OutdoorAustralia's Best Pools Crowned In Poolz Awards
With everything from elevated container pools to resort-worthy showstoppers, the National Poolz Awards arrived for the first time in 2023 to celebrate the best pools in Australia. And after weeks of deliberating and thousands of votes, the winners have finally been announced!
What are the Poolz Awards?
Free for builders to enter across a range of categories, the Poolz Awards awards are an opportunity for industry guns to showcase (and show off) their incredible pool feats to the rest of the nation. It’s also a one-stop shop of inspiration for homeowners looking to get that little bit closer to their dream pool – and if the most recent entries were any indication, no job is too big for the best in the business.
Tony Loxton, Founder and CEO of Poolz, explains that ‘pool’ is the most-searched term on Australian real estate websites. It goes to show just how obsessed we are with the Great Australian Dream of owning one.
“The Poolz Awards are the first swimming pool awards program to promote the incredible work of Australia’s best pool builders to homeowners who are looking to build pools, even giving homeowners the ability to vote for their favourite pools! Every pool is beautifully showcased on the Poolz website, providing free marketing and promotion to the builders and a library of fantastic pool inspiration to anyone dreaming of a new pool.”
Tony Loxton, Poolz
Poolz Awards Categories
Because every pool comes with its own criteria and challenges, Poolz presented 23 categories for entry in 2023. Among them were three People’s Choice Awards that gave the public the chance to cast a vote for the best Fibreglass, Concrete and Plunge Pools in Australia.
Other categories included Australia’s Most Expensive Pool, Most Insta-Worthy Pool, Best Hamptons-Style Pool, Best Pool on a Steep Slope, Best Pool and Slide, Most Expensive Pool (over $300,000 to build!) and Best Pool With A View – because we all know the pool itself is just the beginning.
Entrants were allowed to enter more than one category.
Australia’s Best Pool For 2023
After counting thousands of public votes and points contributed by a private panel of expert industry judges, the Poolz Award winners have been decided for 2023!
With an overwhelming number of votes and points, Best Pool in Australia went to ‘Aqua Paradise’ by Aloha Pools in Donvale, Victoria. And it’s pretty clear to see why.
The resort-like pool also took out the titles of Best Modern Pool, Most Expensive Pool (it cost over half a million dollars to build!) and Most Insta-Worthy Pool owing to its stunning wading zone and underwater glass window.
According to Byron Bonner of Aloha Pools, the showstopper didn’t come without a great deal of planning.
“Aside from being unapologetically large and jaw-droppingly beautiful, the sheer size of this pool is astounding. The pool is 20m by 4m plus a shallow wading pool and wraparound ‘pond’ which stretches the pool all the way around the side of the house to the front. It looks like a resort pool and functions like one too, with a commercial hydraulic and filtration system, and heating such a large body of water is a challenge in itself. The spill over “knife edge” isn’t just for looks – it minimises the heat loss and water reduction of the pool.”
Byron Bonner, Aloha Pools
Other Major Category Winners
The below categories were selected by a panel of experts based on the criteria of form, function and first impressions.
- Best Modern Pool: Aqua Paradise by Aloha Pools – Donvale, Melbourne VIC
- Most ‘Insta’ Worthy Pool: Aqua Paradise by Aloha Pools – Donvale, Melbourne VIC
- Most Expensive Pool (builds 300K+): Aqua Paradise by Aloha Pools – Donvale, Melbourne VIC
- Best Infinity Pool: Elwood by Blue Pools and Spas – Elwood, Melbourne VIC
- Best Pool on a Steep Slope: Forest Bliss by Blue Pools and Spas – Belgrave Heights, Melbourne VIC
- Best Pool and Entertainment Area: Maiden Gully by Summertime Pools – Maiden Gully, Bendigo VIC
- Best Pool with a View: What a beach! by Shipping Container Pools – St Andrews Beach, Mornington Peninsula VIC
- Best Lap Pool: An Exquisite Luxury Lap Pool by Mr Pools – Northbridge, Sydney NSW
- Best Pool and Landscaping: Trendy Inner-City Pool Space by Mr Pools – Annandale, Sydney NSW
- Best Hamptons-Style Pool: Collaroy by Aquify Pools – Collaroy, Sydney NSW
- Most Challenging Pool Build: Cardiff by Soaked Pools – Carss Park, Sydney NSW
- Best Pool and Slide: Thirroul by Oceanscape Pools – Thirroul NSW
- Best Family Pool: Bigger is Better by Vogue Pools – Tumbi Umbi, Central Coast NSW
- Best Resort-Style Pool: Resort by Norfolk Pools – Gold Coast QLD
- Australia’s Coolest Pool: Bundall by Broadwater Pools and Spas – Bundall, Gold Coast QLD
- Best Pool Design for a Small Yard: Inner City Oasis by Rogers Pools – Hamilton, Brisbane QLD
- Best Glass Window Pool: Coorparoo by Broadwater Pools and Spas – Coorparoo, Brisbane QLD
- Best Out of Ground Pool: New Farm by Norfolk Pools – New Farm, Brisbane QLD
- Best Pool and Spa: Stunning Pool and Spa by Taylor’d Pools – Clontarf, Moreton Bay QLD
- Best Acreage Pool: Folewood – The ‘Ultimo’ by Countrywide Pools – Toodyay, WA
People’s Choice Award Winners
The People’s Choice Awards were an opportunity for the general public to have an opinion on Australia’s greatest pool builds. Here’s what the voters thought:
- Best Concrete Pool: Coorparoo by Broadwater Pools and Spas – Coorparoo, Brisbane QLD
- Best Fibreglass Pool: Meadow View – The “Valentina” by Countrywide Pools, Northam, Perth WA
- Best Plunge Pool: Inner City Oasis by Rogers Pools, Hamilton, Brisbane QLD
The Nominees 2023
Poolz received around 140 nominations across all categories, with Best Modern Pool the most popular, followed by Best Family Pool. The nominees came from right across Australia, with Queensland and New South Wales leading the way with the most entrants.
One of the hottest contenders (and ultimate winner) for the category of Best Pool With A View in Australia was a jaw-dropping elevated shipping container in St Andrews Beach, Victoria. Built by Shipping Container Pools, the 12-metre lap pool provides a swimming experience completely immersed in nature.
The winner of Best Concrete Pool was also in the running for the title of Most Expensive Pool. With multiple levels and frameless glass, it definitely ticked the “boutique style sleek” brief from the owners.
The Best Pool On A Steep Slope entrants had to have more than 30% of the pool out of the ground. Hitting the criteria by a long shot was the Bahrs Scrub, QLD build, which was a monumental feat of engineering. Besides the extreme slope, the builders also faced a long and difficult driveway resulting in five separate concrete pours.
Packing loads of wow factor, the Most Insta-Worthy Pool nominees ranged from lap pools to plunge pools and everything in between. Among the entrants, and winner of Best Resort-Style Pool, was a custom concrete infinity pool in Hope Island, QLD. Complete with spas, a bridge, a water feature and dedicated seating areas, there is nothing this pool doesn’t have.
Poolz Awards Voting
“For many of us, the Great Australian Dream isn’t complete without a pool, and some homeowners have dreamed big when it comes to their pool. We have been blown away at how cool, stylish and fun the nominees are in the inaugural Poolz Awards.”
Tony Loxton, Poolz
People’s Choice votes were collected right up until 29th November 2023. The other 20 categories are judged by a panel of industry experts, with specific interest taken in form, function and first impressions. All winners were announced on 1st December 2023.
We can’t wait to see what next year’s lineup brings! Stay tuned!
Poolz is the first-of-its-kind pool marketplace that helps make planning and building a swimming pool easier for Australian homeowners. It connects people with helpful resources and gives builders a place to showcase their services.
Top image: Aloha Pools, Donvale, VIC
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