It was one of Australia’s most idiosyncratic swimming pools: nine 50-metre saltwater lanes tucked under the base of the Sydney Harbour Bridge, framed by the waterfront on one side and the art deco kitsch of Luna Park on another. North Sydney Olympic Pool fostered the careers of Australian swimming greats including Dawn Fraser, Frank O’Neill and Shane Gould – 86 world records were smashed there – and delivered exercise and respite from the heat to thousands of others.
When it closed for redevelopment in February 2021, veteran members expected to plunge back into the same pool, albeit brought up to world-class standards, late the following year. Three years on, two of them have died while waiting for it to reopen.
