70 people joined us down on the waterfront at Balmain’s Dawn Fraser Baths – the oldest surviving tidal-baths in Australia- as we celebrated History Week 2008.
Heritage consultant Meredith Walker gave an illustrated presentation on the history of bathing pools around the Leichhardt and Balmain foreshores, and Leichhardt Rowing Club’s Barry Moynahan held our attention with his words and an image presentation exploring the history of the Club that was opened in 1886 by Sir Henry Parkes.
Meredith Walker has identified 9 bathing pools that have existed around the Balmain and Leichhardt foreshore since 1875. We’ll be putting up some of her research into swimming baths here on LOCAL NOTES soon.
I was a guest on the evening of Tuesday 9/9/08 at 6.30pm for the History Week
event of “Row, Swim, Sail, Fish, Bathe!” at Dawn Fraser Baths, Balmain. I wish
to say Thank You to all involved in putting this excellent event together. The speakers
were most interesting in sharing stories of the past and it was a delilghtfully unusual
venue.
The hospitality, wine and wonderful “spread” was especially excellent and most
generous. Well done and thank you.
I look forward in anticipation to next year’s events.
Krystyna Podsiadly
Tourism Information Officer
Parramatta Heritage & Visitor Information Centre