Wynnum Wading Pool facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Wynnum Wading Pool |
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Wynnum Wading Pool with Moreton Bay beyond, 2014
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| Location | The Esplanade, Wynnum, City of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia |
| Design period | 1919 - 1930s (interwar period) |
| Built | 1932 - 1932 |
| Official name: Wynnum Wading Pool Reserve, Manly Wading Pool | |
| Type | state heritage (built) |
| Designated | 5 October 1998 |
| Reference no. | 602040 |
| Significant period | 1932 (fabric) 1932-ongoing (social) |
| Significant components | trees/plantings, swimming pool, memorial - fountain, jetty/pier |
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The Wynnum Wading Pool is a special, old swimming pool by the sea in Wynnum, Queensland, Australia. It's like a big, shallow, oval-shaped pool that fills up with ocean water when the tide comes in. Built way back in 1932, during a tough time called the Great Depression, it was made by people who needed work. This pool is also known as Manly Wading Pool and Wynnum Wading Pool Reserve. It's so important that it's listed on the Queensland Heritage Register, which means it's protected because of its history and special features.
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History of the Wynnum Wading Pool
The Wynnum Wading Pool was built in 1932 by people who were looking for work during the Great Depression. It is a shallow pool with concrete walls and a sandy bottom.
How Wynnum Became Popular
The Wynnum and Manly areas of Moreton Bay started to become popular in the 1860s. People began building holiday homes along the bay. In 1882, land was sold in the Manly Beach Estate, which is how Manly got its name. When the Cleveland railway line was finished in 1889, it made it even easier for people to visit. This helped the area grow as a seaside resort. By the late 1920s, you could get to Wynnum by train, bus, or car, making it a popular spot for holidays and a place to live for families from Brisbane.
Before the wading pool was built, people swam in the sea or in pools attached to jetties. The calm waters of Moreton Bay were preferred over rougher beaches. However, people were still worried about sharks and jellyfish. So, special enclosed swimming areas were created in other places like the Brisbane River and Sandgate.
In 1922, a local leader named Alderman J. Patterson suggested building a wall at low tide. This would use sand from Wynnum Creek to create new land for fun activities, including a pool.
Building the Pool During Tough Times
During the Great Depression, many people didn't have jobs. The Queensland Government started a program to create public works and help people find work. The government paid the workers' wages, and the local council provided the building materials. People who were on "The Susso" (a type of unemployment benefit) were given work based on their family needs. For example, a man with a wife and one child would work three days a week. The Brisbane City Council built the Wynnum Wading Pool as part of this Unemployment Relief System. The Council used this program to complete several projects in the Wynnum Manly area, like the Manly Retaining Wall.
Building the wading pool started in 1932 in a spot that used to be a small indentation called the saltpan. The parkland around it was created by reclaiming land from the sea. A strong wall was built to hold back the sea, and an area was left empty to create the tidal pool. The pool itself was made by building a concrete sea wall beyond the high-water mark, so not much digging was needed. This wall separates the pool from Moreton Bay and also provides a walkway along the shore.
Three pipes in the wall let water flow into the pool at high tide. Then, special gates are closed to keep the water from flowing out when the tide goes down. This process happens every two weeks. At the same time, any sand or dirt that has built up at the bottom is cleaned out.
The pool is about 128 meters long and 54 meters wide. It has automatic valves to keep the water depth at a maximum of about 75 centimeters. The bottom is sandy, and there are five shallow steps on three sides, plus a concrete ramp. There used to be a slippery slide too!
Hundreds of people came to the official opening on 21 January 1933. They even watched a sailing event with small boats. Floodlights were installed, allowing people to swim on warm nights.
The pool hasn't changed much since it was first built. However, the area around it has been updated with new change rooms, barbecue areas, and a white sandy beach. The pool has been popular with both local people and visitors since 1932. It's used for most of the year, by swimmers in summer and by model boat fans in winter.
On 13 July 2008, the wading pool was reopened by Brisbane Lord Mayor Campbell Newman after a big upgrade that cost A$6.5 million.
What the Wynnum Wading Pool Looks Like
The Wynnum Wading Pool is part of a fun park area right on the edge of Moreton Bay. The Wynnum jetty goes out into the bay north of the pool, and there are barbecue areas at both ends of the pool. The northern end has been updated with showers, change rooms, toilets, a play area, and a white sandy beach called Pandanus Beach.
Trees are planted along the foreshore and at both ends of the pool. These include pines, bauhinia, and fig trees. There's also a memorial to Walter Barnes, a local politician, at the northern end of the pool. It's a sandstone drinking fountain.
The pool is a large oval shape, measuring about 128 meters by 54 meters. It's about 75 centimeters deep in the middle. A narrow concrete path separates it from the bay. The pool is made of concrete with a natural clay base that is covered with fresh sand every two weeks. It has five shallow steps around most of its edges. A concrete ramp provides extra access in the south-western corner, and there's a slippery slide at the northern end. Two signs show the depth of the pool at either end.
The pool contains salt water that flows in through three concrete pipes at high tide. Special gates then hold the water in. The pipes have mesh over them to stop sea creatures from entering the pool.
The park area around the pool has many trees, including pine, bauhinia, and fig trees.
Why the Wynnum Wading Pool is Special
The Wynnum Wading Pool Reserve was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on 5 October 1998. This means it's considered very important for several reasons:
- It shows how Queensland's history developed.
The Wynnum Wading Pool Reserve is a great example of a government plan to help unemployed people in Queensland. It was built in 1932 as part of the Unemployment Relief Scheme, which created work projects during the Great Depression of the 1930s.
- It's a rare and special part of Queensland's history.
The Wynnum Wading Pool Reserve is a rare example of this type of early wading pool technology in Queensland.
- It's beautiful to look at.
The pool is also important because it's very pretty, with its surrounding landscape and its location right next to Moreton Bay.
- It shows great skill and creativity.
The Wynnum Wading Pool Reserve is a rare example of early wading pool technology of its kind in Queensland, showing high technical achievement for its time.
- It's important to the community.
Many local people and visitors know and use the pool. It has a strong connection with many community groups and is important as a park complex and for its social history.
