Did you know a new ocean pool hasn’t been built in Australia in 60 years? The City of Bunbury wants to change that. In fact, it wants to build the only ocean pool in all of Western Australia.

Could Bunbury be the new Bondi?

Plans to build a new ocean pool in Bunbury, around 160km south of Perth, are gaining sea legs, with the Bunbury City Council voting unanimously in favour of the pool at the most recent council meeting. 

Supporters hope an ocean pool will become a tourist attraction in Bunbury, giving the city a Bondi feel and enticing tourists to turn off the highway and pay the city a visit. 

Read more: Every Rock Pool on Sydney’s Northern Beaches

Although there are many natural pools around the area, such as Injidup Natural Spa, this would be the first man-made ocean pool in the state.

An Idea 100 Years in the Making

The proposed ocean pool would be situated on Wyalup Rocky Point, an old basalt quarry close to the Bunbury CBD. It’s not the first time this site has been picked out as an ideal place for an ocean pool, with a similar plan made almost 100 years ago, before it was abandoned due to the Great Depression. 

The project plan consists of a 50-metre lap pool, a rehabilitation pool, an access ramp, and a children’s and leisure area.

Funding and Consultation Still in the Works

The proposal has been budgeted at $17.82 million, with the Bunbury City Council planning to fork out $5.94 million for the project, but additional funding from the state and federal governments would be needed. There’d also be an eye-watering $611,000 annual maintenance bill. 

Although the council is keen on the project, there’s still consultation with the public, and in particular, local Aboriginal communities, to be done before the plan can progress.