Vaughan Springs

Swimming Hole Heaven in Victoria

The river pool built across the Loddon River at Vaughan Springs is one of the few of its kind in Victoria. The pool wall spans the width of the river, backing up the water behind it for a considerable distance, hemmed in by a steep, rocky hill on one side. It's a lovely spot for floating in the water on your back, taking in the surrounding bush that rises up beside you, listening to the cicadas chirping in the searing heat all around. Above: The rope swing in the Loddon River pool at Vaughan Springs (Order this image)

For swimming, the pool is long but deceptively shallow at just on 2 metres at its deepest point, and waist deep in most places. The overhanging gum trees are great for some shade, and for supporting an unsanctioned rope swing, but if the river has not been flushed for a while, expect a heap of leaf litter under your feet in the water, which can feel a little squishy. If you think you will slide in gently off the wall, just remember there's no going back up the concrete slope once you hit the water. As noted below, the managing authority warns against using the rope swing. Whilst it sits over the deepest part of the pool, I could still readily touch the bottom while standing up next to the rope, so it is not as deep there as it might look from out of the water.

The design of this pool includes an auxilliary toddler pool. When the river is high enough, water backs up into a concrete pen on the bank, that kids can sit in and splash about. Most photos that I have seen of the toddler pool, including mine, show it high and dry, so if you want to take advantage of this little pool you need to plan your visit after a relatively wet period. It would not surprise me if the main pool were to dry up as well and become unswimmable by the end of summer in most years, so plan your visit here for spring or early summer for the best swimming conditions. Above: The toddler pool (high and dry) at Vaughan Springs (Order this image)

The pool is only one component of an ambitious vision for a mineral spring complex that had its hayday in the first half of the 20th century. You can taste the mineral spring water at several springs in the park, each of which has slightly different chemical composition, and read about the history of Vaughan Springs at various information boards on site. I particularly enjoyed learning about the sprinting track near the kiosk, which I initially mistook for some kind of animal pen! You can also camp here for free at one of the unpowered sites on top of the hill as you first enter the spring complex if you want to make a weekend of it.

Here is a video of my epic rope swing fail in the pool at Vaughan Springs. I suspect it would have been easier for me if the river was either slightly higher or slightly lower, or if someone had been there in the water to give me a boost.

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 warns swimmers that there is no lifesaving service at this pool, that it has shallow water and submerged objects. Furthermore, the managing authority warns swimmers not to use the rope swings on site, so if you swing on them and you injure yourself, it's at your own risk. The marker indicates the approximate location of the car park just past Lawson Spring. If the map is not zoomed in locally, as can occur with some browsers, simply click or tap on "View Larger Map" below.
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