Change Rooms Toilets Disabled Access

Men Women Children

Current Use: Ocean baths.
Condition: Good, showers but no toilets or change rooms.

1890s
A fine rock pool formed with boulders existed on the southside of Long Bay, near the site of the present golf club.

1909
Long Bay had free public baths. Its 'large swimming basin at the south-western corner containing buoyant seawater of varying depth' gave 'recurrent pleasure to visitors and residents'.

Around 1911
Randwick Council was proposing to build dressing-sheds and an enclosed swimming baths for ladies at Long Bay. The beach was popular with adults and children because of its beautifully clean sand and water and because it was believed to be seldom visited by sharks.

1916
An ocean outfall constructed at Malabar carried waste from the Homebush Abattoir and other waste into the ocean. The waste plume attracted sharks and seabirds.

1920s
Randwick Council promoted Long Bay as a 'nice quiet bathing spot with a splendid reserve for picnics'.
 
1970s
Sewage from Malabar sustained vast numbers of the now-endangered wandering albatross. People still saw and smelled the sewage plume going all the way out to the horizon. The bay and the rock pool were eventually declared off-limits to bathers due to pollution from the Malabar sewer outfall and the surf club that had patrolled the beach closed down. The historic 150-metre sea pool fell into disrepair.

Late 1970s
The NSW Department of Health requested that Randwick Council erect signs to warn people that the water was polluted from the Malabar sewer outfall.

1985
The principal of St Andrew's Primary School at Malabar asked Randwick Council to plan restoration of the Malabar Pool, as the inground Heffron Park Pool (now known as the Des Renford Aquatic Centre) at Maroubra was so booked out, that local children had no learn-to-swim venue. Randwick aldermen insisted that the area would not be fit for swimming for decades after the planned upgrade of the ocean outfall.

Early 1990s
Construction of the Deep Water Sewer Outfall at Malabar so improved the water quality in its vicinity, that Long Bay was once more fit for bathing. The outfall emptied 4.2 kilometres offshore from Boora Point.

1991
Stormwater and rain, rather than sewage and industrial waste were the major sources of pollution in the Bay.

1993
Malabar was back on the surfing circuit, but the Malabar rock pool had been long neglected. Six local schools requested the pool's re-opening so that they could use it for swimming carnivals. State MP Bob Carr promised a $ for $ subsidy for the pool if his party won government. The incoming Randwick Mayor, Cr Charles Matthews, was also seeking contributions from the Water Board and local industry.

1994
The Malabar Beach and Foreshore Plan of Management recommended restoring the rock pool but improving its safety by reducing its size and deepening and flattening the pool. It also recommended providing a stroller ramp from the carpark to the pool, an outdoor shower and small toilet block and commencing work in 1994 financial year and continuing into the following year. Residents were keen to have the rock pool re-opened and water quality further improved.

1997
A plaque at the Malabar Pool testifies to the re-opening of the restored rockbaths in March by the Premier of NSW and the Mayor of Randwick and that funding for restoration was provided by Randwick City Council, Sydney Water and the coastal management program of the NSW  Department of Land and Water Conservation.

1999
The waters of Malabar's beach and the ocean pool were crystal-clear.

2000
As part of its State of the Environment (SOE) report, Randwick City Council reported on water monitoring in the Malabar pool.

2002
Dumping of oil and paint prompted a $30,000 clean-up involving Randwick City Council, the NSW EPA and the Fire Brigade's hazardous materials team. The EPA said that while the paint had damaged seagrasses in the pool, most of the spill was contained in the pool, so there was unlikely to be any long-term environmental damage. Randwick Council offered a reward for information leading to a successful prosecution and considered installing floodlights and video surveillance equipment.

This area was once part of the land set aside to support colonial clergy and teachers.

Early 1900s
A small fishing village had grown up on Long Bay, which had become a popular picnic and weekend camping spot for city dwellers. People from inner Sydney suburbs like Paddington would come to the area to stay in weekenders.

1909
The State Reformatory for Women opened at Long Bay.

1914
The State Penitentiary for male prisoners opened at Long Bay.

World War I
Land at Long Bay used for musketry practice was set aside for Defence purposes.

1920s
Randwick Council promoted Long Bay as a 'nice quiet bathing spot with a splendid reserve for picnics'.

1930s
The 4,512-tonne Burns Philp ship Malabar was stranded in shallow water off the north headland on its 1931 maiden voyage. Over 30,000 sightseers came to visit the wreck.
 
During the Depression years, there was an unemployment camp at Malabar.

1967
When the ANZAC rifle range at Liverpool closed, numerous rifle clubs transferred to Long Bay.

1970
The Long Bay Metropolitan Remand Centre opened.

1973
The Department of Army renamed the Long Bay rifle range as the ANZAC rifle range.

To be added.

Significant for its environmental history. This rock pool popular in the late nineteenth century was later so polluted by the nearby sewage plant as to be unfit for bathing. After development of the deep-ocean outfall for the sewage system, residents and local schools lobbied for the reopening of the rock baths to meet recreational and school swimming needs. The rock pool re-opened in the late twentieth century.

Assessed significance: Local.
Current heritage status: Not yet given heritage status.
 

Related Topics Council involvement Golf Government involvement Rifle shooting School swimming Science Surf clubs Waste management Water quality

Studies & References To be added.