150,000 visitors flock to Western Sydney’s first beach

Penrith Beach trial has made a big splash since its mid-December opening with more than 150,000 people visiting to escape the summer heat.

Thousands of local families from Western Sydney and beyond are taking advantage of the free site, enjoying the golden sands, the lake’s tranquil waters and the world-famous views of the nearby Blue Mountains.

Penrith Beach or ‘Pondi’ as it’s become fondly known, has quickly become a firm fan favourite with residents. Some 154,084 people have visited the beach as of 28 January – a staggering 25,000 visitors on average every week since its opening four weeks ago.

Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure figures show residents from the Penrith and Blacktown LGAs are the most frequent visitors to the former quarry site turned beach. 

Many of the beach’s visitors are from suburbs including Penrith, Werrington, Castlereagh, Cranebrook, Glenmore Park, St Marys, Mount Druitt, Willmot and Marsden Park.

Penrith Beach’s trained lifeguards from Royal Life Saving Society NSW are on patrol every day between 10am and 7pm, monitoring the beach and providing first aid.

The beach has facilities including toilets, adult accessible change rooms, a fresh-water drinking station, a café and access for people with a disability.

Penrith Beach will remain open seven days a week until the temporary activation concludes on March 3. Until then, on-site parking using free car park passes are available online at https://www.nsw.gov.au/visiting-and-exploring-nsw/penrith-beach

Minister for Western Sydney Prue Car said:

“I am pleased that more than 150,000 people have had the chance to experience the sun, sand, and scenic mountain views at Penrith Beach.

“This free beach has been a huge success, and throughout summer, it has been embraced by the people of Western Sydney, especially families.

“If you haven’t visited yet, there’s still plenty of time to bring your friends and family down to Penrith Beach for a swim, a coffee and a day by the water.”

Minister for Planning and Public Spaces Paul Scully said:

“Western Sydney residents have been asking for a beach of their own for decades now. It’s fantastic to say that we’ve that we have delivered this trial within 9 months of coming to Government.

“Previously, Western Sydney residents needed to travel 40 km to swim in Lake Parramatta, 63 km to Bondi Beach, or 75 km to visit either Cronulla or Manly.

“These days are thankfully now long gone and Western Sydney residents can cool off for a refreshing dip much closer to home.

Member for Penrith Karen McKeown:

“After waiting many years for this area to be unlocked, it’s exciting that more than 150,000 Penrith locals have embraced this free facility over the summer to cool off.

“Seeing this beach flourish has been fantastic for our community, and I look forward to having more to say about this in the future.”