When you think of Sydney beaches, several images spring to mind. Glistening joggers. Picturesque views. Glamorous swimmers in glamorous swimmers.
You certainly don’t imagine a Portaloo.
But that’s exactly what greets you at Penrith beach, nicknamed “Pondi” by both sceptical locals and government ministers.
The beach, located near Castlereagh, just north of Penrith, was opened on 19 December to fanfare from the state government.
The Minns government invested $1.7m to open the beach for residents who would normally have to drive more than an hour 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 Sydney’s many housing and infrastructure projects until 2015, when regeneration work began.
Because the site is a redeveloped sand and gravel quarry, much of the sand was already there, although it was cleaned for recreational use.
There’s no doubt it’s needed – Penrith earned the title of hottest place on Earth in 2020, and routinely registers temperatures 10C hotter than the city’s east.
While the deputy premier, Prue Carr, called the beach an “incredible swim spot” when it opened, residents took to social media to mock what they called “Penrith Pond”.
One of New South Wales’s most iconic places to swim?
The first thing Pondi visitors will notice is the long gravel road into a car park, organised by orange traffic cones.
The good news is that it can host up to 700 cars and is completely free – unlike many beaches around Sydney.
A short walk over the hill reveals the beach itself: a long, flat stretch of sand, a muddy shore, a still body of water and rolling green hills in the background.
Not quite the endless expanse of ocean nor the glimmering waves Sydney is known for. And not quite somewhere “soon to be added to the list of NSW’s most iconic places to swim”, as the government described it.
“Not quite a looker, is it?” one local father of three, Michael Gatfel, says.
“It’s good that it’s here, I mean I’m here and I’ve brought my family here to cool off. We needed something like this, somewhere that isn’t an hour-plus away. But they could have put more effort into it.”
To the left of the beach is one lone kiosk. A small box of chips was $7 – relatively high, although perhaps in keeping with prices during the cost of living crisis.
Next to the kiosk are the Portaloos. Bright blue stamps on the horizon.
The change rooms are in nearby demountables, further lending the beach an image of something half cooked.
The ground is muddy in places, while a couple of benches and seating to eat the expensive kiosk food at sit surrounded by metal fencing.
“They could have at least built some of these so it doesn’t look like they decided to open this yesterday,” says Katrina Turner, from Richmond.
“It gets very hot out here and it’s just a bit disappointing to see how temporary it all looks.”
The beach itself
When you walk along the beach, the benefits of a space like this become crystal clear.
It’s full of families and children giggling in delight. The still water makes a perfect playground for younger children.
The beach itself is about the length of Bondi beach. But Pondi is located on the banks of Nepean Lagoon, just off the Nepean River, meaning there are no waves on the murky water.
Penrith beach has attracted derision on social media, with some referring to it as a “swamp”, a “pond” or “Penrith river”, but the green hills in the background are quite enjoyable – and many families could do without the dangerous waves at ocean beaches in the city’s east.
“Its a safe spot for my family. I actually prefer this to some of the other beaches in Sydney,” says Christine Lew, whose two children and parents are with her.
“Its not as busy or as dangerous, there aren’t any jellyfish or rocks, it’s perfect for what it is. We travel 20 minutes to get here, it’s a welcome addition to our community.”
And while the murky water makes for a stodgy shore, it’s still a refreshing swim under the beating western Sydney sun.
A viable alternative?
When questioned on the state of the beach, a spokesperson for the NSW government said it had provided the facility where previous governments had not.
“We would welcome anyone who is sceptical of the facility to visit Penrith beach and see it for themselves.
“After 12 years of no movement on the site the Minns government intervened and worked with Western Sydney Lakes to create a free beach for Western Sydney locals and families.
“This beach was delivered in the first summer of the Minns Labor government after the Liberals and Nationals kept this area locked up for 12 years, failing to roll out even 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 spokesperson saying its “latest water quality testing has returned to its usual high standard”.
To many, Penrith beach isn’t an alternative to Sydney beaches – it’s their only option, a solution that looks like a stopgap. The fact that so many locals have embraced it reflects the dearth of access to swimming facilities across western Sydney.
“This is what we get,” says Garry Hughes, a local who brought his wife and grandchildren for a swim.
“It isn’t much, and it says a lot about how we are seen, but we just needed something, somewhere to go that wasn’t a huge trek for families like ours.”
