established trees, a cafe across the road, lots of picnic tables and even a table tennis table. The pool also has change rooms and showers on site. Above: Seaweed accumulated in one corner of Belmont Baths (Order this image)

If entering the water directly from the thin beach below the promenade wall, watch out for the sharp shell edges on the side of the steps. On my visit there was a thick mat of floating seeweed around these steps in one corner of the pool, blown there by the wind, but the other entry points were clear of debris. Whilst I only saw this pile of weed, warning signs on site suggest there may be litter and pollution problems in the pool at some times from a nearby stormwater drain. Advice from the local council is that stormwater and sewerage overflows into Lake Macquarie may occur during wet weather, with swimming not recommended in the lake for several days after heavy rain, particularly if you see the water is discoloured by stormwater runoff. There is regular water quality monitoring in the lake by the local council from November to April to inform suitability for swimming. Before you head out, make sure to read the swimming safety information and check with the managing authority for any current change of conditions. Specific to this site, the managing authority advises slippery surfaces, submerged objects, no lifeguard on duty, shallow water, and marine creatures (stingers) underwater. There is a nearby stormwater drain outlet, with swimmers advised by the managing authority to visually inspect the water before entering, and to not enter the water if it is discoloured, smells or has significant amounts of floating debris. Adults must supervise children. There are signs warning of sharp rocks at the steps on the foreshore, and a sudden drop (they are not kidding) off the submerged platform at the end of the ramp into the water. The marker indicates the approximate location of the baths. If the map is not zoomed in locally, as can sometimes occur when loading, simply click or tap on "View Larger Map" below.
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