aerial view "swimming basin" c.1926

aerial view of Memorial Park & "swimming basin", 1926. Looking north-east from 'Frog Hollow' - C. A. Wadson collection

[scanned 2010 from original 1970s Rotary Blackheath history book, held in collection of Blackheath branch library]

Final day of the season

Final day of the season

Blackheath Pool Sunday 01-Apr-2012

thanx to both model & phographer

see her online Blipfoto collection at

http://www.blipfoto.com/entry/1872059 

water & air both 20°C++ at 2:30PM :) 

Spring 1963

...when The Pool was a mere 40 y.o. baby :)


Courtesy of Blue Mountains City Library Local Studies Collection

Home of summer swimming since 1931 - 80 years young.

The Official opening took place – eighty years ago - during the 1931 Christmas holidays.  Over ensuing years many thousands of happy swimmers enjoy this special place. 

In 1935 The Katoomba Daily declared it “...the finest park and swimming pool on the mountains...” *

From the late 1870s a dam fed by natural creeks and hanging swamps was established. This was the water reservoir for steam engines reaching the highest point of the western railway crossing the Blue Mountains. After WW1 locals began showing interest in the area surrounding the dam for recreational purposes. In January 1919 the area was set aside as a reserve for recreation. In December of the same year the Blackheath Municipal Council was formed – a not unconnected event!


Two years later James Dawes, superintendent of Sydney's Centennial Park came to Blackheath to advise on the potential of the land to become a unique park. The citizens of Blackheath raised 1,000 pounds to finance development as a park. The Memorial Park was established by the community to commemorate those who lost their lives in WW1, each rhododendron planted in memory of one of the 77 Blackheath casualties. The Park it is an enduring symbol of peace, and The Pool of the healing value of water. 

Although swimming in the dam was officially prohibited, locals larrikins couldn't resist its lure hot summer days.  Gradually the former dam was recognised as having potential as a swimming pool. In 1929 Blackheath Alderman Peter Sutton called a public meeting which formed a Citizens' Committee to organise voluntary labour and raise funds. During community working bees on Wednesday afternoons and weekends the dams were cleaned out, graded to the necessary depths and the bottoms gravelled. Old railway sleepers were painted white and placed to define the embankments.

Detailed historical information is available at http://ow.ly/7dvms . 

Today Blackheath Pool is one of the most beautifully situated public swimming baths in Australia – set amongst sweeping lawns and the now mature rhododendrons, at over 1000 metres above sea level – providing swimming with altitude.


**quoted p.155 Blackheath Today from Yesterday (2005)

[achievement #1] pleasant swimming water

The lap pool averages 23C throughout the season.

It is the only unheated outdoor pool in the mountains; it’s also in the coolest climate zone, yet the lap pool peaked at 29C on 1 February 2011!  

The Pool *costs nothing* to heat, it is heated entirely by the sun.  

In our new carbon-priced world could we ask for better efficiency?  

This was achieved despite a very cool, wet summer.  

As stated on ABC Radio in January 2011 

“...this is the strongest La Nina ever recorded”*.  

In the upper mountains December 2010 was the wettest in 15 years, 

and the trend continued across the season:

19 rain days in January, 

16 rain days in February, 

22 rain days in March.

* Emeritus Professor Ian Lowe of Griffith University 

speaking on ABC Radio National’s Late Night Live 24-Jan-2011 

http://www.abc.net.au/rn/latenightlive/stories/2011/3119905.htm

Blackheath Pool: eighty years an enduring symbol of Peace

Blackheath Pool and Memorial Park is in many senses the heart of the Blackheath community and a 'fragile oasis' at the top of the mountains. In the latest in a long tradition of Blackheath community activity surrounding The Pool, a three year concerted community campaign snatched Blackheath Pool from the brink of demolition. The fully renovated Pool reopened in 2006.

From the late 1870s a dam fed by natural creeks and hanging swamps was established. This was the water reservoir for steam engines reaching the highest point of the western railway crossing the Blue Mountains. After WW1 locals began showing interest in the area surrounding the dam for recreational purposes. In January 1919 the area was set aside as a reserve for recreation. In December of the same year the Blackheath Municipal Council was formed – a not unconnected event!

Two years later James Dawes, superintendent of Sydney's Centennial Park came to Blackheath to advise on the potential of the land to become a unique park. The citizens of Blackheath raised 1,000 pounds to finance development as a park. The Memorial Park was established by the community to commemorate those who lost their lives in WW1, each rhododendron planted in memory of one of the 77 Blackheath casualties. The Park it is an enduring symbol of peace, and The Pool of the healing value of water.

Although swimming was officially prohibited, locals larrikins couldn't resist the lure of the dam on hot summer days.  Gradually the former dam was recognised as having potential as a swimming pool. In 1929 Blackheath Alderman Peter Sutton called a public meeting which formed a Citizens' Committee to organise voluntary labour and raise funds. During community working bees on Wednesday afternoons and weekends the dams were cleaned out, graded to the necessary depths and the bottoms gravelled. Old railway sleepers were painted white and placed to define the embankments.

The Official opening took place - eighty years ago - during the 1931 Christmas holidays, and over ensuing years many thousands of happy swimmers enjoyed this special place.
In 1935 The Katoomba Daily declared it “...the finest park and swimming pool on the mountains” [quoted p.155 Blackheath Today from Yesterday (2005)].

Detailed historical information is available at http://ow.ly/7dvms.

Today Blackheath Pool is one of the most beautifully situated public swimming baths in Australia – set amongst sweeping lawns and the now mature rhododendrons, at over 1000 metres above sea level – providing swimming with altitude.

Blackheath Pool Opening Day Saturday 26 November 2011. Open every day of season 9:30AM to 6:30PM. Water averages a warm 23°C across the season. Request a DAY PASS which allows you to come and go as often as you like on any one day – swim early, picnic beneath the trees, swim again later.

Friends of Blackheath Pool and Memorial Park continues the community tradition – watching over this gem of the Mountains.

Have a great 
Rhododendron Festival!
Blackheath Memorial Park (& Pool) sildeshow http://ow.ly/7jDRM

doggie-friendly bubbler recently installed

New bubbler near duck pond
NOTE tap & dog-height bowl at back ;)

Thank you BMCC for agreeing to FoBP&MP suggestion.

7th anniversary 'Pool Party Without A Pool'

Seven years ago the Blackheath Community gathered to protest temporary closure of Blackheath Pool, and to urge Council to reconsider a permanent closure...

...the following day a unanimous decision by Council at it’s 27 January meeting secured the future of Blackheath Pool. So that today we continue to enjoy our beautiful swimming basin set in sweeping lawns & surrounded by mature rhododendrons & native bushland at a unique 1,065 metres above sea level. 

For more see FIVE YEARS AGO

gorgeous down The Pool 8:30AM

Busy with lap swimmers - out of frame below - rapidly filling with swimmers by 9:30 when I left... 

slab poured

Concrete slab photographed drying in yesterday's warm morning sun, Sunday 14-Nov-10...

...sadly the weather has broken today - to rain - but initial drying has occurred, so can only be good news.  Note pallets of bricks & pile of sand - clear evidence that pour was a success.

new Blackheath Pool poster out soon

80 YEARS YOUNG

Blackheathens will have been enjoying a swim BLACKHEATH POOL for 80 YEARS as the 2009/10 season opens!

"In 1929 The Citizen’s Committee was formed and carried out considerable amount of work by voluntary labour to convert the old upper dam into a swimming pool. Pool ready for use in the summer of 1929/30. As soon as work finished on the conversion of the old railway dam into a swimming pool a group of local residents established a swimming club. Theclub existed for nearly 50 years and conducted competitive swimming, water ballets and other types of aquatic events in the pool." excerpted from BMCC's Blackheath Memorial Park Draft Plan of Management July 2009 p.68

"A place of continuing recreational and social significance"

In 1991 Pearl Beach rock pool was heritage listed by the National Trust and provided with a heritage plaque stating that it is 'A place of continuing recreational and social significance'




more...
on Flickr photostream
on New South Wales Ocean Baths website

Swimming: Cabarita Pool

Swimming: Cabarita Pool
The pics in Sally's post remind me there's more than one way to fence a public pool - *glass & steel* certainly makes for a far less visually intrusive barrier.

once upon a time...

2003-04 campaigning...

Pool looking sad, green & used only by the ducks, October 04

Veggie Patch installation by Lisa Armitage, February 05



campaign T-Shirt by Bindi-Eye Dears (D. Cretney & J. Ross), January 04

SEVEN YEARS AGO

Press Release [*28 January 2004*]

COMMUNITY ACTION SAVES POOL

A unanimous decision by Council at it’s 27 January meeting has secured the future of Blackheath Pool. The Olympic Pool is to be reconstructed, a new water treatment system installed and toddlers will have shade cover. Crucial to community concerns was the retention of the ‘free-from’ pool. Council has undertaken to repair & remediate this pool too. The public gallery was crowded to overflowing at last night’s Council meeting to hear five speakers in favour of Blackheath Pool - Owen Kelly, Libby Sorby-Adams, Lisa Armitage, Dick Harris & Doug Spiller.

The meeting followed Australia Day’s highly successful ‘Blackheath Pool Party’. More than 500 local residents & supporters gathered at Blackheath Pool for rather unusual Australia Day celebration – a Pool Party without a Pool!! The event highlighted Council’s closure of the pool complex this swimming season. Speakers told of the great affection Blackheath community has for its Pool, and underscored its critical value to the social fabric of the town. “It’s not just a swimming pool, it’s the social heart of our village” said Lisa Armitage, “we’re angry and confused – they’re just bamboozling us!”

At last night’s meeting Councillor Terri Hamilton presented a petition of more than 1,500 signatures and 180 letters of complaint to Michael Willis from concerned Blackheath residents & visitors. The result of her amended motion at Council was that the Olympic Pool is expected to open for next swimming season. “We’re happy with this result” said Simon Hare an organiser of the Pool Party, “but we recognise that though this battle is won, we must keep a watching brief on progress”.

2008-9 season hours & prices brochures

OPENING HOURS 2008/09 SEASON

Blackheath Pool opening hours

Mon-Fri 7:30-11 & 3:30-6:30

Weekends & School Hols 10:30-6:30

(to 7:30pm on warm Fri & Sat evenings)
More at BMCC website