Sunday 9 January 2011

North Narrabeen Rock Pool 6 January 2011















Information from NSW Ocean baths website:

The distinctive boardwalk between the pools is an original feature and has been replaced many times. The decking encloses a 50-metre by 18-metre pool within a larger 70-metre by 40-metre pool, while the 60-metre by 50-metre pool reservoir acts as a wading pool.

Early 1930s : Narrabeen's rock baths built under the Unemployment Relief Scheme were one of the largest and most distinctive rock baths in the Sydney area. The timber decking was an original feature.

Early 1940s : The Northern Suburbs Women's Amateur Swimming Association formed and involved ladies swimming clubs at the Collaroy, Dee Why, Freshwater and Narrabeen ocean pools.

1960s Narrabeen Ladies Swimming Club offered free swimming lessons every Saturday and Sunday.
The winter swimming club, the North Narrabeen Shivering Sharks formed.
Aboriginal boys and girls from inland NSW who attended the annual Aboriginal Welfare Board camp at Elanora Heights were photographed swimming at the pool.

1996 : Pittwater Council asked the NSW government to help pay for storm damage to the pool. A prolonged wave attack in March had done such major damage to the pool and the decking that the pool could only be used for social swimming and not for swimming competitions or training. Council estimated $82,000 was needed to fix the decking and resurface the inside of the pool.

A seven-year-old boy playing on his bodyboard was washed out of the baths and probably drowned. His body was not found.

2000 : Narrabeen Ladies Swimming Club's Chief Instructor had been involved in the learn-to-swim program for 31 years.

2002: In March, the NSW government created an aquatic reserve from the south end of Turimetta Beach to the rockbaths at Narrabeen Head. Within the protection zone, which extends to 100 metres offshore, recreational fishing is allowed, but there are bans on taking a whole range of intertidal invertebrates including oysters, mussels, crabs and pipis.

2003 : The NSW Department of Sport and Recreation had five morning swimming lessons running at the Narrabeen Pool from January 13-23.

A committed 74-year-old winter swimmer planned to ride his motor scooter from Elanora Heights to the North Narrabeen rock pool for his 700th consecutive winter swim meet since joining the Shivering Sharks in 1967. Those 700 swims covered 32 back-to-back seasons with around 22 meets each winter.

4 comments:

Becca said...

Hi Sally,

I'm delighted to have stumbled across your blog - it's wonderful and I'm really looking forward to trawling through it!

Becca

Beryl said...

Hi Sally,
I swam in that pool between 1940 and 1953. It was war time and our beaches were fenced off with barbed wire. I am writing my family history for my childen and grand children, I like the photo of the pool, which shows Longreef in the distance and the sweep of Collaroy and Narrabeen beaches.
My story is liberally dotted with photos taken of my time living at Narrabeen.I am now 78.

Beryl

Sally said...

Beryle, That's a lovely story!Glad you like that photo and it means somethign to you.
Sally

Anonymous said...

Hi Sally,
Your blog and photos arouse the fondest memories of my 5 day a week trip from Sydney's north during 1991 to 2001 for 1500 m swims in that pool under the watchful eye of my late husband, who passed away early 2002. Unfortunately I am unable to drive to North Narrabeen. The treasured memories of him and the pool remain forever.