Locals have been turned away from Towradgi Rock Pool after a marine visitor took an exclusive swim.
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A stingray described as well over a metre long was making laps up and down the pool this afternoon.
Scott Keenan visited the pool today and captured this footage of the stingray.
"I've never seen one that big in the wild before. I've probably seen one similar at the Sydney Aquarium," he said.
"It's not the first thing that you expect to see."
The closure of the ocean pool comes after multiple beaches were closed along the Illawarra coast due to large swells. In addition, a whale washed up at Garie Beach in the Royal National Park and shark sightings have increased in the Shoalhaven.
Keenan said that he expected the stingray had entered the pool during high tides earlier in the day and was swimming vertically up the pool's walls, attempting to get back into the ocean.
"It's pretty big so they'd need a pretty big net," said Mr Keenen.
A Wollongong Council spokesperson confirmed that staff were on the scene.
"Towradgi Rock Pool is currently closed as Council staff work with authorities to assist in the relocation of a stingray from within the pool. It is anticipated that the rock pool will reopen by tomorrow afternoon," the spokesperson said.
"Council's website will be updated when the rock pool has reopened."
