Ivo Rowe Pool

Ivo Rowe Pool is definitely a fairly obscure subject. Many photographers have photographed the three other more popular pools in Coogee (Coogee Baths, the Ladies Pool and Wylies Baths).  In fact it is a bit of a stretch even calling Ivo Rowe pool a tidal pool at all… it’s more like a large rock pool with a chain fence around it.

What attracts me to this little pool is a combination of the minimalist photography potential and the incredible rocks that surround this little hole in the rocks.

Special Photographic Features or Notes

In my mind what makes this location photogenic is the simplicity of the location…. small pool, out on the rocks close to the ocean with a token chain fence around it.   It’s fairly remote, it’s very serene and the rocks around the pool give you some interesting angles and compositions.


I have shot this pool a couple of times and each time was a very different experience.  Once at sunrise and once at night.

If the seas are big, they will crash over the edge of the shelf and disturb the water (like the b&w shot above),  however if you get there when the tide and seas are lower, the the rock pool is a fair way from the ocean edge and as calm as glass (top image).

The rocks around the Ivo Rowe pool are pretty interesting, they lend themselves nicely to low angles and foreground positioning due to their interesting shapes and curves.

Night Photography

This is a great location for night photography as there no direct lights illuminating the pool, it is pretty dark. Suitable for long exposures and star trails as well as shots featuring the ocean at night.

Special Equipment

No special equipment is needed to shoot this location.

Best Time of The Day

Pre-dawn and sunrise of course.  However dusk and evenings are also quite enjoyable. It is a very quiet and serene place to shoot due to it’s remote location.

Tidal Information

Tides don’t influence this pool that much.  If there are really high tides running you might find that the waves are crashing over the rocks, but generally you could shoot this location at most tides.   Be careful if there are really huge waves pounding in as they do wash across the entire rock shelf and you could get wet equipment or clothes.

Wind Information

Very protected from Westerly winds, but generally exposed to onshore winds.

Getting there

Click Here to see the location marked on Google Maps

Best place to part for Ivo Rowe is the bottom of Palmer St, Coogee.  From there you will find a set of stairs leading down to the rock shelf.  The Ivo Rowe pool is right in front of you and can’t be missed.

Author Bio

Brent Pearson


4 Comments

  1. Anonymous February 28, 2010

    Street-lamp — There is now a street-lamp which hits the pool. Unfortunately.

    • Brent Pearson August 8, 2009

      Hey Herbert

      You are absolutely right… funnily enough I was there night shooting 3 days ago… as I parked the car I thought to myself… I can’t remember that street lamp being there….

      However at least it is not one of those awful sodium vapour lights. I found that the stray light from the street light wasn’t too bad for the sort of shots I was going for.

      But yes, it is annoying.
      BP

    • Anonymous February 28, 2010

      I think the street light may have been the result of the construction work that took place up on the cliff where the deck is.

      The light is rather annoying, for despite not being a nasty sodium-vapour light, it still creates a muddy cast on the rock shelf.

  2. Ivor Rowe Rockpool, South Coogee - Postcard Sydney February 14, 2015

    […] neat place for a quick dip or to bring a towel and a book. Photographers frequently find their way down there, particuarly at dawn, when the rocks around the pool offer unique […]

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