On a warm summer morning in December, we find ourselves trekking along a sandy, tree-lined path through Dobroyd's head in Sydney’s North. We’re on our way to meet author Caroline Clements at Reef Beach, one of her favourite lesser-known swimming spots in the city. Though just minutes away from the busy streets of Manly and part of the ever-popular Spit-to-Manly coastal walk, it feels like we’ve stepped into a slice of Aussie wilderness. Along the way, we spot two black-tailed wallabies darting into the bush and a large water dragon slithering past. 

As the trees clear, we land on soft white sand. Not a soul in sight except for Caroline. It’s a beautiful small cove with rockpools on either end and clear, gentle waves—we’re here to snap some portraits of her for this story. “People often forget that Sydney has so many of these little beaches to offer,” she tells me between shots. “They’re off the beaten path, yet they’re still so accessible and often empty. I particularly love this beach because it’s so close to my home in Manly yet it’s always so peaceful.” 

When it comes to swimming—whether in the wild or urban settings—Caroline Clements is a true expert. When she’s not writing, editing or producing, you’ll find her immersed in a body of water, road-tripping along Australia’s coastline or exploring new destinations around the globe. Her now-iconic book, Places We Swim, co-authored with husband Dillon Seitchik-Reardon, is a culmination of their adventures—a beautifully crafted travel guide documenting the best spots to take a dip across Australia.

Here, we speak to Caroline about her deep connection to water, the inspiration behind her work, and her must-visit beaches for the summer.

Caroline Clements at Reef Beach, Sydney, wearing the Urchin Beaded Necklace, the Baleen Hoops and the Neptune's Earrings.

 

Can you share a childhood memory of the ocean or a swimming spot that resonates with you today?

I grew up in Melbourne, so chlorine swims were more common than the ocean. We’d spend long hot afternoons in the pool at friends’ houses, playing Marco Polo for hours until we were completely waterlogged and our fingers were pruny. 

Ocean memories include summer holidays swimming at Point Leo on the Mornington Peninsula, eating Cheezels off sandy fingers and the smell of fish & chips and zinc. 

Ningaloo Reef, WA

Describe a moment when you felt in awe of the ocean or Australian nature.

The Ningaloo Reef in Cape Range National Park in northern WA. It’s Australia’s largest and most accessible fringing reef system and the best place to snorkel in the country—a place to be celebrated and protected. 

And it sounds a bit cheesy, but I am often in awe of where we live. Sydney is such an incredible water city, surrounded by ocean and harbour. It’s no wonder people have been drawn to this area for thousands of years. 

What does the Australian wild mean to you and your work?

The Australian wild is a huge part of what we do—documenting the places we swim. In many ways, our books (Places We Swim and Places We Swim Sydney) are a celebration of Australia’s incredible landscape (both natural and built). For many of us, getting out into nature is revitalising. It’s stimulating and grounding. It’s healing and calming. It’s full of wonder and awe. It’s something you cannot always find in the built environment, so we try to bridge this gap in our books. Swimming can exist in the wild, but also in the manmade landscape, and there is an intersection here where Places We Swim exists. 

“Getting out into nature is revitalising. It’s stimulating and grounding. It’s healing and calming. It’s full of wonder and awe.”

Reef Beach, Sydney

Your books, Places We Swim, provide fascinating insights into coastal living and the vibrant swimming cultures and communities that thrive there – what inspired you to write about wild swimming and how has the project evolved?

Not just coastally, but also inland. The idea of documenting our swims is something we had been indirectly working on through years of road trips and exploration. It was only when our far-fetched pitch was accepted by a publisher that it coalesced into a book (we’d both worked in book publishing before). We had talked about driving a big lap around Australia (before we wrote our first book Places We Swim), and suddenly we had the perfect excuse to do so. The same occurred when we moved to Sydney (and wrote our second book Places We Swim Sydney), documenting this water-loving city was the best way to get to know it. 

“Australians are so innately drawn to the water, whether they live in the country, coastal, inland, or in the mountains—water defines us.”

Bronte Pools, Sydney

Along the way, we discovered that Australians are so innately drawn to the water, whether they live in the country, coastal, inland, or in the mountains—water defines us. It’s part of our culture. We wanted to document that. Swimming was simply the mechanism to access it all. As someone wise (my co-author) once said, “Swimming cuts through age, class, gender, religion and ethnicity.” After all, what is more equalising than being outdoors in near-nakedness among strangers?

“After all, what is more equalising than being outdoors in near-nakedness among strangers?”

1. Greens Pool and Elephant Rocks, Western Australia – a 250-metre-long natural rockpool and community meeting place.
2. Bitter Springs, Northern Territories – a natural, palm-fringed artesian thermal spring with fountain-of-youth possibilities.
3. Bushrangers Bay, Victoria – a private tidal rockpool hidden amid a surreal volcanic landscape. 

Greens Pool, Western Australia

Bushrangers Bay

Co-author Dillon Seitchik-Reardon in Bitter Springs

Can you share a couple of your favourite lesser-known swimming spots that are off the beaten path?

Reef Beach at Dobroyd Head, Balgowlah Heights (where we shot this story), along the Manly to Spit walk. It’s easily a spot you might just walk past, but it’s one of my go-to's. It faces north and is often protected from harbour swell and wind. There’s lots of shade and numerous rock features to explore or sit and have a picnic. We like to pack a pot of coffee and a Spanish tortilla and park up here for a swim and breakfast. This beach is a significant Aboriginal site and it does have a very spiritual feeling to it. 

Reef Beach, Sydney

Another one is Chinaman’s Beach—forget the curious name. This beach is tucked into the quiet coastal enclave of Mosman, just around the corner from popular Balmoral Beach. It’s connected to Rosherville Reserve, one of my favourite Sydney Parks, which has public BBQs, picnic tables and playgrounds, so you can spend a whole day here enjoying the outdoors. The beach is a real local’s spot and never feels too busy due to its hidden location in an affluent residential pocket. The beach looks out over the harbour towards Clontarf and is a great spot to set off on a kayak for a paddle or laze on the rocks after a swim. 

Chinaman's Beach, Sydney

“This beach is a real local’s spot and never feels too busy due to its hidden location, tucked into the quiet coastal enclave of Mosman…it’s a great spot to set off on a kayak or laze on the rocks after a swim.” 

And when it comes to cities in Australia, where do you like going for dips?

Any place that speaks to the local landscape. In Sydney – ocean pools. In Melbourne – public pools. In Adelaide and Perth - beaches. In Brisbane and Hobart – rivers. In Alice Springs – waterholes. In Darwin – waterholes and public pools.

Most Australian cities have incredible public pools, which are great for laps if you need to stretch your legs after some travel. We always look for 50-metre outdoor pools. 

If you could share one message about the ocean with others, what would it be?

Enjoy it, share it, take care of it. But never get too comfortable. The ocean can be a volatile place. Always understand the place you swim and check the conditions before you get in.

Caroline Clements diving into Reef Beach, Sydney

“Enjoy it, share it, take care of it. But never get too comfortable. The ocean can be a volatile place. Always understand the place you swim.” 

What’s next for Places We Swim? Do you have any other projects in the works?

We’re always dreaming up new book ideas, so watch this space. But we just released our first book outside Australia, Places We Swim California, earlier this year (April 2024) so we’re still riding that wave.

We’ve also released some fun summer tees in collaboration with a Portuguese-based artist Emma Make, printed in Manly. And we’re always trying to carve out time to explore new local swims via family adventures in our van.

Follow @placesweswim on Instagram for more swimming inspiration, and buy their books, tees, and prints here placesweswim.com

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Urchin Beaded Necklace

Baleen Hoop

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