The North Sydney Olympic Pool is a swimming and exercise complex located adjacent to Sydney Harbour at Milsons Point between the Sydney Harbour Bridge and Luna Park.
Designed by architects Rudder & Grout in the Inter-War Free Classical style with art deco-style decorations, the Olympic-sized outdoor pool was built on part of the Dorman Long workshops site following the completion of the Harbour Bridge. The pool opened 4 April 1936 and hosted the swimming and diving events for the 1938 Empire Games. Heating was added in 2000 and a indoor pool was added in 2001.
Eighty-six world records have been set at the pool by such swimming greats as, for example, Jon Konrads and Ilsa Konrads, Lorraine Crapp, Frank O'Neill, Judy Joy Davies, John Devitt, Shane Gould and Michelle Ford.
In 1960, at the Australian National Swimming Championships and Olympic Trials, the most world records were set in the one pool at the one meet ever.
It closed on 28 February 2021 to allow for construction of a replacement pool and associated buildings. It was scheduled to reopen in 2023 but this has been further delayed to April 2024.
The delays and cost overruns prompted North Sydney Council to engage PwC to undertake an independent review of the project. The review found that the project is more than $30 million over budget to at least $89 million. Councillor Jilly Gibson, who was mayor when the pool redevelopment was approved, said the review was flawed and omitted relevant information.