Where is Adelaide's warmest pool for swimming? Which is the warmest pool near you? Below is a list of indoor
public swimming pool temperatures across Adelaide.
Adelaide's Warmest Public Pool:
The winner of the title of
warmest public pool in Adelaide goes to...(drumroll please)...
the 25m lap pool
at Portside Swim and Leisure Centre in Largs Bay and
the hydrotherapy pool at Thebarton Aquatic Centre
in Torrensville. Both of these pools are kept at a cosy 33 degrees Celsius. The hydrotherapy pool at Thebarton
Aquatic Centre has two lanes, and is 10 metres long and 1.3 metres deep, so it is large enough to move around in,
but not suitable for serious lap swimming. Entry to the hydrotherapy pool is included in the entry price to the centre.
The pool is sometimes booked for classes or rehabilitation sessions, but there is public access available
7 days a week at the times listed on the pool website. The centre also has a 25 metre lap pool that is heated to 29
degrees in winter.
| Indoor Pool Venue | Temperature of Warmest Pool at Venue |
|---|
| Portside Swim & Leisure Centre (Largs Bay) | 33C / 91F |
| Thebarton Aquatic Centre (Torrensville) | 33C / 91F |
| Parafield Gardens Swim School | 32C / 90F |
| Paragon Swim Centre (Modbury) | 32C / 90F |
| Seaton Swim Centre | 32C / 90F |
| State Swim (Golden Grove) | 32C / 90F |
| State Swim (Modbury North) | 32C / 90F |
| State Swim (Seacombe Gardens) | 32C / 90F |
| State Swim (Seaford) | 32C / 90F |
| State Swim (Unley) | 32C / 90F |
| The Parks Recreation & Sports Centre (Angle Park) | 32C / 90F |
| Aquadome (Elizabeth) | 32C / 90F |
| SA Aquatic and Leisure Centre (Oaklands Park) | 31C / 88F |
| STARplex (Gawler) | 30C / 86F |
| Fitness on Flinders (Adelaide) | 29C / 84F |
| Noarlunga Leisure Centre | 28C / 82F |
| Adelaide Aquatic Centre (North Adelaide) | 27C / 81F |
Some of the warmest pools above are hydrotherapy or "warm water" pools, which are usually operated at an
elevated temperature compared to lap swimming pools. This makes them a very attractive swimming/bathing/defrosting
option for very cold days, either in their own right, or before/after lap swimming. I have only included pools in
which you can actually swim (as opposed to just bathing) and that are designated for active recreation by the venue.
This excludes spas, shallow leisure pools and toddler pools.
Adelaide's Warmest Lap Pool:
One of the warmest pools in Adelaide is also the warmest lap pool, namely
the 25m lap pool at Portside
Swim and Leisure Centre in Largs Bay. The Portside Swim and Leisure Centre lap pool is at an elevated
temperature because it is mostly used for kids swimming lessons. Public swimming is generally available in
the morning, the early afternoon, and the evening, but not in the few hours after school and not on weekends
except for a two hour window on Saturday. It is a good idea to check the pool’s website for these
details before you go.
The water temperatures for lap pools in the table below applies only to those indoor public pools that have a minimum
length of 25 metres or, if it was the longest pool at the venue (and hence designated for lap swimming),
a minimum length of 20 metres.
| Indoor Pool Venue | Temperature of Warmest Lap Pool at Venue |
|---|
| Portside Swim & Leisure Centre (Largs Bay) | 33C / 91F |
| Parafield Gardens Swim School | 32C / 90F |
| Paragon Swim Centre (Modbury) | 32C / 90F |
| Seaton Swim Centre | 32C / 90F |
| State Swim (Golden Grove) | 32C / 90F |
| State Swim (Modbury North) | 32C / 90F |
| State Swim (Seacombe Gardens) | 32C / 90F |
| State Swim (Seaford) | 32C / 90F |
| State Swim (Unley) | 32C / 90F |
| SA Aquatic and Leisure Centre (Oaklands Park) | 31C / 88F |
| STARplex (Gawler) | 30C / 86F |
| Aquadome (Elizabeth) | 29C / 84F |
| Fitness on Flinders (Adelaide) | 29C / 84F |
| The Parks Recreation & Sports Centre (Angle Park) | 29C / 84F |
| Thebarton Aquatic Centre (Torrensville) | 29C / 84F |
| Noarlunga Leisure Centre | 28C / 82F |
| Adelaide Aquatic Centre (North Adelaide) | 27C / 81F |
If you are planning to visit these pools, beware of clashes with classes, particularly after school
swimming lessons. Some hydrotherapy pools are also booked by health care providers. If you are not sure
when a pool is free, check out the pool timetables on the venue's website or ring ahead to save
yourself the disappointment. Many of these pools also have ramps and hoists for the elderly or disabled.
To put the temperatures below in context, the water in San Francisco Bay (considered too cold for
potential escapees from Alcatraz to swim in) is 12-16 degrees and the water at Glenelg Beach ranges from
15 degrees in winter to 21 degrees in summer. Your internal body temperature is around 37 degrees. Most hot
spas in public pools are 36 degrees or above.
Comments:
Here are some suggestions and comments from swimmers about pool water temperatures in Adelaide and South Australia:
"The Rex at Tanunda (in the Barossa Valley, 70 km north-east of Adelaide) is heated. It has a lovely warm spa area.
The Port Lincoln indoor pool (650 km west of Adelaide by road) has a great spa and water slides."
- Michelle T., Nuriootpa, South Australia 17/5/2022
Thanks to Irene in Elizabeth and Eileen in Elizabeth South for commenting in May 2022 that the water temperature at the Playford and Elizabeth Aquadome is too cold for aqua aerobics,
with reports of cramps and complaints from aqua aerobics participants (which I cannot independently verify). After checking with the staff at the pool on 12 May 2022,
I have reduced the 50 metre lap pool water temperature to 29, which according to them is at the lower end of their heating cycle. I received a similar complaint about cold water in the Aquadome
in May 2018, as well as an opposing complaint (but in summer, not winter) in 2020 that the lap pool water temperature was too high for lap swimming.
If you think I have missed a public swimming pool that should be on this list, please fill in the comment box below.
I am also interested in your experiences after visiting, and any changes in swimming conditions. All fields are required if you would like to see your comments appear on this website.
