Six cities that made urban swimming the norm (and prove Melbourne can too)

A Swimmable Birrarung by 2030 might be Wildly Ambitious, but look a little further afield and you'll find plenty of cities that have developed strong urban swimming cultures, despite the (systemic) odds.

Picture this: it's stinking hot and you're on your lunch break in Melbourne CBD. You have 20 minutes until you're needed back at the office. So you head down to Fed Square, grab a towel and some togs – which are available to hire for free – and ease yourself into the (clean!) river, before fully submerging yourself and feeling your core body temperature plummet. Phewf.

This is the vision driving Regen Melbourne's Swimmable Birrarung project: a Wild and Ambitious initiative to make the Birrarung swimmable by the year 2030. Here's an inexhaustive list of some of the examples our team draw inspiration from.

France: The Seine's rebirth

In July 2023, the city of Paris announced plans to allow swimming in the Seine for the first time in 100 years, with three monitored bathing zones set to open in 2025. Swimming in the Seine will be a legacy of the 2024 Paris Olympics, during which the river hosted three aquatic events. Over the last seven years, a clean-up project to the tune of €1.4b has resulted in the water now being bacteria-free 90% of the time. "Paris is doing this right under our noses," says Regen Melbourne CEO Kaj Lofgren. "It's hard, it's complex, it costs a lot of money, but it's totally achievable."

In 2017, Paris also legalised swimming in the Canal De L'Ourcq, in the city's north-east, and introduced three large floating 'pools' that hundreds of Parisiens flock to daily.

Norway: Oslo's Sørenga seawater pool

Oslo offers a unique urban swimming experience along its coastline, where the Oslofjord meets the cityscape. The Sørenga Seawater Pool is perched at the water's edge and provides a unique combination of fresh and saltwater swimming. It uses seawater pumped in from the Oslofjord and filters it to ensure pristine swimming conditions.

Denmark: Copenhagen's Harbour Baths

Copenhagen's world-class harbour baths are the result of extensive work in cleaning and regenerating the water in Copenhagen's harbour. The Harbour Bath (Havnebadet) was opened in 2002 just 200 metres from city hall.

The project was made possible by the City of Copenhagen's commitment to cut out sewer overflows. Over a 20-year period, the city poured money into treatment plants and sewer systems, resulting in a huge improvement in water quality. Copenhagen's Harbour Baths – which now span four locations across the city – are one of the most fully realised examples anywhere in the world of regenerated urban waterways.

Switzerland: Everything is swimmable

Most of Switzerland's lakes and rivers are swimmable. Nestled along the pristine shores of Lake Zurich and interlaced with a network of rivers, Zurich offers plenty of opportunities for residents and visitors to take a dip in the heart of the city. The Limmat River, which flows through the city centre, is another favourite spot for urban swimmers.

England: Swimming in the River Thames

The Thames might have a murky reputation but swimming spots abound if you know where to look. For a truly inner-city dip, Royal Docks in London's Docklands offers a lifeguarded swimming area with 400m, 750m and 1,500m routes. You can also head upriver to Hampstead Heath, Runnymede Pleasure Grounds, Thames Lido, and Penton Hook Island. "When you hear that sections of the Thames are swimmable, that's what gives me the biggest hope," says Charity Mosienyane, Lead Convenor of Regen Melbourne's Swimmable Birrarung project.

Australia: Swimming in the Parramatta River

Closer to home, the Parramatta River in Sydney recently celebrated its 10 year anniversary of making the river swimmable again. There are now five swimming locations along the river with 10 more planned by 2025. Launched by the Parramatta River Catchment Group in 2014, the 'Our Living River' mission is a beacon for what is possible with the Swimmable Birrarung.

Swimming in the Parramatta has also been the catalyst to activating the reality of urban swimming across Greater Sydney – check out the Urban Plunge movement, which is empowering citizens to find, access and care about their local waterways.

And of course, as any self-respecting Melburnian would know: if Sydney can do it, then so can we.