Explore the Australian obsession with swimming, beach life and water through these photographs from the State Library of New South Wales' collections.
Cousins at their grandparents enjoying a dip in the swimming pool - Mount Kuring-gai, NSW, no date |
[Swimming class for girls], c. 1930s, by Sam Hood |
An official hands a young woman swimmer a token, Tramway swimming at Coogee Aquarium, 27 March 1935 |
Possibly Mina Wylie with an unidentified female swimmer, probably Stockholm Olympics, 1912 |
Swimming exams at Newcastle Ocean Baths, by Sam Hood |
Snowy Baker, Duke Kahanamoku and Frank Beaurepaire, Sydney, [between 1914-1924] photographer unknown |
Cecil Healy, Olympic swimming gold, silver and bronze medallist in Manly Surf Life Saving Club swimsuit, [no date] |
Acrobats, Sydney, 1930s Sam Hood |
Tooth and Co. Ltd. float at the Australian Sesquicentenary, 1938 Hall & Co. |
Newcastle Beach on Christmas Day, 25121954 by Sam Hood |
Bondi surf lifesavers, n.d. by Sam Hood |
Beach scene, 1930s by Sam Hood |
Mr J Prentice and Miss J Howat doing acrobatics, Bondi Beach, Jan 1935 by Ted Hood |
Mr J Prentice and Miss J Howat performing beach acrobatics at Bondi Beach, 2 Jan 1935 by Ted Hood |
Peggy Bacon in mid-air backflip, Bondi Beach, Sydney, 621937 by Ted Hood |
Chorus girls in Rhonrad wheels roll across Bondi Beach, ca. 1935 by Sam Hood |
North Bondi team march past, 1930s by Sam Hood |
Theatre Royal chorus, Tamarama Beach, ca. 1938 by Sam Hood |
Valerie Hays from the cast of Over she goes being leapfrogged, 1937 by Sam Hood |
Beach studies, 1930s by Sam Hood |
Beach studies, 1930s by Sam Hood |
26 Start of the Sydney-Hobart Yacht Race, 1971 |
Women's team, Coffs Harbour Jetty Surf Life Saving Club |
Australias first women Olympians, Fanny Durack and Mina Wylie, 1912 |
Coogee Pier, Sydney, between 1928-1932 Samuel Wood |
Giles's Hot Sea Baths, Coogee, c. 1930s, by Sam Hood |
Beautiful Bondi [Ladies Dressing Rooms], c. 1900-1927, Broadhurst Post Card Publishers |
David Cant, aged 3, Nielsen Park, Sydney, n.d. Sam Hood |
Bronte Beach, c. 1900-1910, by Star Photo Co. |
Dirigible over Tamarama, 1908, Hall & Co. |
Fairy Bower, Manly, c. 1900-1910, by Star Photo Co. |
Women in bathing suits on Collaroy Beach, 1908, photographed by Colin Caird |
Billy and Graham Green from the Salvation Army Camp practise a little deceit, Collaroy Beach, ca. 1940 photographer unknown |
Annette Kellermann, as a mermaid, ca. 1915-1925 photographer unknown |
The Australasian (combined Australian and New Zealand) Olympic Team at Stockholm's Roddforening [Rowing Association], 1912 photographer unknown |
A young diver in the air as he dives from the high-board, St Aloysius College swimming at Manly, 17 March, 1935, by Sam Hood |
Start of a relay race showing five swimmers diving in, Colleges swimming at Drummoyne, 13 March 1935, by Sam Hood |
Inspectors of Schools and Swimming watch Stewart House swimming exercises on the beach, South Curl Curl, 10 Jan 1935, by Sam Hood |
Country children at Stewart House Preventorium learn to swim, South Curl Curl Beach, 10 Jan 1935, by Sam Hood |
Tin can used as a floatation device in learn-to-swim class, Domain Baths, c. 1930s by Sam Hood |
Start of a race at a Belmore Central School's second swimming carnival, Enfield Pool, 27 March 1935, by Ted Hood |
Men and boys swim and play in canoes in a beach rock pool, n.d. by Sam Hood |
Oak Park rock pool ca.1950, by Sam Hood |
Swimming carnival, Roseville Baths, c. 1930s, by Sam Hood |
General view of the Baths (Domain Baths, Woolloomooloo, c.1930s, by Sam Hood |
Juniors line up for the start, c. 1920s, by Sam Hood |
Depression at 'Happy Valley', Brighton-le-Sands, Sydney, 1930's Sam Hood |
Levuka, Fiji, ca. 1883 photographer unknown |
Reserve and beach, Cronulla, Sydney, ca. 1928 Samuel Wood |
Hargrave family, Probably Hilda, Margaret and Geoffrey, Stanwell Park beach, unknown photographer |
Manly Harbour pool, 193- |
Tipping horse for Manly Harbour pool built at Kurraba Point, 193- |
Ferry Dee Why and Manly Harbour pool, 193- |
Balancing wheel, Manly Harbour pool, 193- |
Manly Harbour pool, 193- |
Bronte Baths, c. 1930s, by Sam Hood |
Bondi Beach, Sydney, 1922 photographed by R. P. Moore |
Bondi Beach, Sydney, 1922 photographed by R. P. Moore |
Bondi Beach, Sydney, 1922 photographed by R. P. Moore |
Bondi Beach, Sydney, 1922 photographed by R. P. Moore |
Bondi Beach, Sydney, 1922 photographed by R. P. Moore |
Pictorial post card, Miss Annette Kellermann, Champion Lady Swimmer and Diver of the World |
Pictorial post card, Miss Annette Kellermann, Champion Lady Swimmer and Diver of the World |
Pictorial post card, Miss Annette Kellermann, Champion Lady Swimmer and Diver of the World |
Start of a girl's swimming race, Mina Wylie with raised hand |
Mina Wylie, Coogee, 1913 |
Portrait of Mina Wylie |
Portrait of Mina Wylie |
The Women Co. girls on Tamarama beach, 2 February 1939 photographer Sam Hood |
Swimwear aside, one other thing I noticed is the almost non-existence of commercial marquees. These days, everyone from beach-goers to food stands use them.
ReplyDeleteWow! those days sweet and salty memories. You shakes my old memories. For more funny pictures you can see Creating a Collage
ReplyDeleteFunny Cool Photos Are Very Famous And Funny
ReplyDeleteGreat memorable post. Thanks for share with us...Ocean County Beach Photographer
ReplyDeletegreat work/wonderful memories of Wylies Baths/still go there when in Sydney/Mina Wylie lived next door and her sister played the piano/this is what Sydney is about/wonderful
Delete