When you think of Sydney beaches, many images come to mind. Shiny runners. Picturesque landscapes. Glamorous swimmers in glamorous swimmers.
You’re definitely not dreaming of a Portaloo.
But that’s exactly what greets you at Penrith Beach, nicknamed “Pondi” by skeptical locals and government ministers alike.
The beach, located near Castlereagh, just north of Penrith, opened on December 19 with much fanfare from the state government.
The Minns government has invested $1.7 million to open the beach to residents who would otherwise have to travel more than an hour to get to any of Sydney’s famous beaches.
Before becoming a new swimming spot, Penrith Beach was a quarry operated by Boral, Holcim and Hanson. It supported many housing and infrastructure projects in Sydney until 2015, when the renovation works began.
Because the site was a redeveloped sand and gravel pit, much of the sand was already there, although it was cleared for recreational use.
There is no doubt that this is needed; Penrith won the title of the world’s hottest place in 2020, with temperatures routinely recorded as 10C higher than in the east of the city.
Deputy Prime Minister Prue Carr described the beach as an “incredible swimming spot” when it opened, while residents mocked the lake, which they called “Penrith Pond”, on social media.
One of New South Wales’ most iconic places to swim?
The first thing visitors to Pondi will notice is the long gravel road leading to the car park, lined with orange traffic cones.
The good news is that, unlike many beaches around Sydney, it can accommodate up to 700 cars and is completely free.
A short walk up the hill reveals the beach itself: a long, flat strip of sand, a muddy shore, a still body of water, and rolling green hills in the background.
Neither the vast ocean nor the sparkling waves that Sydney is famous for. And it’s not, as the government describes it, a place “soon to be added to the list of NSW’s most iconic swimming destinations”.
“It’s not very nice,” says Michael Gatfel, a local father of three.
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“I’m glad I’m here, I mean, I’m here and I brought my family here to cool off. We needed something like this somewhere no more than an hour away. But they could have made more effort for this.”
There is only one kiosk to the left of the beach. A small box of chips was $7; It was relatively high, but perhaps in line with prices during the cost of living crisis.
There are Portaloos next to the kiosk. Bright blue flakes on the horizon.
Changing rooms are located in detachable spaces nearby, giving the beach the appearance of something half-baked.
The ground is muddy in places, there are a few benches and seating to eat at expensive buffets, all surrounded by metal fences.
“They could at least build some of these so it doesn’t look like they decided to open this place yesterday,” says Katrina Turner of Richmond.
“It gets very hot in here and it’s a little disappointing to see how temporary everything is.”
the beach itself
The benefits of such a space become clear when you walk on the beach.
It’s full of giggling families and children. Still water is a perfect playground for young children.
The beach itself is the length of Bondi beach. But Pondi is located just off the Nepean River, on the banks of the Nepean Lagoon, which means there are no waves in the murky water.
Penrith Beach has been ridiculed on social media, with some calling it a “swamp”, “pond” or “Penrith River”, but the green hills in the background are quite pleasant and many families can get by without the dangerous waves on the ocean beaches to the east of the city.
“It’s a safe place for my family. I actually prefer it to other beaches in Sydney,” said Christine Lew, who had her two children and their parents with her.
“It’s not that busy or dangerous, there are no jellyfish or rocks, it’s perfect just the way it is. We travel 20 minutes to get here; “This is a welcome development for our community.”
Although the murky water creates a choppy shore, swimming under Western Sydney’s blazing sun is still exhilarating.
Is it a viable alternative?
When asked about the condition of the beach, a NSW government spokesman said it had provided the facility that previous governments had failed to provide.
“Anyone who is skeptical about the facility would be welcomed to visit Penrith Beach and see it for themselves.
“After 12 years of inactivity on the site, the Minns Government stepped in and worked with Western Sydney Lakes to create a free beach for the people of Western Sydney and their families.
“This beach was handed over in the first summer of a Minns Labor government, after the Liberals and Nationals locked this area down for 12 years and never laid out a single towel.”
The beach was temporarily closed to visitors on Thursday due to water quality concerns. But it reopened on Friday morning, with a spokesman saying “latest water quality testing returned it to its usual high standard”.
For most people, Penrith Beach is not an alternative to Sydney beaches; Their only option is what appears to be a temporary solution, and the fact that many locals have adopted it reflects the lack of access to swimming facilities in Western Sydney.
“We’re getting this,” says local resident Garry Hughes, who brings his wife and grandchildren swimming.
“It’s not much and says a lot about how we look, but we needed to get somewhere that wasn’t too far for families like ours.”