Wynnum Wading Pool

This giant sandy-floored wading tidal pool, a rare early example of such technology, was built by unemployed workers during the Great Depression in 1932.

Today summer crowds still flock to cool off or paddle in the sea water that ebbs and flows via three pipes in the concrete sea barrier wall. Once the pool has filled up the flood gates close to stop it streaming out as the tide lowers and this is repeated every two weeks, along with clearing of silt from the pool’s bottom (where generally its depths vary from waist to knee deep).

Tiers of stairs that surround the 128m x 54m pool double as easy access and a kind of semi-submerged grandstand, ideal for child-minding purposes.