Sydney’s best hidden wild swimming spots and secret beaches

Discover secret swims and hidden beaches, all featured in The Wild Guide Sydney, as we escape the crowds to explore the city’s wilder edges and nearby coastlines.

There can’t be many places on Earth where, within a few hours of the biggest city in the country, you can have so many incredible wild experiences. Yet close to Sydney, you can swim in emerald waters beneath towering waterfalls, hike to remote valleys and ancient Gondwana rainforests, float through sculpted canyon walls on a lilo, and venture deep into ornate marble caves. Beaches are everywhere, from white sand and turquoise water on the coast to pristine sand backed by blue gums along the rivers. And the fun doesn’t end when the sun goes down – by night, you can hunt for glow worms and bioluminescent mushrooms. Here we explore 5 of the greatest wild swimming spots and secret beaches near Sydney.

The 5 best wild Swimming spots in Sydney

1. Giles Baths, Coogee

Originally a 19th century male bathing area, this rockpool boasts stunning turquoise water. The clarity is superb, offering year-round holiday vibes. The pool is located conveniently near Coogee Beach for an extra swim. . While some original walls remain, the spot feels wonderfully natural. The pool is semi-enclosed, so it is best visited around mid to high tide. Be cautious of rough waves on wild days.

2. Maccallum Pool, Cremorne Point

Maccallum Pool is a spectacular harbour ocean bath and a true Sydney treasure. This 33-meter long pool offers some of the city’s very best views and, best of all, swimming here is entirely free of charge. Go early on weekends if you want to avoid significant crowds. You find it easily along the Cremorne Point Wharf foreshore walk.

3. Kangaroo Pool, Royal National Park

The Royal National Park is located less than an hour’s drive from the Sydney CBD. Here you find Kangaroo Pool, a jaw-dropping emerald green waterhole. The pool is surrounded by imposing rock walls, which lend the area an amphitheatre-like feel, ensuring swimming here is described as being “as good as it gets”. Accessing this destination requires navigating the bush with a calculated walk-in time of about 40 minutes.

4. Lower Gledhill Falls, North Sydney

Lower Gledhill Falls is an exceptional swimming spot with a canyon-like feel complete with picturesque waterfall. High sandstone walls enclose the area, making the atmosphere feel secluded and wild. Despite being only a very short, ten-minute walk from the starting point, this location remains a true local secret as it is hidden from view. While there is a strenuous and dubious rope descent visible, the recommended route for visitors begins at the Duckholes picnic area.

5. Store Beach, Manly

Store Beach is renowned as one of Sydney’s most picturesque beaches, distinguished by its 200-meter sweep of golden sand backed by dense, “jungly bushland”. This backing vegetation enhances the beach’s secluded and remote atmosphere. The water here is consistently clear and calm, making it ideal for swimming. While access is most common via boat or kayak (rentals available in Manly), adventurous visitors can reach the sand by rock hopping for 400 meters from the southern end of Collins Beach, a feat which should only be attempted during low tide.