YALLOURN SWIMMING POOL
The first swimming area (a natural bathing spot) was improved by the Working Men’s Club, Western Camp, and assisted by residents from Yallourn and Brown Coal Mine. It opened on Sunday, 19 January 1927 in the Latrobe River, nicknamed “Fanny bay” close to the Power Station where remnants of it still exist along the side of the Moe Yallourn Railtrail.
An area was later established in Yallourn for a pool and on the 23 December 1936 was filled with water used for many years before being drained.
A new 8 lane Olympic size pool, situated near the corner of Parkway and Lake Avenue was opened on 7th November 1959, the pool was 55 yards long and 20 yards wide with a diving pool at one end. Adjacent to, but fenced off, was a smaller paddling and junior pool, 20 yards by 10 yards.
Public facilities included well-appointed male and female dressing sheds, a clubroom, a first aid room and kiosk. The pool was also used by the swimming club based there, and various schools from Yallourn and surrounding areas for carnivals and competitions.
The pool outlasted most of the town. It was still open in 1979 and by this time, of the original 1069 houses in Yallourn, only 38 remained, which only 11 were occupied. When Yallourn’s pool closed, the Yallourn North pool opened on 12 December 1980.
Yallourn Swimming Pool - approx 1940
Yallourn Swimming Pool - approx 1940
