Parramatta River will get new swimming spot at Gladesville’s Bedlam Bay

The Parramatta River formally has a brand new swimming spot at Bedlam Bay in Sydney’s north-west as the town is more and more embracing the waterway as a spot to chill off in summer season. 

The ribbon was reduce on Friday on the secluded seaside behind the previous psychiatric hospital at Gladesville.

Funded by a $560,000 state authorities grant, the seaside now incorporates a shark internet and a life ring. Water high quality can be displayed on Sydney Water’s Riverwatch web site.  

“I love these secluded spots that are just hidden along rivers and on the harbour,” NSW Water Minister Rose Jackson mentioned on the opening of the seaside. 

Hunter’s Hill Council Mayor Zac Miles mentioned council hoped to put in a handrail to enhance accessibility, in addition to change rooms and a pontoon on the seaside. 

“We’ve got these beautiful locations all around places like Hunter’s Hill and getting better access to them for everyone is really important,” Mr Miles mentioned. 

Hunter’s Hill native Sail Chandra says the brand new seaside will save having to drive her granddaughter 40 minutes to one in all Sydney’s coastal seashores. 

“This is very handy and very beautiful,” Ms Chandra mentioned.

“It will be much easier to bring her here because it’s only a five minute drive.” 

Brian Ingall from Huntley’s Cove mentioned he was a giant fan however seen loads of garbage had washed onto the seaside forward of the opening.

“It won’t stop me going to the beach,” Mr Ingall mentioned. 

More Parramatta River swimming websites

It’s the most recent swimming spot to open on the Parramatta River since Putney Beach opened in January this 12 months. A swimming spot was additionally opened at Bayview Park in Concord in November 2022. 

More swimming places on the river are on the horizon, with plans to create a swimming spot at Callan Park off Rozelle. Inner West Council can also be exploring growing a swim spot at Mort Bay in Birchgrove.  

Sydney MP Tanya Plibersek introduced $10 million could be invested into a brand new swimming website at Cockatoo Island in the course of the federal election marketing campaign earlier this 12 months. 

Parramatta River Catchment Group chair Penny Pederson mentioned they’d be helping in making the Inner West websites a actuality. 

She mentioned the river had turn out to be extra viable to swim in due to the absence of heavy business that used to dump pollution into the river, in addition to pure remediation of the riverbank. 

Cr Miles mentioned he wish to see Henley and Clarke’s Point at Woolwich checked out to turn out to be swimming spots. 

Not all mooted swimming places have been profitable.

McIlwaine Park in Rhodes East was developed to turn out to be a swimming spot in 2023, however was not opened as a consequence of poor water high quality. 

Treatment plant delays Prospect spots

While Western Sydney gained a brand new swimming spot at Penrith Beach in late 2023, one proposed new location at Prospect has stalled.  

NSW Labor made an election promise to open a swimming website at Prospect Reservoir, however thus far solely a feasibility examine has been accomplished. 

The Labor MP for Prospect Hugh McDermott mentioned vital upgrades wanted to be accomplished to the water therapy plant on the reservoir first. 

“The therapy crops themselves, they haven’t been upgraded for 50 years,” Mr McDermott mentioned.

“We’re spending hundreds of millions of dollars upgrading those facilities.”

Water Minister Rose Jackson said the government was looking at different options to upgrade the facilities.

“Some of these upgrades are actually costly, we’re speaking billions of {dollars}, however there are different options and different adjustments we will make to the therapy plant that are not as costly,” Ms Jackson mentioned.  

“I feel everybody desires swimming websites in Western Sydney, they need to have the ability to entry the water, however additionally they need to be sure that their ingesting water is protected.”