The remarkable story of the Queanbeyan swimming pool (and where locals swam before it even existed)
The Queanbeyan Pool for many of us holds memories of sunbaking on concrete, eating Calippos from the canteen, and being paged to the front desk by your mum. Entering the turnstiles with your towel around your neck was the epitome of joy for most Queanbeyan kids, but behind the pool is a long history of loss and lobbying by its residents, all for our children to enjoy the safe swimming facility we have today.
The former entry to The Queanbeyan Memorial Swimming Pool.
The Queanbeyan War Memorial Swimming Pool opened on 11 November 1961, celebrating its 60th birthday in 2021. The original pool – now known as the Queanbeyan Aquatic Centre – has changed significantly over the decades. Most notable are the upgrades to the main pool, with the addition of an indoor heated pool in September 2004 and the children’s splash park in January 2018. Sadly, the much-loved diving boards, slide, trampolines, half-court basketball and sand volleyball court are all memories of the past.
Before the pool was built, Queanbeyan residents swam in – wait for it – the Queanbeyan River. There were also other popular swimming holes such around Quangers like White Rocks, Cascades, Conny Rocks and from the weir to Queen’s Bridge. Today, swimming lessons are afforded to most children, but in the past drownings in Queanbeyan were not uncommon.
The eldest son of John and Loanna Gale – John Gale was a founding father of our fair city and founded The Queanbeyan Age – drowned in the Queanbeyan River in January 1877, aged just 14. John “Bennie” Gale is buried at the Riverside cemetery.
The headstone of John “Bennie” Gale at the Queanbeyan Riverside Cemetery.
In 1922, seven-year-old Eric Greenwood joined children of the O’Neill family for a swim in the river below the convent (at the end Isabella Street), claiming he could swim after having had lessons in Sydney. While the O’Neill girl was putting on one of her stockings, she saw Eric in deep water “bobbing up and down”. The alarm was raised and some men who were bathing further down the river came to assist. One of the men, Frederick Morton, recovered the body. In 1928, nine-year old Edith Warren was seen playing in the water on a shallow bank near the old Byrnes mill. Three men bathing nearby had seen her playing in the water. Mr Norman Palmer told the Coroner’s Court that after he had a smoke and dozed on the bank, he noticed the girl was missing. The girl’s body was discovered in a deep hole downstream.
The drownings in the river were a catalyst for safer swimming options for children and adults. In the early 1900s, the Queanbeyan River was still a source of drinking water, providing water for brewing, mills and soft drink makers. As a result, efforts were made by Queanbeyan residents to have ‘swimming baths’ at the Queanbeyan River. A place where the residents could swim seperate to the potable water in a more sheltered and safe environment.
Children kayaking and canoeing in the Queanbeyan River circa 1960.
In 1918, The Parents and Citizens Association tried to promote the building of bathing sheds. It was part of the push by the supervisor of swimming in the Department of Public Instruction to have swimming lessons during the summer holidays.
The standing regulations were then changed to allow swimming between the weir and Rutledge Street. The Queanbeyan Swimming Club was formed in November 1921 with subscriptions set at five shillings for adults and two shillings and sixpence for children under the age of 16.
Swim instructors like Clarrie Munns had to be certified to teach.
One of Queanbeyan’s finest citizens, Mrs Margaret Donoghue, witnessed another drowning and attempted to rescue the 13-year-old girl, she subsequently became an ardent supporter of a swimming pool for the town and continuance of learn to swim campaigns. Notable residents such as Clive Webber, Mavis Chatfield, Warren Parsons and Steve Mauger would conduct lessons each summer in a roped-off portion of the river to assist Queanbeyan residents to become more confident in the water.
In 1949, Margaret Donoghue was the first woman to be elected to civic office in Queanbeyan. The pool now had a strong advocate, but needed the funds to make it viable. Queanbeyan Rotary Club’s annual Floral Festival was the start of a realistic push for a swimming pool, and in 1958 it was decided the festival would raise funds needed for the building of a swimming pool. Theo Cooper’s original idea to have the pool as a war memorial was also endorsed.
A highlight of The Floral Festivals was the naming of the ‘Festival Queen’. Floral Festival Queen candidate Peggy Clarke with Fred Gisik, Caril Gibbs, Mike Migus, Glen Dyer and Tamara Rosisnanayi.
By 1959, the Floral Festival Committee had raised a considerable £16,000 and a State Government grant of £10,000 also helped. Then the Commonwealth Bank approved a loan of £53,990 to finance the construction of the pool. The pool was to be built on the “Education Reserve” between Campbell and Crawford Street- now known as Moore Park, donated to the town by the well-known Moore family.
It was designed by Robert G. Warren with a unique design featuring concrete domes. Warren was interested in shell concrete domes and incorporated the design into the Queanbeyan Swimming Pool; the unique elongated concrete domes made an impression and are still part of the modern aquatic centre.
The formwork for the iconic dome, from The Canberra Times June 30th, 1960.
Queanbeyan Municipal Council accepted a tender from Karl Schreiner Pty Ltd of Canberra for the pool construction at a cost of £72,888. It included the dressing rooms, a kiosk and the plant room. Much like the river baths, construction proved to be difficult. There were suggestions that the shells had defects and overhangs were also suspect. During construction, Schreiner’s workers went on strike citing unpaid wages.
It was decided that the pool would be completed by day labour under the supervision of the council’s engineer Mr R. Guy. The pool was finally built at a cost of £108,000 with the main pool which would be roughly $3 million today. It was 165 feet in length, width of 60 feet, a minimum depth of 3 feet six inches and maximum depth 11 feet six inches.
The “big board” and the “little board”. In early years, Luke Prus and Kenny Hungerford were two of the good divers.
Remembrance Day, 11 November 1961, the long awaited Queanbeyan War Memorial Swimming Pool was officially opened. An exhibition of diving and swimming followed the opening addresses.
The pool has been a versatile commodity over the years having been used for water polo, life saving and trout fishing. Although the pool may have changed, it still remains an integral part of the Queanbeyan community, and continues to shape the residents, and their stories.
Sources: “From the river to pool” Notes by Phil Hawke.
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About the Author: Holly Winchester
Part Jennifer Coolidge, part Jennifer Garner (gaudy and geeky), Holly idolises Dolly Parton and Princess Di and loves NRL. When she's not creating killer content, you’ll find Holly at the Maccas drive thru getting her chai latte fix or buying 1990s memorabilia for the walls of her Googong home. Specialist subject: the Woolies carpark.
