The NSW State Government has committed $2.5m to ensure the return of Penrith Beach for the 2024-25 summer swim season.
Affectionately known as ‘Pondi’, the venue made a huge splash when it opened for the first-time last year.
More than 200,000 people visited from the period of 19 December 2023 to Anzac Day 2024.
“I could not be more thrilled to announce we have put money aside to fund it for next summer season,” said NSW Deputy Premier and Minister for Western Sydney, Prue Car.
‘More than 200,000 people made Penrith beach their location of choice when it came to cooling off last summer, and we want to make that possible again.
Western Sydney residents previously needed to travel 40km to swim in Lake Parramatta, 63km to get to Bondi Beach, or 75km to get to either Cronulla or Manly.
“When we opened Penrith Beach last season for the first time, I said it was an issue of equity for the people of Western Sydney because they deserve to have swimming facilities without driving for hours,” said the Deputy Premier.
“Your postcode shouldn’t matter when it comes to accessing great places to cool down and have fun on or near the water, and the Minns Labor Government has made it a priority to unlock this fantastic site for public use.”
Research from the Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure shows that residents from the Penrith and Blacktown LGAs were the most frequent visitors to the site last summer.
Data shows that these beach enthusiasts were from Castlereagh, Cranebrook, Glenmore Park, Marsden Park, Mount Druitt, Penrith, St Marys, Werrington and Willmot.
Safety and accessibility will be top priorities at Penrith Beach next summer with the continuation of trained lifeguards from Royal Life Saving Society NSW who will patrol every day, monitoring and providing first aid services to visitors.
Further details on next summer’s opening will be released in coming months, following discussions with Western Sydney Lakes.
This is all part of the Minns Labor Government’s plan to build better communities for NSW with access to key infrastructure and public amenities.
Minister for Planning and Public Spaces, Paul Scully said reopening Penrith Beach was a big win for locals.
“We look forward to welcoming even more people for our next summer period later this year,” he said.
“This commitment shows we have listened to the community on the important role outdoor recreation plays in their lives.”
