Brooklyn on the Hawkesbury River

19 September 2007

Brooklyn lies just outside Sydney, on the southern bank of the Hawkesbury River - or perhaps it is the northernmost part of greater Sydney? It's a great place for a day trip and picnic or barbecue, and can be reached by train from central Sydney.

In 1788, Captain Arthur Phillip sailed up the Hawkesbury and re-named it for Charles Jenkinson, First Earl of Liverpool, England and the Baron of Hawkesbury. The Aboriginal name for the Hawkesbury River is Deerubbun.

Drummoyne Olympic Pool

An outdoor heated pool located on Iron Cove (a branch of Sydney Harbour)

Brighton-le-Sands

Above: Brighton Baths in the 1930s. These "new" baths were opened in 1928 and were extremely popular. I loved going there in the early 1970s.

In browsing the net, I came across these photos of the old Brighton-le-Sands swimming enclosure on Botany Bay. (National Library Collection: Picture Australia).

That got me remembering that I used to go down there in the late 1960s / early 1970s. Used to love sliding down the suspended slippery dips into the water!

There is still an enclosure there, but no longer an elevated boardwalk to jump and slide into the water from. It looks like this:

Here's a terrific pic I found of a surf carnival at the baths (date?)

Ocean Baths, Newcastle

The Newcastle Ocean Baths are in the historical Newcastle East area. They were commenced in 1910, with the pavilion being commenced in 1922. The baths and pavilion were remodelled in 1928. A conservation order was placed on them in the 1980s, and revoked in 1992. However, conservation work is now underway. For the history of the baths, see here.

Below: The "Canoe pool" next to the southern end of the Ocean Baths was completed in 1939, as an extension to the "Young Mariner's Pool (1937). The bottom of this new pool featured a map of the world in pigmented cement, so the pool was considered both 'educational and recreational'. This geographical pool originally intended for 'tinies' had such appeal for bigger children that it became overcrowded. More here.

Category: Public, Ocean, Saltwater, free.

Bogey Hole, Newcastle

These are te oldest baths in NSW. About 1820, a natural pool was enlarged by convicts or soldiers, on the orders of Major James Thomas Morisset, Commandant of the Newcastle settlement from 1819 to 1822. Its original size is estimated as 15 feet long, seven feet wide and six feet deep.Initially reserved for military use, these baths apparently served for a time as Morisset's private bathing place and were for many years known as the Commandant's Bath. For its history, see here.

Cook + Philip Park, Sydney

Such a shame: this sun-bathing area used to be filled with colourful mosaic-covered fountains that the kids could run around between for some water play.I suppose adult melanoma production takes precedence...




Not very good pics because I was outside. This pool is right in the centre of Sydney, opposite Hyde Park, underground outside St Mary's Cathedral. It's a fantastic facility to have in the centre of the city. There's a sports hall which is used by office workers during the day, as the main pool is used for lapping.
The pool is under here.

Click here for a link to the pool's official website.

Andrew Boy Charlton Pool 20 Feb 2007

Andrew Boy Charlton pool with the Queen Mary 2 berthed behind it.

Wombarra Rock Pool

18 Feb 2007

1999