0°C | Saturday January 31, 2026 
30 January 2026
North Sydney Council has proposed an adult casual entry fee of $11 for the redeveloped North Sydney Olympic Pool, with prices set marginally above those charged at neighbouring Lane Cove Aquatic Centre following a benchmarking exercise across comparable facilities.
In a draft fees and charges schedule to be placed on public exhibition, council officers said the pricing framework had been developed to fund operating costs, loan repayments and the establishment of a renewal reserve, and was informed by a market and competitor analysis covering around 12 public and private aquatic and leisure operators.
Under the proposal, adult casual entry would be priced at $10 before GST, or $11 including GST, compared with $10.70 at Lane Cove Aquatic Centre, according to the council’s comparative analysis.
Multi-visit passes would be priced at $99 for 10 visits and $187 for 20 visits.
Council officers explicitly rejected calls for a resident-only discount, despite acknowledging that ratepayers have already subsidised the facility through council rates.
“While a resident discount may feel equitable for residents who regularly use NSOP, it would reduce the Pool’s income overall,” the report said. “That shortfall would then need to be covered through higher subsidies from Council, funded by all ratepayers. This includes residents who do not use the Pool at all.”
The report also warned that resident pricing would introduce additional administrative costs and operational complexity, requiring ongoing verification and auditing of residency status, particularly given North Sydney’s relatively high residential turnover.
Resident discounts were described as uncommon among metropolitan Sydney councils, with neighbouring councils including Lane Cove, Willoughby, the City of Sydney and Northern Beaches not offering resident-only pricing for aquatic and leisure facilities.
Beyond casual entry, the draft schedule includes three- and six-month adult term passes priced at $429 and $715 respectively, with concession equivalents at $321.75 and $536.25. A family casual entry, covering two adults and two children, would cost $31.70, with each additional child charged $7.
Learn-to-swim lessons are proposed at $24 per child for standard programs, with discounted rates for second and subsequent children, while adult learn-to-swim classes would be priced at $36 per session. Premium fitness offerings such as Reformer Pilates would be priced at $45 per casual visit.
Council is expected to place the draft fees and charges on public exhibition for 28 days, with a further report to return to councillors following consultation ahead of final adoption.