Kilsyth Centenary Pool (aka The Dome)

Swimming Hole Heaven in Melbourne

The Kilsyth Centenary Pool, affectionately known as The Dome, was arguably Victoria's best winter lap swimming venue before a decision by the local council in October 2023 to permanently close The Dome. Outside it could be a bitterly cold and rainy Melbourne day, but if you closed your eyes inside The Dome and breathed in the warm humid air, you could transport yourself to tropical Queensland. Above: Inside the Dome (Order this image)

The air temperature inside this huge white plastic marquee was positively balmy. Apparently the airtight PVC/polyester bladder that encases the pool needed its own microclimate high pressure system to hold up the roof.

When I was a kid this pool was the coldest around and you only went there on really really hot days. It is possibly the depth that made it so much colder, but I do not know for sure. Then one day The Dome came down and life in Kilsyth was never the same again. I also don't know whether sci-fi novelest Stephen King ever visited Kilsyth before publishing "Under The Dome" in 2009, but it would not surprise me if it were a source of inspiration for him. Above: Outside the Dome (Order this image)

In addition to the superheated air, the dome echoed with even the quietest private conversations that were amplified as they reverberated around the whole pool. If you stood in the right spot, you could whisper from one side of the pool to the other and still be heard. Lastly there were the early morning and late afternoon silhouettes of nearby trees and darting birds that came to life on the dome wall like a vibrant shadow puppet show. Put all of these things together and The Dome overwhelmed your senses in unexpected ways that were both comforting and genuinely fascinating. The Dome was lit up from the inside with floodlights at night, which changed its mood again. No other pool that I have ever visited came to life in quite the same way.

I am not aware of any other public swimming pool air domes in Australia. The inflatable "Bubble" at Clarence Aquatic Centre in Hobart, which at one time split its seam whilst people were inside it, was decommissioned in 2002. Air domes are fantastically warm in winter, but difficult to keep cool in summer. Fortunately the Kilsyth Centenary Pool had a 25m outdoor pool for hot summer days. The marker indicated the approximate location of the pool car park. If the map is not zoomed in locally, as can occur with some browsers, simply click or tap on "View Larger Map" below.
View Larger Map Here is a quick tip from one swimmer who enjoyed swimming at The Dome and praise for the pool from a local amidst the previous council deliberations about the future of the pool:

"Great for lap swimming, quiet during the week" - Linda from Melbourne, Victoria, Australia 29/5/2017

"How fortunate are we to have this iconic local swimming facility in our area. All our children learnt to swim there, have fun, exercise and socially meet and mix there over many years. Sure we have a few pools strewed throughout Yarra Ranges, but this local longstanding one is specially renowned, unique and ought to remain. Sure it has had some issues, as others do, but we think like an older house or car, if you maintain them they cost you less in the long run and serve the community longer." - John P. from Kilsyth, Victoria, Australia 9/5/2023

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