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Blue Pools

Home > New South Wales > Beaches | Escape the City | Family | Outdoor | Swimming Pools
by Vanessa M (subscribe)
I am always looking out for new experiences, wherever I may find myself.
Published November 3rd 2015
The Blue Pools are a unique attraction in Angourie that consist of two freshwater pools located directly behind the beach. They're pretty much a cross between a pond and a swimming pool, and offer a nice, natural place to swim.



The pools don't exist here without human intervention though; they were created when bluestone quarries that were being dug between 1890 and 1899 disrupted an underground spring, which started to fill the large holes with water.

As a result, the pools are quite deep and also quite wide. To make them even better, their immediate surrounds have been beautifully landscaped with pavers and grass to sit on. There are even steps into the larger Green Pool.

While the pools offer a great place to swim, on my visits I never actually saw anyone spend much time in the water. You see, both pools have great rocks to jump off, with options for anyone, no matter how brave they are.

The first pool you come to from the car park is the Blue Pool, and this is the one for families with little kids. It has the most open space for picnics and the smaller rocks to leap from.

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Making a splash in the Blue Pool


The second pool, the Green Pool, really is for daredevils. Not only is the rock face over here higher, but you have to climb the face of the cliff just to get to the ledges.

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The Green Pool


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Ready to jump from only halfway up (that's not me by the way - I'd never do it)


If you've got kids who aren't up for a swim or don't want to jump from the rocks, then the pools are conveniently located next to a beach (or sandy area really) that is completely enclosed by rocks. They can play pretty safely here.

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The sheltered beach area


The pools also have their own car park (though they're within walking distance of a lot of the town) where there is a shelter and plenty more grass for picnics and other activities. There's also a set of toilets and, a little further away, play equipment.

These areas are useful when the pools become full of algae. Too much algae can be detrimental to humans and it is a problem here in the warmer months. The local council monitors levels and erects signs if swimming is not a good idea. You can also check the situation online on this page, which the council updates regularly.

I don't want to end on too much of a downer (the pools are lovely) but I also have to share my horror at learning that cane toads have made the pools their home too! I didn't see one here, but did see a flattened toad in a car park elsewhere in Angourie (and originally hoped it somehow had something to do with the many Queensland cars around at the time).

The only wildlife I actually saw at the pools was a much more welcome sight; two yellow-tailed black cockatoos than hung around for quite a while.
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Why? For a swim, a picnic or an adrenaline rush
When: When the absence of alga makes swimming permittable
Where: At the end of The Crescent in Angourie
Cost: Free
Your Comment
The blue pool is beautiful.
by Bastion Harrison (score: 4|12640) 2776 days ago
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