Bardon residents will soon have one fewer nearby swimming option, with the Queensland University of Technology (QUT) confirming that the Kelvin Grove Pool will permanently close on 1 September 2026.
Read: Swimply, Airbnb of Pools, Now in Australia
As one of the closest indoor pools to Bardon, the facility has served students and has also been accessible to local residents and community groups. Its closure, alongside the planned shutdown of Centenary Pool on the same day, has prompted concerns about where swimmers across Brisbane’s inner north-west will go next.
The QUT Sport Fitness and Aquatic Centre at 44 Musk Avenue, Kelvin Grove will be redeveloped into a new teaching, research and high-performance gym facility. QUT says the project is intended to strengthen real-world learning opportunities for students while expanding research and industry engagement. The university expects construction to take approximately six months, with more detailed timing to be confirmed as the project progresses.
Community Concern Over Losing A Nearby Indoor Pool
Community members have also raised concerns about the broader role the facility plays beyond swimming. A petition calling for the pool to be saved describes Kelvin Grove as the only 25-metre indoor pool on Brisbane’s northside, providing a year-round venue for learn-to-swim classes, rehabilitation, fitness programs and community recreation. Petition organisers argued that relocating swimmers to QUT’s Gardens Point campus is not a practical solution for many because of its CBD location, travel barriers and the different type of facility available there.
Cr Seal Chong Wah has also questioned the decision, saying public pools serve as community hubs as well as places for exercise, rehabilitation and swimming education. In a public statement, Cr Chong Wah said there were concerns that the closure had been announced without consultation with the wider community.
Cr Chong Wah also noted that Kelvin Grove Pool is scheduled to close on the same day that Centenary Pool is expected to be handed over for Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games preparations. According to Cr Chong Wah, the simultaneous closures could increase demand at nearby public pools, including Ithaca Pool, Spring Hill Baths and Newmarket Pool.
QUT Says Redevelopment Will Support Teaching And Research
QUT explained that the closure is necessary to make way for a new teaching, research and high-performance gym facility that will strengthen real-world learning opportunities for students while supporting research and industry engagement.
The university said members who primarily use the Kelvin Grove pool can discuss alternative membership arrangements with QUT Sport. It has also identified nearby public swimming facilities, including Ithaca Pool, Spring Hill Baths and Newmarket Pool, for people seeking options closer to Kelvin Grove.
Calls For More Public Swimming Facilities
In separate letters to QUT Vice-Chancellor Professor Margaret Sheil AO and Brisbane City’s Civic Cabinet Chair for Community and the Arts, Cr Vicki Howard, Cr Chong Wah called on the university to reconsider the closure and undertake community consultation. Cr Chong Wah also urged Brisbane local officials to begin long-term planning for additional public pool facilities in the city’s inner north-west.
Read: U&I Pilates in Bardon Recognised for Community-Focused Wellness in 2026 Cooper Small Business Awards
The letter argued that the loss of both Kelvin Grove Pool and Centenary Pool will disproportionately affect residents who rely on accessible public swimming facilities, including older people, renters, migrants and people living with disability. Cr Chong Wah said ensuring communities have access to local swimming facilities will become increasingly important as Brisbane’s summers become hotter.
QUT has not indicated that it intends to reverse its decision. For Bardon residents who regularly use Kelvin Grove Pool, the closure means having fewer nearby swimming options from September while discussion continues about the future of public aquatic facilities in Brisbane’s inner north-west.
Published 16-July-2026
