Centenary Pool





Brisbane's iconic space age pool may have been built in 1959 with features inspired by the Melbourne Olympics but still stands out today for its 1950s diving tower and the curvy observation deck style building that was once a restaurant and today is a gym. As well as the Olympic size pool there's also a toddler's wading pool and in-house kiosk. Newmarket Pool



This mini resort like complex of pools with their signature Miro-esque water play sculptures is a northside fave for all ages although it gets packed on hot days. Still there's plenty of space for the crowd to spread out and picnic on the grass and for children a sizable wading pool with mushroom fountains and slides and another shallow pool with rock sculptures, grotto and slides. There's also an indoor heated pool and, the main pool, a 50m Olympic size affair, has a giant floating slide, inflated play equipment and the odd tyre tube to play with. As a bonus there's also a mini playground on the hill and basic snacks are available at the shop.

Manly



What this pool complex lacks in size it makes up for in location, set as it is between Manly's main community park, the sea and the jetty. The 25m pool has a disabled access ramp and at the deep end is a mega tube slide and, nearby a fully fenced toddler's pool with its own slide and water play contraptions along with a small patch of grass and seating for parents to relax. Chermside





It may be on the older side and looking a bit careworn but this complex not only boasts a 25m pool with disabled ramp access, a sizable toddler's wading pool with water play features and barbecue facilities in its landscaped grounds, but the piece de resistance is the mini water park that is open on weekends and school holidays for a supplementary cost. Pay the extra and you get access to various tube slides including the 'flume of doom', a special dive-bombing pool and a stepping stone lagoon. Colmslie Pool



Few but the locals know about this recently built gem, tucked away near the Colmslie Beach Reserve and backing onto a bushy tract. As well as the indoor heated pool the main pool is 50m and surrounded by grass. For those with toddlers, a gated pool sits right next to the main one, with aquativity spouts, a tube or open slide and picnic areas within. And look out for the summer movie nights in the pool. Wynnum Pool







Wynnum's 1930's tidal pool dates from the Depression era and, although not your standard swimming pool, draws a crowd of all ages who come to bathe on its stairs or frolic in its salty water. The other attraction, besides its stunning waterfront setting, is that it and its adjacent aquativity park featuring the squirting whales is free. Brisbane Aquatic Centre





Built for the 1982 Commonwealth Games, the Aquatic Centre forms a small part of the mini sporting city that is the Sleeman Sports Complex. Landscaped gardens, ponds, walking tracks and velodromes aside, venture in to find the Olympic heated pool where medals were won, a diving tower only to be used in supervised groups, an outdoor pool with disabled access and an indoor 25 m heated leisure pool that features a giant tube slide. There's also an onsite café. The Plantation





Down what feels like a country road and on the edge of the Tingalpa Reserve, The Plantation, a vast outdoor recreational centre that includes looks like it was beamed in from another time and place, can be found. There are six beach volleyball courts, an indoor heated pool and a 25m pool for adults as well as picnic facilities and plenty of grass to spread out on, while for children there's a toddler wading pool and a shallow pool with rock formations, slides and aquativity squirters.

Settlement Cove





Another free one, this vast showpiece tropical lagoon on the Redcliffe sea front is strictly for waders and children, being entirely shallow. Dotted throughout the middle are little treed islands, surrounding it is astro turf and the odd ice-cream or hot dog kiosk and at one end is a little enclosed toddler pool complete with spouting water features. Streets Beach





Loading Brisbane's premier city pool comes complete with sand, lifeguards and city views and is a magnet for city workers taking a pre or post work dip, families, backpackers and tourists. From the main Streets Beach area a chain of shallow lagoons with bridges and tropical picnic islands is pre-schooler heaven. And if the daytime crowds get too much, there's no better place to take a moonlight swim.

This article first appeared on MustDoBrisbane.com. Jodi Panayotov is a BT Blog Army member.