Tobruk Memorial Baths facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Tobruk Memorial Baths |
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Entrance to the Tobruk Memorial Baths, 2010
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| Location | The Strand, Townsville, City of Townsville, Queensland, Australia |
| Design period | 1939–1945 (World War II) |
| Built | 1941–1950 |
| Official name: Tobruk Memorial Baths | |
| Type | state heritage (built) |
| Designated | 13 January 1995 |
| Reference no. | 601575 |
| Significant period | 1940s (fabric) 1950–ongoing (social) |
| Significant components | residential accommodation – manager's house/quarters, changing rooms/dressing shed, trees/plantings, memorial – swimming pool, memorial – plaque |
| Builders | Townsville City Council |
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The Tobruk Memorial Baths is a special place in Townsville, Queensland, Australia. It has outdoor swimming pools and is located on The Strand. The Townsville City Council built it between 1941 and 1950. It was created to remember the brave soldiers of World War II. Because of its history, the baths were added to the Queensland Heritage Register on January 13, 1995.
Today, the Tobruk Memorial Baths has a big 50-meter Olympic-size swimming pool. There's also a 25-meter heated pool, which is great for kids' swimming lessons and therapy. Little ones can splash in a toddlers' pool. You can even grab a snack at the on-site shop. The front of the building has a cool blue and white design, called Art Deco.
Contents
A Look Back: The History of Tobruk Baths
Work on the Tobruk Memorial Baths started in 1941 and finished in 1950. The Townsville City Council first wanted to build new baths for the city. They would replace older swimming spots. But in December 1941, the council decided to name the baths after the Australian soldiers. These soldiers had fought bravely in the Siege of Tobruk during World War II.
Early Swimming Spots
People have been swimming in the sea near this spot since the 1870s. The Strand area was one of the first places for fun in Townsville. Richer families built homes along the beach. By 1872, there were three hotels nearby. The beach was popular for swimming, even though it was just a dirt track back then.
In the 1880s, the council started making the area nicer. They planted trees and built a road along the beach. In 1889, a special area was set aside for public baths. The Townsville Municipal Council spent about £1,000 to build sea baths there. The Tobruk Memorial Baths were later built on part of this same land.
A Place for Remembrance
The whole foreshore became a public reserve in 1901. Part of it later became a permanent park. This park, now called Anzac Memorial Park, became a place for Anzac Day events. A memorial clocktower was built there in 1923–1924. So, when the Tobruk Memorial Baths were built, they were in an area already known for swimming and remembering important events.
Building During Wartime
Building the baths began in late 1941. The city council wanted an Olympic-sized pool for Townsville. Many people thought it was wrong to spend money on a pool during a war. They even asked the Queensland Government to stop the project. But the council had followed all the rules, so work continued. However, it slowed down when Townsville became a key base for the Allied forces in the Pacific War in 1942.
In December 1941, the council decided to name the baths after the brave Australians. These soldiers had fought in the Siege of Tobruk in the Libyan desert. They held Tobruk against the German army for eight months. This was one of the most famous sieges in Australian military history.
Opening and Olympic Glory
After the war, work on the baths started again. But it was hard to find workers and materials. The Tobruk Memorial Baths finally opened to the public on October 14, 1950. They were officially opened on November 26, 1951, by Major-General WJ Windeyer, who had been an officer at Tobruk. At that time, it was the only public memorial in Australia just for those who fought at Tobruk.
Inside the entrance, there is a marble plaque. It says:
This memorial stone is dedicated to the sacred memory of fallen comrades who served with the Navy, Army, and Air Force during the memorial siege of Tobruk, Western Desert, Great War II, from April 9, 1941 to December 13, 1941. We shall remember them.
The Townsville City Council's own teams designed and built the baths. It cost about £60,000. When finished, it had an 8-lane, 50-meter Olympic pool. It also had a toddlers' pool, changing rooms, a cafe, and a manager's home. There were even grandstands for 250 spectators. The main pool was tiled in blue and white, with black tiles marking the lanes.
The opening of the baths brought competitive swimming back to Townsville. Before this, swimming competitions had stopped during the war.
Training Ground for Champions
In the 1950s, Australia didn't have many indoor Olympic pools. So, the Tobruk Memorial Baths became the perfect warm-weather training spot. It was used by the Australian swimming team for the 1956 Melbourne Olympic Games and the 1960 Rome Olympic Games. Famous swimmers like Dawn Fraser, Murray Rose, and Lorraine Crapp trained here. In 1956, six world records and 13 Australian records were set in one night! This event was even shown on the first day of television in Melbourne.
Training camps were also held for the 1958 Cardiff Commonwealth Games and the women's 1964 Tokyo Olympic Team. The teams that trained here for 1956 and 1960 were some of Australia's most successful ever. Allan "Stumpy" Lawrence was the manager of the baths then. His son, Laurie Lawrence, is also a very famous Australian swimming coach.
Since 1987, the Townsville City Council has leased the baths to private companies. It is still a popular place for fun and swimming in Townsville today.
What the Baths Look Like
The Tobruk Memorial Baths has a main building called a pavilion. This building holds the entrance and changing rooms. Behind it is the open-air Olympic-sized pool. A toddlers' pool sits between the entrance and the big pool. The roof is hidden behind a wall, and the central entrance part has two floors. The entrance doors have cool etched glass panels with fish and sea horse designs.
The baths are surrounded by a nice landscape. There are grassy areas and rows of tall Royal Palms. Other tropical plants like frangipani also grow there.
Why It's a Heritage Site
The Tobruk Memorial Baths was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on January 13, 1995. This means it's a very important place with special history.
- It shows how Queensland's history has changed.
The baths were built between 1941 and 1950. They are Australia's most important public memorial to the Australians who fought in the Siege of Tobruk during World War II.
- It shows what important cultural places look like.
The Tobruk Memorial Baths is a great example of swimming pool complexes built after World War II. These pools were built to remember the sacrifices made by people during the war.
- It is beautiful to look at.
The baths are a wonderful example of city design. The etched glass doors have lovely swimming and sea designs. The building and its gardens make the area around Anzac Memorial Park and The Strand look very attractive.
- It has a special link to important people or groups.
The Tobruk Memorial Baths is famous for its connection to Australia's Olympic swimming teams. It was the winter training spot for gold medal winners like Dawn Fraser. These athletes helped make swimming a very popular sport in Australia.
