First Pondi, now Panly: The new Sydney beach seven years in the making

“For young kids, people that have immune issues, people who are old or sick, they should be careful and take advice of the warnings,” Wright said. “If it smells a bit off, or it looks cloudy, don’t go in.”
However, he said those keen to take a dip could compromise and not put their heads underwater so as to “watch out for their eyes, ears, nose and throat”.
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City of Ryde Mayor Trenton Brown said that “carefully curated open spaces” such as Putney Beach were critical for Ryde’s growing population.
“This new swim site – which joins others planned, or already operating, along the sparkling Parramatta River – will provide amazing recreation opportunities for our residents, who will no longer have to endure a long car ride to get to the closest beach.”
Residents in an online community group have playfully dubbed the beach “Panly”, akin to Penrith Beach’s nickname “Pondi”.
“Obviously, we’ll never be a Bondi or Manly,” said Councillor Keanu Arya in Ryde’s east ward. “But [Putney] is a place where it offers a bit more than just being a park.”
Ryde councillor Cameron Last said locals were excited to have easy access to a beach.
“We have beaches all over Sydney, but we don’t have anything in Ryde to access our beautiful river with,” he said. “I think people are excited to finally have access.
“It’s a big drive to the northern beaches or eastern suburbs, and Putney’s just so much closer for everyone.”