Access to toilet/change facilities Actively maintained Disabled Access

Men Women Children

Current Use: Ocean baths.
Condition: Good, facilities nearby.

1956
The pool was an accepted part of the beach landscape complementing the surf beach. Council offered to supply around eight bags of cement for the Progress Association to use in repairs of 'the children's rock pool' at the southern end of the Beach.

1960s
After several gruesome drownings at the beach, locals decided the Gosford pool some 10 miles distant was not meeting the learn-to-swim needs of the 125 children at the local school, the training needs of the Avoca Beach surf club or the summer population (including campers) estimated at around 11,000. The ocean baths at The Entrance were 20 miles away.

The Avoca Beach Progress Association spearheaded a movement to enlarge and improve the existing rock pool to meet the community's evident needs and enhance the beauty of the southern end of the beach.

1964
The Progress Association wrote to Mr P. D. Hill, the NSW Minister for Local Government, about 'the lack of safe bathing along the whole of this coastal area'. The coastline between the Hawkesbury River and The Entrance was said to have a 'lamentable lack' of facilities where people could learn to swim or where swimmers could train.

Council had already approved the construction of a pool in principle and a public meeting was held at the Surf Club pavilion to discuss the pool proposal. There was support from the Bowling Club, the CWA, Chamber of Commerce, Parents and Citizen's Committee and the Surf club.

1967
Work began on the Avoca Beach Children's Rock Swimming Pool as a joint project of the Avoca Beach Progress Association, the Avoca Beach Chamber of Commerce, the Avoca Beach surf club.

1968
The pool project committee sought funding from Alderman P. D. Hill, NSW Deputy Premier and Minister for Local Government, and learned that Gosford Shire Council could seek a subsidy from the Department of Public Works for the construction of an Olympic pool at Avoca Beach.

A few people worried that the pool project interfered with 'the natural unspoiled beauty of the area' and doubted whether 'pressed concrete could withstand the heavy seas at times very rough'. The rock pool offered a good protected fishing spot when the seas were up and Avoca Beach Angling Club worried that work on the pool would impair the fishing, which is 'of prime importance to visitors'.

The Avoca Beach surf club, worried that 'the number of rescues this year appear to have increased since the alteration of the pool', suggested seeking advice from the CSIRO on whether alterations to the rock structure would affect the currents. The CSIRO referred the matter to the University of New South Wales Water Research Laboratory at Manly Vale.

1969
The Avoca Beach Chamber of Commerce withdrew its donation 'due to the lack of interest by the general public and abandonment of the Rock Swimming Pool project'.

1975
The Progress Association asked Council to have the children's pool cleaned out by the October holiday weekend. 'Most grand-parents' present at a meeting agreed that the pool was in an unsatisfactory state and requested low-tide inspection with a representative of the Shire Engineer.

1978
Water samples taken at the rock pool gave high pollution readings, even at one point equivalent to raw sewage, so the Department of Health erected a sign at the pool to warn swimmers of pollution from septic systems. The Health Department prosecuted about half a dozen people, booked about 27 people for discharging effluent into gutters and asked nearby householders to attend to their drainage problems.

When the Progress Association asked Council to extend the stormwater pipe so it emptied beyond the children's pool, Council advised that it had no funds available and that the problem 'will be alleviated by sewerage reticulation scheduled for 1981'.

1980
The Progress Association asked the Health Commission to check pollution levels at the rock pool to see if the pollution warning sign could be removed.

1988
Gosford Council assessed the Avoca Beach rock pool as having high usage, being shallow, well-located and ideal for small children and as being in a fair condition, even though its rocks had to be re-arranged after high seas.

1991
The Association was concerned that the 'Babies rock pool' was silting up.

1994
A storm water drain was still emptying into the rock pool.

1995
When the Avoca surf club and life guards asked Council engineers to assess the feasibility of erecting a full-size pool within the rock pool, a 248-signature petition opposing the development of the Olympic pool convinced Council to leave the pool alone.

Council rerouted the stormwater drain so it no longer emptied into the rock pool and removed some sand and rocks from the pool, as well as forming a Council Beach Liaison Committee with three Avoca Beach representatives, one from the general community, one from the Progress Association and one from the surf club.

1998
Two men fishing off the rocks south of the rock pool were hit by a huge wave and washed into the water. Lifesavers pulled both men from the water and began resuscitation on the unconscious man, who was dead on arrival at Gosford Hospital. The other man was treated for shock.

2003
A five-bedroom townhouse at 'The  Rock Pool''with wide views down to the Avoca Pool was on the market  for $1.5 million.

 

1830
John Moore, an army officer from Ireland, received a 640-acre land grant and named his property Avoca.

1908
The building of the first bridge across Avoca Lake improved public access to Avoca Beach, then called Moore's Beach.

From around 1911
Well-to-do people travelled quite long distances to stay at the elite Avoca Beach Guest House, which was both the social centre of the village, and a great venue for fund raising events.

Late 1920s
The drowning of two local girls at Avoca Beach in 1928 triggered the formation of a surf club in 1929. Guest-house visitors generously supported the surf club.

Around 1929-30, Avoca Beach acquired its first shop and post office.

1940s & 1950s
A Progress Association formed in 1939-40.
Local landsales boomed in the 1940s and 1950s.
Gosford Council operated a 1950s camping ground at the southern end of Avoca Beach.

To be added.

Demonstrates the enduring popularity of a simple ring-of-rocks bathing pool and the environmental and social issues associated with trying to 'improve' on such a pool. This pool illustrates the virtues of simple design with nature and the long- lasting benefits available from using simple means of construction. Attempts to further enlarge or develop the pool have proved ill-advised. The community significance of this pool once demonstrated by support for efforts to enlarge it is now demonstrated by demands to retain it as a simple ring-of-rocks defining a bathing pool. Support from the progress association and surf club has always been strong, as the pool adds to the safety measures in place at the beach as well as promoting tourism.

It is representative of other ring-of-rocks pools along the NSW coast developed to complement a surf beach and serve a small resident community and a much larger summer population of campers and other visitors.

Assessed significance: Worthy of nomination for State heritage Listing.
Current heritage status: Not yet given heritage status.
 

Related Topics Bathrooms, toilets & laundries Cafes, coffee & restaurants Children CWA Fishing & fishtraps Ring-of-rocks pools Science Waste management Water quality

Studies & References To be added.