Coogee 2 - The Women's Pool

The Women's pool, formally known as McIvers Pool, is the sole surviving single-sex pool in NSW, if not Australia. A man took the matter to the Anti Discrimination Board, however the Council was granted an exemption to continue to operate it for women only, given that there are 2 other mixed pools within a few metres.

The pool offers a safe, popular and relatively private bathing spot for Christian and other nuns, Muslim women, lesbians, and those who like to swim in privacy, including women with disabilities and some pregnant women.

The pool has been used by women bathers since the 1860s. Mina Wylie trained in this pool before swimming her way to a silver medal in the 1912 Olympics, the first Olympics with swimming events for women.

PS One eagle-eyed reader noted yesterday that not all my photos have been taken on the days published, because it's been raining the last few days in Sydney. So true. Unfortunately, because I work full-time, my photographic excursions are mainly confined to the weekends. Bring on retirement (or that big lottery win!)

Also, to people expressing concern about the bushfires: they haven't featured on SDP because the worst have been hundreds of kilometres from Sydney...but they have certainly brought a sense of shock to everyone in the country and many overseas)