With Paris Olympians set to dive into the Seine, could urban swimming come to Melbourne’s Yarra?

While swimming in the Yarra is legal, Yarra city council has begun a new push to clean up the river by signing on to the Swimmable Cities Charter

• Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updates
• Get our morning and afternoon news emails, free app or daily news podcast

For more than a century, swimming has not been allowed in Paris' Seine River - yet some of the world's best athletes are set to take to its waters in a few weeks.

Could a similar turnaround happen a world away, in Melbourne's Yarra River? Could Melburnians flock to its greenish-brown waters for a dip on a hot summer's day?

Sign up for Guardian Australia's free morning and afternoon email newsletters for your daily news roundup