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Places We Swim Author Caroline Clements Shares Her Favourite Secret Swimming Spots
01/12/22
Author: Lucy Jones
DOCUMENTED BY: Dillon Seitchik-Reardon
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Zinc covered noses. Hot chips with extra salt. Panel vans stacked with surfboards.
These are vignettes of a typical Australian summer. It’s a world depicted in shows like Puberty Blues and Home and Away, where your place in the social hierarchy is determined by the strength of your tan lines and shoes are always optional.
Surf culture and sandy white beaches are the first things that come to mind when we think of spending time by the water in Australia, but there is so much more on offer for swimmers with a taste for adventure. A quick flick through the pages of Places We Swim provides ample proof, and motivation. Written by Caroline Clements and documented by Dillon Seitchik-Reardon, the swimming guide catalogues some of Australia’s best wet and wild places.
Covering beaches, pools, waterfalls, lakes, hot springs and gorges, the tome (and its follow-up Places We Swim, Sydney) makes a beautiful addition to any coffee table book collection. Filled with photogenic landscapes that you’ll want to dive straight into, it will also convince you to get off the couch and explore the country’s lesser-known swimming spots.
With warmer weather on our doorstep (and la niña currently in hibernation), we asked Places We Swim author Caroline Clements to share her favourite destinations for a dip. From a freshwater gorge in regional Victoria to a perfectly formed natural pool in South Australia, these are her under-the-radar picks to add to the itinerary for your next road trip.
Documented By: Dillon Seitchik-Reardon
Beechworth Gorge, Victoria
“Granite slabs and waterfalls run down into the Gorge in Beechworth. This historic, goldrush town has plenty of charm to get you into the high country of Victoria. But the 7-kilometre gorge hike is our pick for the outdoors. Start in town and head out over Gorge Road to find water pouring into pools. Dip into fresh mountain pools with views looking out over the ranges. It’s very special.”
Documented By: Dillon Seitchik-Reardon
Cataract Gorge, Tasmania
“Arriving at Cataract Gorge in Launceston may have you feeling like you have stumbled across an alpine holiday village in the summer. There’s a lido-style pool, natural water basin and weir with rocks to bask on and jump off, plus a chairlift sailing overhead. The 50-metre pool is shallow and very kid-friendly, with a backdrop of the South Esk River running between rocky gorge walks, hiking trails and landscaped gardens.”
Documented By: Dillon Seitchik-Reardon
Little Blue Lake, South Australia
“Little Blue Lakesits in an unassuming paddock about 15 minutes south of Mt Gambier, almost a little out of place. The lake is actually a sinkhole formed by the gradual collapse of an underground cave system, and it’s deep – we’re talking 35 metres – so jumping from the sides is a lot of fun (though not condoned). The drop is sheer and about 10 metres high, but if you’d rather a friendlier entry, take the steps down from the side to the pontoon. The whole experience is kind of otherworldly.”
Documented By: Dillon Seitchik-Reardon
The Pillars, Victoria
“On a cracking day, The Pillars can feel more like a rocky outcrop in Greece than the Mornington Peninsula in Victoria. Access by boat or on foot, but if you come by land take care of how you get there. There has long been controversy at this spot due to overcrowding which can spoil the landscape. It’s a reminder that we always need to be aware of our surrounds and its people when visiting any natural place.”
Documented By: Dillon Seitchik-Reardon
Ningaloo Reef, Western Australia
“This hard-to-reach paradise is 260 kilometres of coral coast that runs down the east side of the peninsula from Exmouth to Coral Bay in WA. It’s Australia’s largest fringing reef, and the only one positioned close to land, making it accessible without a boat. This is truly the best place to snorkel in the country – dive down to swim around the sea cabbages and big bommies that create impressive underwater forests. It’s magic.”
Documented By: Dillon Seitchik-Reardon
Wylie’s Baths, New South Wales
“One of our favourite swims closer to home in Sydney is Wylie’s Baths in Coogee, a natural bottomed 50-metre ocean pool, and one of the oldest in the country. Opened in 1907, it has somehow withstood the test of time and erosion. There is an element of theatre here – the deck hugs the cliff like a grandstand, with a sweet kiosk for morning coffees. Down below, bathers rest among the wooden stilts, claiming the most prized positions on the sunny concrete slab.”
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Documented By: Dillon Seitchik-Reardon
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