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Lake Parramatta – open for the 2024/2025 swim season
Following closure earlier this year for a mini-makeover, Lake Parramatta is back, beautiful, and ready for a new season of summer fun.
Open to the public from Saturday 26 October, upgrades have introduced a lifeguard platform, a gently-sloping ‘beach entry’ to make entering and exiting the water easier, and other safety and accessibility improvements.
While the natural beauty of the site remains, sandstone walls/seating (which will weather and blend in with the environment) tree planting, native garden beds and an outdoor shower make one of our favourite destinations a little more special.
- Lifeguards will be on duty each weekend from 10am to 7pm until Sunday 24 November 2024.
- From Saturday 30 November 2024 to Thursday 30 January 2025, lifeguards are on duty seven (7) days per week from 10am to 7pm.
- From Saturday 1 February to Sunday 30 March 2025, lifeguards return to weekend-only patrols from 10am to 7pm.
When visiting Lake Parramatta, only swim in the designated swimming area when it is supervised by lifeguards. Never swim alone.
Before swimming, it’s important to recognise the risks, check water conditions, and understand your own swimming abilities.
Lake Parramatta
Lake Parramatta is located in Lake Parramatta Reserve, a 73 hectare protected wildlife area. Its opening marked an important step for the 'Our Living River' an initiative which seeks to make more of the Parramatta River swimmable by 2025.
The lake is 10.5 hectares in size and was officially re-opened for public swimming and water recreation activities in January 2015.
The Lake Parramatta Reserve is popular with visitors who enjoy picnics, swimming, aquatic activities such as kayaking, and bush walking.
For information on getting to Lake Parramatta and swimming at the lake, please see our Swimming at Lake Parramatta page.
2024 Lake Parramatta Swimming Area improvements
From April to September 2024 construction works at Lake Parramatta delivered safety and accessibility upgrades to the swimming area.
Key features of the upgrade include:
- Construction of an underwater retaining wall to create a sand bed or ‘beach’ within the swimming area.
- Improved water access through construction of a formalised and gently sloping sandy beach, concrete footpaths, and other accessibility features such as handrails and traction treatments for steps.
- Installation of a formal lifeguard viewing platform providing improved sightlines over the swimming area for lifeguards.
- New seating, shaded areas, landscaping, and bushland regeneration.
Project background
In 2021, City of Parramatta commissioned a concept plan for improvements to the Lake Parramatta swimming area and began the process of applying for NSW Government grants to fund the project.
Council’s grant application was successful, and in late 2022 we began community consultation around the proposed upgrades.
The key aims of the project were:
- To improve access
- To enhance safety
Responding to community feedback on the initial concept design, a refined concept design was placed on public exhibition in mid-2023.
In July 2023, Council approved the revised concept plan for the upgrade at Lake Parramatta. City of Parramatta began the tender process looking to finalise designs and appoint a contractor.
City of Parramatta appointed a construction partner in early-April 2024. Subject to weather and site conditions, the 19-week construction program is expected to be completed by September 2024.
Construction was completed in late September 2024.
For more information, and to follow the project, please see Lake Parramatta Swimming Area Upgrade.
Proudly funded by the NSW Government in association with City of Parramatta.
The Places to Play program is part of the Open Spaces Program, a $50million investment in public open space across three streams: Places to Play, Places to Swim, and Places to Roam.
Places to Play supports investment in nature and water playspaces to promote recreation and connection with nature for people of all ages, abilities, and backgrounds.
For more information see Places to Play.
