Freshwater Rockpool is a 50 m rock pool tucked under the cliff at the northern end of Freshwater Beach, the beach where Duke Kahanamoku gave his famous surfing exhibition in 1914. It is free and about 1.6 m deep.
Key facts
- Type
- Rock pool
- Length
- 50 m
- Good to know
- Step-free or ramp access, Toilets, Showers
- Managed by
- Northern Beaches Council
- Cost
- Free
- Depth
- About 1.6 m
- Lifeguards
- Not at the pool
- Public transport
- Buses from Manly
- Best time to go
- Early morning; check the cleaning roster
- Water quality
- GoodFreshwater Beach, 0.3 km away. Sampled 26 Oct. Source: NSW Beachwatch.
- Cleaning
- Dated roster published through 2026-12-31Council roster entry: Thu 29 Oct 01:30AM to Thu 29 Oct 05:00PM. Times change with weather and tides.
- Town
- Freshwater, NSW
What it's like
The pool sits at the foot of a small cliff at the northern end of the beach. It is 50 m long and fairly even in depth, around 1.6 m at both ends, which suits lap swimmers. Waves wash over the wall in a swell.
Freshwater has a big place in Australian surfing history: in December 1914 Hawaiian swimmer Duke Kahanamoku gave a surfing demonstration here on a board shaped from local timber. A statue of the Duke stands on the headland, and one of his boards is kept at the surf club. Local accounts say the rock pool came soon after, in the mid-1920s.
When to go
Early morning is popular with lap swimmers. Council puts up a sign at the pool while it refills after cleaning, and the cleaning dates are listed on its roster, so check before you go.
Getting there and facilities
The pool is at 4 Lumsdaine Drive, Freshwater. There is a shower, toilets and an accessible playground at the beach, and cafes in Freshwater village up the hill. Buses run from Manly, about ten minutes away.
Good to know
There are no lifeguards at the pool itself. Parking near the beach fills quickly in summer.