Australia’s best pools revealed in 2025 Swimming Pool and Spa Association Awards of Excellence
Meanwhile, a large, curved, multi-tiered pool set against a bush backdrop by Zen Building Pools Landscaped in Mittagong, NSW, won in the innovative project, concrete pool of the year, concrete pool & spa combination and concrete pool over $240,000 categories.
This Mittagong pool won Innovative Project, Concrete Pool of the Year, Concrete Pool & Spa Combination and Concrete Pool over $240,000.Credit: Zen Building Pools Landscapes/Swimming Pool and Spa Association
SPASA chief executive Kristin Brookfield said buyers had become more conscious of the effect of a pool on the environment as well as their budget.
“There’s definitely a trend out there for sustainability, innovation and size,” she said. “[It’s become]: how can we give you some water to relax in the space of your backyard or what you have available? You have a lot of competition in the market for modular, prefabricated swim spas.”
This pool in Perth’s Carramar won Fibreglass Pool of the Year.Credit: Barrier Reef Group WA/Swimming Pool and Spa Association
Budget-conscious pool buyers were opting for cheaper and smaller prefabricated swim-spas, which could be used more flexibly and could be built faster than traditional, larger pools.
This pool in the Adelaide suburb of Grange won Courtyard/Small Pool over $80,000 and Small Pool of the Year.Credit: Elite Pools and Landscapes/Swimming Pool and Spa Association
“You can have a swim-spa up to six metres long,” Brookfield said. “Which is a big unit, they give you the splash around pool opportunity but also the warm relaxing opportunity.”
This pool in the Sydney suburb of Gables won Fibreglass Pool up to $80,000. Credit: Narellan Pools Hawkesbury Nepean/Swimming Pool and Spa Association
Swim jets and plunge pools were other popular additions, which pool buyers added for exercise and wellness purposes, she said.
This pool in Sydney’s North Kellyville won Concrete Pool up to $240,000.Credit: Jade Pools/Swimming Pool and Spa Association
Domain chief of research and economics Dr Nicola Powell said home buyers were consistently interested in homes with pools. “You can actually add keywords to [the Domain listings] search and often when we do the end-of-year wrap, pools are always up there,” she said.
This pool in Victoria’s Mount Martha won Concrete Pool up to $180,000.Credit: Jade Pools/Swimming Pool and Spa Association
Last year, for example, “pool” was the most-searched keyword on Domain.com.au, beating “waterfront”, “view” and “study”.
Powell said it was hard to say if adding a pool added value to a home, given how polarising owning and maintaining the facilities could be.
This pool in Brisbane’s Brookfield won Renovation Project of the Year.Credit: Rogers Pools/Swimming Pool and Spa Association
“Look, I think you can often slice buyers in two. There is a section of the buyer pool that is not interested in having a pool,” she said.
“But with technology advances, the upkeep of having a pool has become so minimal. Particularly when you have mineral pools, there can be health and wellbeing elements that can draw people to a house with a pool.”
This pool in Burleigh Heads on the Gold Coast won the Concrete Lap Pool category.Credit: Ezy Living Pools/Swimming Pool and Spa Association
Both Brookfield and Maxton said the pool industry had slowed in the cost-of-living crisis, but noted they were typically luxury amenities.
“I think we play in the custom luxury end of the market, so there’s always someone there at that end of the market,” Maxton said. “But it has impacted the market, in the sense that people are taking longer to make decisions.”
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