Swimming and Sport Near Southbank Melbourne

Southbank has no public swimming pool of its own, so the closest lap swimming is the Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre in Albert Park, about two kilometres south, with the Melbourne City Baths across the river as the main alternative, and the big stadium sport sits a 20 minute walk east in the Melbourne Sports and Entertainment Precinct. That single fact shapes every choice in this guide. Southbank, Victoria is a dense riverside suburb of apartments, theatres and hotels. It has very little open ground, which is why the pools and ovals are all just outside its borders. The good news is that the two best public pools in inner Melbourne and the busiest sporting precinct in the country are each within a short tram ride or walk of the Southbank promenade.

This article covers where to swim, where to run or ride, and how to get to a match without a car. For where to eat before or after, see the other guides on Southbank by the River.

Which pool should you pick from Southbank?

Pick the Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre if you want serious lap swimming or a full aquatic centre. Pick the City Baths if you are at the northern end of Southbank or in the CBD and want a quick heated swim in a heritage building.

The two venues are in opposite directions. MSAC sits on Aughtie Drive in Albert Park, Victoria, on the western side of Albert Park Lake. The City Baths sit on Swanston Street at the corner of Victoria Street, at the top end of the CBD. From the middle of the Southbank promenade, each is roughly a 25 to 35 minute walk, or a shorter tram ride. If you are staying near the Arts Centre or Sturt Street, Albert Park is the natural choice. If you are near Flinders Street Station or the Queensbridge end, the City Baths are often quicker.

Neither venue is a quiet suburban pool. Both get busy before work, at lunch and in the early evening. Mid morning and mid afternoon on weekdays are the easiest times to find a lane.

What does the Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre offer a casual swimmer?

MSAC is a state run aquatic centre built for elite competition that also opens to the public every day. It is the largest swimming pool complex within easy reach of Southbank, and the one most visitors should aim for.

The main attraction is a 50 metre indoor Olympic-size swimming pool, the same length used at national championships. Lanes are usually split by speed, so a slow swimmer is not stuck behind a squad. There is also a 25 metre indoor pool often used for lessons and aqua classes, a separate diving pool, and an outdoor 50 metre pool that is popular in summer. Families tend to head for the wave pool and water slides, which keep the leisure area loud and the lap pool relatively calm.

Beyond the water, MSAC houses a large gym, squash and table tennis courts, and indoor courts used by basketball and badminton groups. It is run by the State Sport Centres Trust, and lane availability changes when events are on. Before you go, check the current pool schedule on the venue website. Competitions and school carnivals can close the main pool for a day with little notice to casual visitors.

Getting there from Southbank is simple. Yarra Trams route 96 runs through Southbank along Whiteman Street and then down Albert Road beside the park, and route 1 runs from Sturt Street past the lake's northern edge towards South Melbourne. Both stop within a ten minute walk of the centre. Walking from the Arts Centre takes about 30 minutes along Sturt Street and through the park, and the path is flat.

Is the City Baths a better choice if you are near the CBD end?

Yes, if you value convenience over size. The City Baths, Melbourne's oldest public pool still in use, opened in 1860 and the current building dates from 1903. It is owned and operated by the City of Melbourne, and from the Southbank side of the river it is a straight line up Swanston Street.

The heated indoor pool is 30 metres long, not 50, so anyone training for distance will find the turns frequent. For a 30 minute swim before a day of meetings it is ideal. The building also has a gym, group fitness rooms, squash courts and a spa and sauna area. Because the City of Melbourne runs it, membership and casual entry fees are set by council and are listed on the council website, along with opening hours that change on public holidays.

From Southbank, cross Princes Bridge and walk north up Swanston Street. The walk from the Hamer Hall forecourt is about 25 minutes. Trams along Swanston Street stop almost at the door, and the Melbourne Central and State Library stops are a short walk away.

Can you swim in the Yarra River at Southbank?

No. The Yarra River through Southbank is a working waterway with ferries, rowing boats and tour vessels, and swimming is not permitted along the promenade. Water quality in the lower Yarra also varies with rainfall, and the Environment Protection Authority publishes warnings after heavy rain.

The river still matters for sport. It is the home of Melbourne's rowing clubs, which line the south bank between Princes Bridge and the Boathouse Drive area. Early mornings bring school crews and masters squads onto the water, and the Head of the River regatta and other events draw crowds to the banks each year. If you want to be on the water yourself, kayak hire operators run guided paddles from the Southbank and Docklands side in warmer months. Stand up paddleboarding is also offered from time to time. Check the operator's current schedule rather than turning up.

For open water swimming, the nearest option is the bay. South Melbourne Beach and Port Melbourne are about four kilometres from Southbank by tram route 1 or 109, and both have lifesaving clubs in summer.

Where do you run or ride without leaving the area?

The best running loop from Southbank is the Tan Track, a 3.8 kilometre gravel circuit around the Royal Botanic Gardens that starts just across St Kilda Road from the Arts Centre. It has a measured course with distance markers, a notorious short hill on Anderson Street, and a steady flow of runners from dawn to dark. It is well lit along most sections and feels safe in the early morning.

For a flat loop, the path around Albert Park Lake is a touch under five kilometres and is shared by walkers, runners and cyclists. It joins MSAC, the golf course and the sailing club, so you can swim and run in one visit. The Capital City Trail follows the Yarra River east from Southbank towards Richmond and Abbotsford. It is sealed, mostly separated from traffic, and connects to the Main Yarra Trail for longer rides.

Cycle sport in this part of Melbourne centres on two spots. Albert Park's lake road is used by informal bunch rides early in the morning, with the roadway closed to general traffic at set hours so riders can lap safely. Beach Road, which starts a few kilometres south at St Kilda, is the famous weekend route for faster groups. If you are visiting without a bike, Lime share bikes are available around Southbank, and there are bike hire shops near Federation Square and along the river. The promenade itself is a walking zone, so riders should use Southbank Boulevard or the shared paths on the north bank instead.

Outdoor fitness is easy to find too. The lawns at Birrarung Marr and the Alexandra Gardens host bootcamp groups, and the Boyd Community Hub on City Road runs council yoga and fitness classes in a former school building. The Southbank promenade is used by parkrun style groups and walking clubs, with the Queensbridge Square area a common meeting point.

How do you get to the big stadiums from Southbank?

Walk. Every major venue in the Melbourne Sports and Entertainment Precinct is between 20 and 30 minutes on foot from the Southbank promenade, and on match days walking beats any tram.

The precinct holds the Melbourne Cricket Ground, Rod Laver Arena and the rest of Melbourne Park, and AAMI Park. From Southbank, cross the river at Princes Bridge or Evan Walker Bridge, pass through Federation Square, and follow the river path through Birrarung Marr. A footbridge at the eastern end of Birrarung Marr lands you at the gates of the tennis centre. From there the MCG is a further five minutes north through Yarra Park, and AAMI Park is a few minutes east along Olympic Boulevard.

The Melbourne Cricket Ground seats about 100,000 and hosts AFL football every weekend from March to September, plus cricket all summer, including the Boxing Day Test. AAMI Park is the official name used for the Melbourne Rectangular Stadium, a 30,000 seat venue opened in 2010 for rectangular field codes. It is the home ground of Melbourne City FC and Melbourne Victory in the A-League, as well as Melbourne Storm in the NRL. Melbourne Park across the road hosts the Australian Open in January and concerts for much of the year.

If you prefer public transport, Yarra Trams route 70 runs along Flinders Street and stops at Melbourne Park and Rod Laver Arena, and route 75 also passes the precinct. Jolimont and Richmond railway stations are each a short walk from the MCG, though from Southbank a train means doubling back through Flinders Street Station. On big event nights, trams on Flinders Street fill long before they reach the stops near the river, so walking remains the reliable choice.

How does the Grand Prix change everything for a month?

The Albert Park Circuit is a temporary street circuit laid out on the public roads around Albert Park Lake. It hosts the Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix, usually in March. The event is a four day race weekend, but the build and dismantle stretch across several weeks before and after.

During that period, large parts of the park are fenced, the lake road loop closes to cyclists and runners in stages, and parking around the park is restricted. MSAC stays open, but access routes change and the carpark fills with event traffic. If your visit falls in March, check the circuit construction schedule published by the Australian Grand Prix Corporation and plan to arrive by tram. Tram routes 96 and 12 run extra services on race days and are the main public transport link from Southbank to the gates.

The flipside is that race week brings the whole precinct to life. Many Southbank hotels and restaurants fill with teams and fans, and the walk to the circuit along St Kilda Road or Sturt Street becomes part of the event.

What do most guides get wrong about sport near Southbank?

Most guides treat Southbank as a place to watch sport rather than play it, and so they send readers straight to the MCG. That misses how well placed the suburb is for actually training. Within 30 minutes on foot you have an Olympic-size swimming pool, a 30 metre heated heritage pool, a measured running circuit, a lake loop, a rowing river and a sealed bike trail. Few inner city neighbourhoods anywhere can match that spread.

The second mistake is assuming the Southbank promenade is for running. It is paved, scenic and flat, but it is also packed with pedestrians, café tables and delivery bikes from mid morning onward. Runners use it before 7am. After that, cross to the north bank or head for the Tan Track.

The third is overlooking the City of Melbourne's own facilities. Beyond the City Baths, the council runs the Carlton Baths and the North Melbourne Recreation Centre, and its Active Melbourne program lists free outdoor classes across the city, including some in Southbank's own parks. The council website is a better starting point than any booking app for low cost options.

Your next steps

Decide what you want from the visit before you choose a venue. Then follow these steps.

1. For lap swimming, check the Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre pool schedule online for the day you plan to go, and take tram route 96 or route 1 from Southbank.
2. For a quick heated swim near the CBD, walk up Swanston Street to the City Baths and confirm hours on the City of Melbourne website.
3. For a run, start at the Arts Centre and do a lap of the Tan Track before 8am, or ride the Capital City Trail east along the Yarra River.
4. For a match at the Melbourne Cricket Ground or AAMI Park, walk through Birrarung Marr and allow 30 minutes from the promenade.
5. If your dates fall in March, check the Albert Park Circuit build schedule before relying on the lake loop or MSAC parking.

Southbank itself has no pool, but it sits in the middle of the best public sporting ground in Melbourne. Use the trams and footbridges and you will never need a car. For more local guides to the suburb, visit Southbank by the River.

Related guides: Southbank to South Melbourne Market Guide.