Kiama Council has announced its Jamberoo Pool season for this summer will run from Saturday 29 November to Sunday 15 March.
This year's season reflects the Council resolution to reduce the outdoor pool's opening hours by 4 weeks to minimise operating costs while maximising pool use.
"This year's opening hours take advantage of our busiest time of year – the summer school holiday period – to ensure our local residents and tourist visitors can enjoy this wonderful facility at peak times," said Kiama Mayor Cameron McDonald.
The decision about the season dates and hours reflect the statistics from last year's 2024-25 summer season:
- For two weeks of November 2024 only 310 people attended the pool, with the majority only attending during few hours in the middle of the day.
- In the final two weeks of March 2025, only 81 people attended the pool.
- Regardless of the number of people, Council still needs to pay for lifeguard.
Last year, Kiama council introduced a small entry fee for the Jamberoo Pool.
In 2025-26 this will be $4.20 for adults and $2.20 for children.
Last financial year, the revenue from this entry fee was around $7,000, while it cost Council approximately $118,000 to open the pool for the season.
This year, Council has invested a further $14,000 to have two pool covers and a roller installed, to prevent leaves and other debris. The covers are also designed to dissuade the ducks, as they sit above the waterline.