Alphington in Yarra, Victoria, Australia — Oceania

Alphington Swimming Pool (Marker 2)

— Alphington Riverside Trail —

Photographed by Dean Barton-Ancliffe, July 28, 2026

1. Alphington Swimming Pool (Marker 2) Marker

Inscription. The Children's Wading Pool to the right was built in the late 1940s and was supplied with fresh water from a toilet block located north of the original dressing sheds.

'We carried on and finished the work, which took two-and a half years. The last day there was a cheer. Those men said they would leave Alphington a little better than they found it' Alphington Residents, C&J Stafford

Erected by City of Yarra.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Parks & Recreational Areas. A significant historical year for this entry is 1940.

Location. 37° 47.232′ S, 145° 1.737′ E. Marker is in Alphington, Victoria, in Yarra. It is on Yarra River Trail 0.2 kilometers east of Chandler Highway, on the left when traveling east. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: Yarra River Trail, Alphington VIC 3078, Australia. Touch for directions.

Regionally, it is in Oceania,

in Australasia,

in the Pacific Ocean,

in South Pacific,

on the Pacific Rim,

in the Western World,

and in the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once a British colony.

Other nearby markers. At least 8

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other markers are within 5 kilometers of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Alphington Swimming Pool (Marker 1) (within shouting distance of this marker); Alphington River Landscapes (within shouting distance of this marker); Alphington Wetlands (within shouting distance of this marker); Rudder Grange Historical Chronology (approx. 0.7 kilometers away); Stand Up - Speak Out (approx. 3.6 kilometers away); Collingwood Town Hall Trust Classification (approx. 3.7 kilometers away); Collingwood Town Hall (approx. 3.7 kilometers away); Keith Haring Mural (approx. 3.9 kilometers away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Alphington.

Also see . . . Alphington Swimming Pool. Darebin Libraries

Alphington swimming pool – situated at the south end of Alphington Park by the Yarra River - was a popular community recreation spot from the 1920’s to the 1960’s.

Prior to the 1900’s, swimming in the Yarra River was considered indecent and declared illegal due to the high levels of pollution; penalties were administered to members of the community who chose to defy the prohibition. By the 1920’s people began to use the river
Photographed by Dean Barton-Ancliffe, July 28, 2026

2. Alphington Swimming Pool Marker along the Yarra River
for recreational purposes – mainly rowing and swimming - and many swimming clubs and river side ‘basins’ were established

Around 1920 the Alphington swimming club was formed and it was agreed that a pool should be built. A local contractor, named Mr J Bennet, was hired to scoop out the side of the river bank in the shape of a semi circular basin. Large rocks were transported to the site – with much difficulty by local volunteers - to terrace the floor of the pool, which was then reinforced with concrete and bricks.

By 1924, after two and a half years, the Alphington Swimming Pool was completed. One of the residents at the time remembered that on “the last day there was a cheer. Those men said they would leave Alphington a little better than they found it”

Later, a second smaller basin was built with two diving boards - one ten foot and the other three – and a timber platform erected on the other side of the river. A 23 meter long open ended barrier was built around the basin – initially iron pipe and later timber – which children were required to swim along to gain their swimming certificates. An ex-swim student recalled that
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“our greatest thrill…was swimming across the river – you thought you were great if you did that”.

Boys used a rope on the far side of the river and a large dead gum tree to dive and swing into the water.

(Submitted on September 5, 2026, by Dean Barton-Ancliffe of Rowville, Victoria.)

Credits. This page was last revised on September 6, 2026. It was originally submitted on September 5, 2026, by Dean Barton-Ancliffe of Rowville, Victoria. This page has been viewed 11 times since then. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on September 5, 2026, by Dean Barton-Ancliffe of Rowville, Victoria. • Andrew Ruppenstein was the editor who published this page.