By ANNA USHER

Swimmers could ring in 2027 at North Sydney Pool, with the harbourside centre open until 12:30 am so revellers can watch the midnight fireworks from the water.

Council will vote on the plan next Monday, which would open the iconic location to 1000 ticket holders from 6 pm on December 31.

The “North Sydney New Year’s Pool Party” is pitched at families and will be alcohol-free, with no BYO food or beverages.

Tickets to the pool party would cost $250 per adult, and $125 for kids aged 3 to 15.

When setting prices, Council said it considered pricing at neighbouring Luna Park, which has a similar vantage point and a unique NYE experience.

“The North Sydney New Year’s Pool Party” will offer a distinctive way for families to welcome 2027, combining the Sydney Harbour fireworks with an evening of swimming, entertainment and celebration at North Sydney Olympic Pool,” a report to be tabled on Monday night says.

“The event will include access to all aquatic facilities, including the spa, sauna and steam room, together with pool inflatables, other entertainment, and food and beverage outlets. Pools will remain open until 12.30 am, allowing attendees to enjoy the water while watching the midnight fireworks against the backdrop of Sydney Harbour.

“The opportunity to swim beneath the fireworks sets the event apart from traditional New Year’s Eve viewing experiences. It brings together the Pool’s iconic harbourside setting and recreational facilities to create an experience that is both memorable and uniquely North Sydney.”

The party would cap a comeback year for the 90-year-old Wonder Pool, which reopened on 7 August after a five-year rebuild and drew more than 10,000 people through its gates on the free opening weekend.

Built in 1936 in the yard where the steel for the Harbour Bridge was made, the pool saw swimmers set 86 world records in its lanes between 1953 and 1974, more than any pool in the world.

Council’s modelling has the night turning a $173,584 profit, money that would count toward a $500,000-a-year events target that staff say will help “reduce reliance on rates income” to run the pool.

Lifeguards would follow “Royal Life Saving Society Australia’s Guidelines for Safe Pool Operations”, and the council’s chief executive would retain the power to cut hours or cancel the party where “safety, staffing, weather or compliance requirements cannot be met”.

Council meets at 7 pm on Monday 26 October at the Council Chambers in North Sydney, and the meeting streams live on council’s website.

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