Mittagong Pool Rewilding Plan

Help Shape a new Masterplan for the Mittagong Pool Site

We are developing a masterplan for the old Mittagong Pool site and we're inviting you to share your vision with us to help shape what it could look like!

At the Ordinary Meeting of Council - Wednesday 21 May 2025 it was resolved that Council pursue a master plan for the rewilding of the Mittagong Pool site as a future natural swimming area with delivery subject to external funding. This would mean transforming the site into a natural swimming and recreation area, allowing it to stay open and accessible in a new, nature-based way.

Imagine what a rewilded space would look like

Share your vision for the masterplan by leaving a comment or upload an image or video below

Consider community uses, things to see and do or different activities the space could be used for (e.g. nature play, walking paths, reflection spaces, swimming areas)

Your feedback is a way for you to share your thoughts and ideas on a particular issue or project. The goal is to make sure your voice and the community’s voices are heard and considered. It helps provide valuable insights, identify potential issues and suggest improvements. This way, decisions can be more inclusive, transparent and effective, reflecting what you and the community really needs and wants.

Responses to engagement projects are compiled and considered. When projects are reported to Council to make a decision a summary of community feedback will be included. Updates on projects will be included in these pages and elsewhere on Council's website.

Sometimes it takes some months to provide feedback to the community and to make a decision as further investigation is often needed. We are listening and we do take your suggestions on board!

Timeline

Timeline item 1 - complete

Initial Research & Analysis

From June - August 2025 we'll research State/Federal Guidelines and other existing similar projects. We'll also conduct a site analysis
Timeline item 2 - active

Community Consultation Period

We'll conduct both online and in-person engagement from Monday 1 September - Sunday 19 October 2025
Timeline item 3 - incomplete

Collate Feedback for Masterplan Design & RFQ

We will collate feedback received from our community engagement to help form the design of the masterplan between September - October 2025
Timeline item 4 - incomplete

Preparation of Initial Masterplan Design

The initial masterplan will be developed from November 2025 - February 2026
Timeline item 5 - incomplete

Report to Council

We'll provide an updated report back to Council in March 2026
Timeline item 6 - incomplete

Public Exhibition Period

The masterplan will be on public exhibition from April - May 2026
Timeline item 7 - incomplete

Adoption of Masterplan

The masterplan will be presented to Council for adoption in June 2026

Drop-in Sessions

This session isn't like a typical town hall meeting. Instead, its main goal is to help you learn about the masterplan project and encourage you to share your vision. No registration is required.

FAQs

Rewilding is a proposed approach for the closed Mittagong Pool site. It involves transforming the space into a natural swimming and recreation area, rather than rebuilding a traditional pool.

This concept is being recommended because a rebuild at this site is no longer safe, practical or financially viable due to:

Flood Risk - Mittagong Pool sits directly on top of the Nattai River and floods often. It has been inundated multiple times since 2016
Insurance Impacts - Repeated flood damage triggers excess costs and increases premiums
Engineering Limitations - The site cannot be lifted or flood-proofed without enormous cost and environmental impact
Visual and Environmental impacts - Building a raised pool would destroy the natural amenity that makes the site unique

A new concept masterplan will be developed to explore what a rewilded site could look like.

The site has repeatedly flooded (2016, 2020, 2021, 2022) and is directly above the Nattai River. Rebuilding a traditional pool is not feasible due to flood risk, insurance limitations, high cost, and site instability. Raising or relocating the pool is not viable due to environmental, visual and financial impact.

Rewilding the site enables continued public access and enjoyment, while offering a safer and more environmentally sustainable alternative to traditional pool infrastructure.

The nature of the Nattai River is that a weir structure would still be required to create a swimmable area, and so the rewilded site would become like that of Lower Welby Weir and Audley Weir – however with the benefit of supporting infrastructure like parking, picnic areas and public amenities.

Features could include:

A controlled swimming zone using a weir or river plunge design
Walking tracks, seating, picnic spaces and interpretive signage
Natural plantings and re-use of existing amenities

Benefits of a rewilded site include:

Safe and sustainable use of the site
Year-round public access to a unique nature space
No requirement for lifeguards or water treatment
Lower long-term costs than traditional infrastructure
Opportunity to honour the past while embracing a new, community-centred use

At present, no funding has been allocated for the construction or delivery of the rewilded site. This is a long-term initiative, with timeframes dependent on securing external grants and potential future partnerships.

The 2025/2026 Delivery Program and Operational Plan, including Capital Works Program includes the action to Prepare a Masterplan for Mittagong Pool Precinct, inclusive of rewilding of Mittagong Pool.

Our current focus is on master planning and visioning with the community - not construction now.

Wingecarribee is home to four swimming centre and pool facilities:

Moss Vale War Memorial Aquatic Centre
Bowral Swimming Centre
Bundanoon Swimming Pool
Mittagong Pool (closed)

Mittagong Pool was permanently closed October 2023; however, it had not been operational for several years prior.

In 2012 Council entered into a Voluntary Planning Agreement (VPA) with Frensham School as part of their development of the Frensham School Centenary Pool. While this pool is not Council-owned or operated, it is available for community use.

At the Ordinary Council Meeting of 18 October 2023, the permanent closure of Mittagong Pool was endorsed. This was because repair and retainment of the existing Mittagong Pool was not a sustainable outcome.

The Mittagong Pool site has a long history of being valued as a swimming location within the Wingecarribee Shire. Originally during 1867 – 1910 a dam was created to resupply steam trains with water and the site was often used as an informal swimming location by locals.

Council purchased the site in 1928 and embarked on a series of construction improvements including draining the dam, cutting embankments, concreting walls and building a diving board. It was also during this period that connection to regular water supply was made to ensure a consistent water level was retained. The facility was then demolished in 1959, and an Olympic-sized pool was constructed.

Limited upgrades were completed at the site until 2016, where a major upgraded was completed and the facility reopened in the January of that year. Unfortunately, six months later the site was severely flooded, prompting the closure. Since then, the site has flooded consistently in 2020, 2021 and 2022.

Currently, the area remains known as the Mittagong Pool site. Upon construction commencement of the rewilding project, Council will actively engage with the community to consider and select a new name for the site.

Click below to download a copy of the Mittagong Pool rewilding Plan FAQs

FAQs
PDF (189.67 KB)

Mittagong Pool Memories

Share your memories of Mittagong Pool with us below

Share Now

Draft Aquatics Plan and Business Cases

Learn more about the previous Draft Aquatics Plan and Business Cases

Click Here

Contact Us

Have questions or want to learn more? You can contact us below:

Contact Information
Name	Council's Assets Team
Phone	02 4868 0888
Email	mail@wsc.nsw.gov.au
Website	www.wsc.nsw.gov.au
In writing	PO Box 141, Moss Vale NSW 2577

Contact Information
Name	Wingecarribee Shire Council
Phone	02 4868 0888
Email	mail@wsc.nsw.gov.au
Website	www.wsc.nsw.gov.au

Name

Wingecarribee Shire Council

Phone

02 4868 0888

mail@wsc.nsw.gov.au

Website