We want your feeback

Council is currently undertaking an Aquatics Facilities Review, which looks at the condition, performance and long-term sustainability of our pools.

Our pools play an important role in the well-being of our community, from swimming lessons and fitness to recreation, rehabilitation, social connection, and community sport.

At the same time, we know:

  • Some facilities are ageing and require increasing maintenance
  • Operating costs are rising
  • Our community is growing and changing, particularly in the western suburbs
  • Expectations around accessibility, sustainability and programs are evolving

To help plan for the future, we’re gathering community insights to sit alongside technical investigations. Community feedback will provide valuable insight into how people use our facilities and what matters most to them.

Our Pools

  • Warilla Pool

    Seasonal – not heated

    • Outdoor 50m pool
    • Only open 5 months per year
    • Lowest attendance

  • Albion Park Pool

    Seasonal – solar heated

    • Outdoor 50m pool with splash park
    • Popular during summer
    • Strong school carnival use

  • Oak Flats Pool

    Open all year – heated

    • Heated 50m + heated 25m + toddler pool
    • Highest use of all chlorinated pools
    • Key site for Learn to Swim and aqua programs

  • Beverley Whitfield Ocean Pool

    Open all year - saltwater ocean pool

    • Free
    • Highest attendance overall
    • Heritage-listed

FAQ's

Our pools are between 46 and 60 years old and require significant upgrades to remain safe, accessible and financially sustainable. The review helps Council understand what the community needs now and into the future, and what options are realistic.

No, currently Council is not proposing any changes. This engagement is focused on understanding community use, preferences, and experiences, not on specific plans or decisions. The review may make some recommendations for changes in the future that Council can decide on.

Your feedback will:

  • Be combined with technical and financial information
  • Help identify community priorities
  • Inform future planning and decision-making

We’ll also share a summary of what we heard with the community.

Council is examining a wide range of information to understand how our pools are performing today and what will be needed in the future. This includes:

  • Attendance data for each facility
  • Population growth and demographic trends
  • Age and condition of each pool, buildings and equipment
  • Operational costs and subsidy per visit
  • Environmental impacts (energy, water and gas use)
  • Community feedback from previous studies and engagement

This approach ensures the strategy is evidence‑based, fair and sustainable.

Shellharbour’s four aquatic facilities each play a different role in the community and face different challenges.

  • Oak Flats Pool is the only heated, year‑round facility and attracts strong attendance. It also has the highest operational costs and the largest upgrade needs due to its age and complexity.
  • Albion Park Pool is well‑used and located in a major growth area, particularly with expansion in Tullimbar and Calderwood. It requires significant upgrades but continues to be important for families, schools, and sporting groups.
  • Beverley Whitfield Pool is a free, popular, and culturally significant ocean pool. It requires upgrades to remain safe and functional, but it is expected to continue as a valued community asset.
  • Warilla Pool has the lowest attendance and the highest subsidy per visit. It requires major upgrades to remain operational, but it also provides an important local service in an area with higher socio‑economic needs. No decisions have been made about its future.

Council subsidises the operational cost of our pools (meaning how much it costs to operate the pools after entry fee revenue is taken out) by about $1.7 million annually.