Yeronga Park Heated Swimming Complex

The Yeronga public pool does get busy from time to time. But you can usually find a lane to swim around in. They have two big pools, and one little wading pool for the toddlers. The staff behind the front counter are always friendly, and the food served from the canteen (designed to look like a straw hut on a tropical island) is actually quite nice, if you wish to eat lunch there.
I guess my only complaint would be that sometimes school groups or senior clubs like to crowd into the venue, causing staff to have to ask the rest of us to move on or find another section to swim in. I’m ok with sharing and letting everybody have a go of course. But sometimes the timing is bad. You just get in and then get told to move elsewhere. Hey — How about THEY move to another section? I paid money to be here too! I guess the reason is because the groups have pre-​booked certain lanes, etc. I get it.
And good on the staff at Yeronga pool too, because this is clearly a thriving business. Very popular and fun for everyone. Especially during the scorching Summer months. I don’t have a pool of my own, so I enjoy visiting this local community pool.

I’ve never been to such a busy public pool in all my life. I realise that the crowds are testament to the pool’s popularity, but it verges on overcrowding some days, especially during school holidays. While the entry price of almost five dollars is reasonable if you plan on spending the afternoon relaxing, with «squad», children running amuck, lanes taken up by those who swim for fitness, I found it difficult to dive in without hitting someone.
This public pool has gone from being a calm and austere public amenity to a cluttered coffee shop cum water park cum meeting place for the middle class. At times it seems as if Brisbane’s fetish for sipping coffee and eating muffins is the sole reason people turn up to the place, especially when they have children in tow.
There are pools dotted about Brisbane that aren’t overcrowded and aren’t quasi coffee shops. While I understand that those who run Yeronga Park Pool are business savvy while also hoping building a community feel, I think these factors need to be reduced within the complex to remind people what a public pool is there for. You should be able to swim without fear of being in the wrong lane, or that you’ll drown someone who’s decided to sip their latte while floating in the small area of water dedicated to the ‘receational’ swimmer.