Raymond West Swimming Pool — ‘the best pool ever!’
In the early years of Shepparton most of the locals swam in the Goulburn River or channels. In the late 1920s a swimming club was formed, with swimming sports regularly held in the Goulburn until the early 1930s when swimming facilities were built at the new Lake Reserve, including a diving tower and starting platforms. In 1933 a new swimming club formed called the Lake Swimming Club.
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The new Raymond West Swimming Pool, recognised as the largest chlorinated pool in the Southern Hemisphere, was opened in 1955 and the official occasion was attended by 3500 people.
The pool was named after Raymond West, who was born in Shepparton in 1897 and was the town clerk from 1923 to 1960. He was also passionate about Shepparton’s history and in his retirement he was active in preserving the city’s historical records.
Over the years the pool changed to keep up with the times and safety/hygiene requirements, and is now called Aquamoves.
Comments from our Facebook fans about the pool they described as the best pool ever.
(Note: Some called the slide platform the island, or the jetty, others called it the pontoon.)
Kris Kris
Early morning swim with my dog before I went to school.
Patty Bull
I loved that tower. Jumped off that many a time. What an adrenaline rush. Loved it to bits. Mind you, I soon learnt not to wear bikinis after the first jump. Lol.
Helen McKee
Eating fish and chips sitting on a blanket under the tree up on the hill on hot nights, then a swim before going home.
Leone O'Brien
Loved coming over to Shepp and swimming as a child with parents. Then in turn brought my own children. Also would have an early hit of tennis and go and swim and walk through the sandy area in the pool. Enjoyed far more then than now.
David Hort
Free, no fences, and the two-tier tower, many a dazed person dragged out and a few blue ones too, and people just kept swimming. And those brown bobbers, no chlorine, river water.
George Gilby
Back in the day, the ’60s, we had to be able to swim to the island to get our Herald swimming certificate. In those days it was part of the school sport curriculum.
Tanya McKenzie
It was huge and it was the best. Many adults now would have had a lot of great memories there as a kid, and would have been even better for the parents. Plenty of space and grass and features to entertain with a picnic basket of food and drinks. We would spend all day there regularly!
Daryl N Rosie Price
Best pool in the world. Spent hours there and loved every minute of it. Now I live in Tasmania and one thing I miss? The Raymond West Swimming Pool, when I was a teenager jumping off the 10 metre tower any time of the day!
Peter Lockhart
Taught myself to dive off that island. Got my Herald (still have it) swimming to it. Slid down the slide several times. Swam the length of that pool from big end to little end. Never dived off the top tower but jumped off it a few times. Represented Shepp High in interschool sports as a diver.
Wayne Reither
Best swimming pool in Australia when it was going. Just had to watch out for the occasional ‘polly waffle’ floating around.
Mynette Smith-Richardson
I loved that pool. The girls in my family swam while the boys caught yabbies, and Mum and Dad could sit on the grass under the willows and watch us all.
Jenny Goonan
I fell into the lap pool on that day (official opening) and my dad (who was on the Shire Council at the time) had to jump in and save me. Being an auspicious day he was wearing his suit. Even though I was only five, I remember it vividly and remember I was not at all scared.
Wayne Marchment
The north-east corner of the deep end was a great bombing spot. As people walked down the path we'd run from the other side and do massive bombs, wetting everyone. Lots of laughs. You'd get kicked out if you did that today.
Joanne Storey Sharp
Great memories of riding our bikes to the pool, towels around our neck. Leave your bike and money under a tree on the grass. Kick off your thongs and just run and jump in the pool. No fence. No fights. Used to get KFC and head to the pool during summer. Stayed there when the lights were turned on or it got too dark. So sad my kids will never have such fun memories of simple innocence.
Margie van der Paal
Where the tiles ended, it became shallower. That was the ‘family’ section. It had rocks sloping down to the water. Used to be a good place for sunbaking, or sitting on the island to watch the water skiing on the lake. I remember when Buddha rode his bike off the tower. He lived at the pool. Him and Hermie Knight together.
Paul Paula Stevens
I remember Buddha riding his bike off the tower. He tied it to the back rail and the plan was to dive off when the rope stopped it falling. But the rope broke and he rode it all the way to the bottom. First time I dived off the tower — probably went “arghhhh” all the way down!
• Geoff Allemand is manager of the Shepparton Heritage Centre and admin of the Lost Shepparton Facebook page. Please share your pics of the past at pastpics@mmg.com.au
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