Voice of Real Australia: What makes a swimming hole so much nicer than the ocean?

There is something calming about the twinkle of sun through eucalyptus branches on a bright day when you're by a natural swimming hole in Australia.

You move the Tupperware container of watermelon slices away from the trail of ants and lay back on a wide, smooth rock - warm from the sun.

When you go in the water, it's silky, clean and smells like the rainforest.

You can find a spot to sit among the rocks, where gentle currents hit you with a bit of white water and it's crispy cold.

All of this forms my case that days at the swimming hole are better than days at the beach.

It's a controversial stance on a nuanced topic.

So let's get the obvious out of the way to start with, blue-green algae and eels.

They're gross, I agree.

But consider the shade, the peace and the twittering birds.

I went to a swimming hole outside Castlemaine, in central Victoria, with a perfectly human-sized plunge pool worn into the rock.

When swimming in gentle rivers, you can explore these geographical features not worried that the incoming waves or tide will leave you battered.

And you're mad if you bathe in an ocean-side rock pool, unless you're looking for the delicate touch of a tentacle.

It's a cheap shot, but the deadliness of ocean creatures is undeniably a factor.

Once, my friend and I were hiking a river crossing as teenagers, a snake swam up to and then past her.

That's as close a call as I've ever had with deadly animals in the river.

Though, in writing this, I'm sure there have been plenty of river animal run-ins (that I would prefer not to know about).

Consider the water itself - you need to shower after a beach swim, but I would argue that a river swim counts as bathing.

Not to mention the crusty dryness sea salt causes on your skin and through your hair.

Sand, specifically sandiness, is the most common complaint I hear about the beach.

And it's true that the freshness of a new car never recovers from the sand dump of its first beach holiday.

So trade the sand for smooth skimming rocks to experience the best swimming in Australia.

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