🔵 When will North Sydney Olympic Pool reopen?

Plus: The Public school buses axed and the history of Northbridge baths

Huw Bradshaw
December 19, 2025

⏱️ The 69th edition of our newsletter is a five-minute read.

Morning all,

Since I’ve been covering news on the North Shore, there has been one question I have been persistently asked: what is going on with North Sydney Olympic Pool?

This morning I finally ventured down to Milsons Point for a tour around the construction site with Gary Parsons from North Sydney Council. I even got to chuck on a hard hat and a hi-vis vest.

While much of the site seems to be a polished, state of the art facility, it will certainly be quite a while before doors open. Council estimates that the site will be back in their possession by mid-February. From there, it will still be some time — up to three months — before the doors officially open.

But for now, check out my tour of the site below to get an idea of what the revamped swimming centre will look like.

Let’s get into the rest of the news.

HEARD THIS WEEK👂

🏊️ How’s North Sydney Olympic Pool looking?

A source of excitement for some, and immense frustration for others: for better or worse, North Sydney Pool’s reconstruction is set to be finished early next year. Here’s how it’s looking so far.

🚏 North Shore schoolkids told to ride with public, as 12 school bus routes slashed

Public buses may be feeling more packed than usual in 2026, as private operator Busways has axed 12 school bus routes across the North Sydney area.

What happened: As of December 8, 12 school bus routes have been discontinued across the North Shore.

Affected routes include those travelling between North Sydney and Lane Cove, Mosman, Lindfield, and Chatswood.

Public bus routes that will feel the impact of more school kids include the 144 and 114, 230, 115, and more.

Who's behind it: Private bus company Busways has serviced “region 7” — covering the North Shore, Sydney CBD, and North Western suburbs — since 2022. Previously, the region was managed by the state government.

A spokesperson for Busways told the Lorikeet the routes discontinued were “low-use school services” identified after a “detailed assessment” of North Sydney routes.

When asked whether additional services would be provided to make up for the loss, they said “other routes already provide an alternative with available capacity”.

Busways has provided schoolkids with a list of suggested public routes they can take instead.

Full story below.

North Shore schoolkids told to ride with public, as 12 school bus routes are slashed

The bus operator said a review deemed the services “low-use”.

🥽 The history of Northbridge baths

It seems this newsletter certainly has a bit of an aquatic theme. As we look at the future of one swim spot, Mel has delved into the past of another. Check out her quick video on the history of the Northbridge baths.

Read the full story below.

That’s all from me.

Got a story tip? An unsolved mystery? A notable local? Hit reply or reach out at [email protected].

And if you are able to support keeping local news free in our community, we would be so grateful.

Cheers,

Huw