A shiny gold $2 coin doesn't buy much in 2024, but it'll get you a day of splashing around, cooling down and enjoying a swim when summer arrives in Brisbane. From December 2023–February 2024, Brisbane City Council introduced the $2 Summer Dips initiative, which cut the entry cost into the River City's public pools to a discounted price. As promised earlier this year, the scheme is returning for the summer of 2024–25. In a sultry locale such as Brisbane, a place where winter weather lasts for approximately a week each year, letting everyone take a soak in public pools for less than the cost of a coffee — less than the cost of almost everything — was always going to be a success. During $2 Summer Dips' debut season, more than 660,000 Brisbanites took advantage of it, with over 88,000 of those folks heading to Newmarket's pool alone — increasing its summer attendance by 85 percent from 2022–23. [caption id="attachment_943868" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Cieran Murphy[/caption] The initiative will again run for the entire three months of summer, so from Sunday, December 1, 2024–Friday, February 28, 2025, slashing the entry fee at all 22 of Brisbane City Council's public pools. Love swimming laps? Prefer a leisurely wade as your favourite way to cool down? Does nothing could say summer to you quite like hanging out poolside? Whichever category fits, you'll be able to live the pool life for cheap once more. And yes, having a splash will only cost you $2, with that discounted price applying to everyone, adults and kids alike. The reduced rate covers every single day across the period, including all of the Christmas and New Year public holidays. [caption id="attachment_904761" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Brisbane City Council via Flickr[/caption] There's no other catches — including no limit on how many times you can take advantage of the deal. Fancy going for a swim at your local every day during summer? Working your way around Brisbane's public pools, diving into a different one daily? Both are options. Across the summer of 2023–24, Jindalee, Carole Park and the Emily Seebohm Aquatic Centre also saw a doubling of attendance rates — and entry numbers across the full 22 pools overall doubled in the month of December alone. [caption id="attachment_904760" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Brisbane City Council via Flickr[/caption] Brisbane City Council's public pools include Centenary Pool, Spring Hill Baths and the Valley Pool, plus Musgrave Park Swimming Centre, the Colmslie Aquatic Centre in Morningside, Ithaca Pool in Paddington, Dunlop Park Memorial Swimming Pool in Corinda and Hibiscus Sports Complex Pool in Upper Mount Gravatt. Chermside Pool, Bellbowrie Pool and Manly Pool are all covered as well, as are Yeronga Park Memorial Swimming Pool, Mt Gravatt East Swimming Pool and Sandgate Aquatic Centre — and more. [caption id="attachment_973605" align="alignnone" width="1920"] John Robert McPherson_Wikimedia Commons[/caption] [caption id="attachment_777649" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Kgbo via Wikimedia Commons[/caption] [caption id="attachment_741063" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Cieran Murphy[/caption] [caption id="attachment_777652" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Brisbane City Council via Flickr[/caption] [caption id="attachment_777650" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Brisbane City Council via Flickr[/caption] Brisbane City Council's $2 Summer Dips program returns from Sunday, December 1, 2024–Friday, February 28, 2025. To find out more, head to the council website — and to find your closest public pool, also head to the council website. Check out our list of the best outdoor swimming pools in Brisbane for 2024.