Dalby Olympic Swimming Pool facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Dalby Olympic Swimming Pool |
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Dalby Swimming Pool Complex, 2008
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| Location | 58 Patrick Street, Dalby, Western Downs Region, Queensland, Australia |
| Design period | 1919–1930s (interwar period) |
| Built | 1936 |
| Architect | Clifford Ernest Plant |
| Architectural style(s) | Arts & Crafts |
| Official name: Dalby Swimming Pool Complex | |
| Type | state heritage (built) |
| Designated | 20 March 2008 |
| Reference no. | 602564 |
| Significant period | 1930s |
| Significant components | pavilion – sports, residential accommodation – staff housing, swimming/bathing enclosure |
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The Dalby Olympic Swimming Pool is a special old swimming pool in Dalby, Queensland, Australia. It is listed on the Queensland Heritage Register because of its history. A famous architect named Clifford Ernest Plant designed it, and it was built in 1936.
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A Look Back at Dalby's Pool History
The Dalby Olympic Swimming Pool complex was built in 1936. It was one of the first Olympic-sized pools in Queensland built outside of Brisbane.
Early Swimming in Dalby
Dalby is an old town in Queensland. People have enjoyed swimming there for a long time. At first, they used a swimming hole in Myall Creek. In 1902, a special well called an artesian bore was dug nearby. Baths were then built to use this water.
The Dalby Amateur Swimming Club started in 1912. Later, in 1924, a public bath called the Dalby Bore Baths opened. This facility closed in 1938, probably because the new Olympic Pool was much better.
Swimming Becomes Popular
In the 1910s, swimming became very popular around the world. In 1908, a group called the FINA was formed. FINA helped set rules for swimming, diving, and water polo. They also managed world records and Olympic competitions.
The 1924 Summer Olympics in Paris made swimming even more popular. A special 50-meter pool was built for the games. This pool set the standard for what an "Olympic pool" should be. Swimmers who wanted to compete internationally needed pools this size to practice.
Olympic Pools Across Australia
In Brisbane, the Fortitude Valley Baths were rebuilt in 1925–1926 to Olympic standards. By the 1930s, swimming was a glamorous sport. Famous swimmers like Johnny Weissmuller even became Hollywood celebrities.
Many Olympic-standard pools were built in Sydney during the 1930s. Local councils received help from the government to build these. This created jobs during the Great Depression. These new pools often had special designs by architects. The North Sydney Olympic Pool is a great example, opened in 1936.
Building large pools had challenges, like keeping the water clean. Companies worked to improve water filtration and stop algae from growing. Pool complexes usually had a large Olympic pool, a smaller pool for kids, a diving tower, and changing rooms.
Dalby's Growth and New Pool
In the early 1930s, Dalby started to grow again. This was because a spiky plant called prickly pear cactus had been removed from nearby farmlands. This plant had covered huge areas, making land unusable. With the prickly pear gone, farming and grazing improved. Towns like Dalby, Chinchilla, and Miles saw new growth.
During the Great Depression, the government started projects to create jobs. Dalby saw new buildings like the Dalby Court House and Police Station.
In 1933, the Dalby Town Council decided to build an Olympic pool. They hired William J Reinhold as the engineer and Clifford Ernest Plant as the architect. Plant was known for designing other bathing pavilions in Queensland.
Work on the pool began on July 1, 1936. The pool opened to the public in late October that year. About 1,550 people used it on the first weekend! The whole complex cost about £11,500. It was officially opened on November 14, 1936, by Frank Cooper, a local politician. He praised Dalby for building such a great pool.
A Modern Marvel
At the time, the Dalby pool was one of the most modern in Queensland. It used the latest equipment to filter and clean the artesian water that filled the pools. In 1938, the Lord Mayor of Brisbane even visited Dalby to see the pool. He wanted to plan similar pools for Brisbane.
The new Dalby pool helped swimming become even more popular in the region. Many swimming clubs were formed, and the pool still hosts community sports clubs today. The first big swimming carnival was held there in February 1937. During Second World War, pilots from a nearby air force base even used the pool to practice emergency landings in water.
Continued Success
The 1956 Melbourne Olympics sparked even more interest in competitive swimming. Many early Olympic pools in Australia were built around this time. Between 1949 and 1960, Dalby swimmers won many awards in Queensland championships. Famous Australian swimmers like Dawn Fraser and Murray Rose visited and used the pool. In 1957–58, the pool had over 143,000 visitors!
The original wooden spectator stand was replaced with a concrete one in 1971. It was named the Arthur G Obst Stand, after a former pool manager and coach.
In 1983, the pool area was updated. The pipes, cleaning equipment, and concrete areas around the pool were replaced. More recently, the pools have been lined with fibreglass. The children's pool also got new fibreglass play features.
Today, the Dalby Pool Complex still hosts large swimming carnivals. One event, the Dalby Open, had 1,734 entries in 2002.
What the Pool Complex Looks Like
The Dalby Olympic Swimming Pool complex is in a park next to Myall Creek. It's part of a bigger area with a lawn bowls club and a croquet club.
The Entry Pavilion
You walk to the open-air pool complex from Patrick Street. Two paths lead to the main entrance building. This building is called the entry pavilion. It has a central porch that leads to the turnstiles and the pool area. Inside, there are granite panels that remember the pool's opening.
The building has weatherboards on the bottom and fibrous cement panels above. It has windows with six panes of glass. One part of the building has a kiosk (a small shop) and service area. The other end has rooms for club meetings.
Behind the building, there's another porch and a wooden pergola over a paved area. This separates the building from the pools.
The Pools and Stands
Between the entry pavilion and the main pool is a children's pool. It measures about 15.2 by 8.4 meters. It has fun fibreglass rocks and play features added recently.
The main pool is 50 meters long and 15.2 meters wide. Concrete paths and grassy areas surround it. There's a stand for spectators along one side, with changing rooms underneath. At the far end of the pool, there's a brick building that holds the pool's machinery.
Caretaker's Residence
The complex also includes a small, high-set wooden cottage. This is where the pool caretaker lives. It has an enclosed front verandah.
The Arthur G Obst Stand is a newer concrete structure. It is not part of the original heritage listing.
Why This Pool is Special
The Dalby Swimming Pool Complex was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on March 20, 2008. This means it's an important historical place.
A Piece of Queensland's Past
This pool shows how competitive swimming grew in Queensland. As an Olympic-standard pool built in the 1930s, it highlights how much people loved swimming back then. It also shows how towns used artesian water to benefit their communities.
The pool also tells a story about the 1930s. After the prickly pear cactus was removed, towns like Dalby grew and became more successful. This pool was part of that growth.
A Rare Find
The Dalby Swimming Pool complex is special because it's one of the oldest Olympic-sized pools still around in Queensland. It's the earliest known Olympic Pool complex built outside Brisbane. It still has its two pools (the big one and the children's one), the entrance building, and the caretaker's house.
Important to the Community
The Dalby Swimming Pool Complex is very important to the people of Dalby. It's a key place for swimming events. It has helped Dalby swimmers compete at a national level. It has also attracted famous Australian and international swimmers over the years.
