Located in Surrey Park, this photo was taken about 1909-1912. The Surrey Hills Swimming Club formed in 1906 and swimming carnivals were popular from this time. The dive was created from a clay hole formed during brick-making activity at the adjacent brick works. From 1906 Carnivals were popular events. Olympic competitors trained here until Councils built Olympic-sized pools. Photo by William V Hill of Pembroke Street. Donor Mr Bill Dempsey was his nephew.A black and white photograph of a group of 15 young men standing and sitting on diving boards and a platform near some stairs. Most are wearing long trunks covering their thighs and singlets. One person is wearing a boater hat.surrey dive, swimmers, bathing costumes, surrey hills swimming club, box hill brick works, festivals and celebrations, olympics, (mr) william v hill

This book has recorded as much history as is possible of the Surrey Park Swimming Club which lost many records in a fire in 1929. The authors have highlighted a few people who were life members and also some other notable swimmers.This book has recorded as much history as is possible of the Surrey Park Swimming Club which lost many records in a fire in 1929. The authors have highlighted a few people who were life members and also some other notable swimmers.surrey park swimming club (vic), swimming, box hill, (mr) gerard o'donnell, (mr) george lyall, (mr) matt welsh, (mrs) bev storey, (mr) ian pope, (mr) ted holdaway, (mr) dick holdaway, (mr) john konrads, (mr) harold prudden, (mrs) lesley lobban, (mr) gary hart, (mr) brett davis, (mr) gary winduss, (mr) doug andrews, (mr) mick withers, (mr) robert menzies, (mr) robert elmore, j. bell, (miss) alwyn mitchell, (miss) bev lyall, (mr) j orrill, (ms) maureen meagher, (ms) sandra giles, (mr) mack greening, (mr) des meagher, (ms) diane elmore, (ms) christine meagher, (ms) lyn reardon, d. walker, (ms) barbara somcox, (ms) mavis dahl, (ms) ilma dahl, (mr) john (snow) lobban, (mr) alan baster, (mr) tom richards, (mr) john lauder, (miss) val george, (mr) ashley cooper, (mr) noel collacott, (mr) colin mcdonald, (mrs) ivy lavinia weber, (mr) frank beaurepaire

The urban development of Surrey Hills occurred largely followed the extension of the railway to Lilydale from 1882 and by the late 1880s a variety of sporting and other cultural clubs and societies had been established, many being associated with the local churches. Ken James researched this book for the Surrey Hills Historical Society, of which he is a member, using material and photos from the Surrey Hills Historical Society collection, material from TROVE and other sources. There is a history of 82 groups and where possible dates of operation are included.music, basketball, bowls, cricket, cycling, football, golf, gymnastics, hurling, netball, rifle shooting, swimming, table tennis, tennis, squash, walking, brass bands, choral groups, debating, dramatic clubs, musical club, operatic society, surrey hills orchestra, quadrille, rose club, our holy redeemer church, surrey hills church of christ, surrey hills methodist church, st stephens presbyterian church, australian natives association, balwyn combined, catholic young men's society, surrey hills baptist church, surrey hills independent order of rechabites, wyclif congregational church, surrey hills college, hockey, chatham netball club, blue bell tennis club, benson street methodist church, our ladies wattle park, surrey hills state school old scholars tennis club, surrey squash centre, surrey hills neighbourhood centre, cantrices ladies choir, surrey hills choristers, surrey hills everleigh private amateur dramatic club, field naturalists, holy redeemer basketball, holy trinity basketball, surrey hills church of christ basketball, holy trinity church of england, surrey hills methodist basketball, surrey hills presbyterian basketball, surrey hills bowls club, surrey hills ladies bowls club, surrey hills ana bowls club, surrey hills ior bowls club, balwyn combined cricket club, holy redeemer young men's society cricket club, holy trinity cricket club, surrey hills ana cricket club, surrey hills baptist cricket club, surrey hills church of christ cricket club, surrey hills cricket club, surrey hills ior cricket club, surrey hills junior cricket club, surrey hills methodist cricket club, surrey park combine cricket club, wyclif congregational cricket club, wyclif uniting cricket club, wyclif cricket club, surrey hills cycling club, venture cycle, venture cycling club, surrey hills neighbourhood centre cycling group, balwyn combined football club, surrey college football club, surrey hills combined football club, holy redeemer young men's society football club

This book has recorded as much history as is possible of the Surrey Park Swimming Club which lost many records in a fire in 1929. The authors have highlighted a few people who were life members and also some other notable swimmers.This book has recorded as much history as is possible of the Surrey Park Swimming Club which lost many records in a fire in 1929. The authors have highlighted a few people who were life members and also some other notable swimmers.surrey park swimming club (vic), swimming, box hill, (mr) gerard o'donnell, (mr) george lyall, (mr) matt welsh, (mrs) bev storey, (mr) ian pope, (mr) ted holdaway, (mr) dick holdaway, (mr) john konrads, (mr) harold prudden, (mrs) lesley lobban, (mr) gary hart, (mr) brett davis, (mr) gary winduss, (mr) doug andrews, (mr) mick withers, (mr) robert menzies, (mr) robert elmore, j. bell, (miss) alwyn mitchell, (miss) bev lyall, (mr) j orrill, (ms) maureen meagher, (ms) sandra giles, (mr) mack greening, (mr) des meagher, (ms) diane elmore, (ms) christine meagher, (ms) lyn reardon, d. walker, (ms) barbara somcox, (ms) mavis dahl, (ms) ilma dahl, (mr) john (snow) lobban, (mr) alan baster, (mr) tom richards, (mr) john lauder, (miss) val george, (mr) ashley cooper, (mr) noel collacott, (mr) colin mcdonald, (mrs) ivy lavinia weber, (mr) frank beaurepaire

This photo records one of the swimming carnivals held at the Surrey Dive, the first of which was organised in 1907. It was at the 1907 carnival that champion swimmer Frank Beaurepaire won the one-mile championship in record time. In the era before purpose-built municipal swimming pools, Surrey Dive was a popular destination for swimming and people came to it from many Melbourne suburbs. It operated from 1905 to 1967. It was the newly formed Surrey Park Swimming Club (established in 1905) that petitioned the Box Hill Council to purchase the former quarry site associated with the Box Hill Brick Works. A ramp, bathing sheds, springboards, and eventually a 10-lane course were developed, making the Dive the first Olympic standard pool in Australia. The carnivals attracted huge crowds. The original use as a quarry explains the notorious depth of the swimming hole and the sheer, steep cliffs surrounding it. These posed obvious safety issues, as did the water quality. Ivy Lavinia Weber, who was the second woman to be elected to the Victorian parliament (the first at a general election) and renowned for her commitment to health and physical fitness, campaigned for State government assistance to build new baths. These were built adjacent to the Dive and were opened in 1939. The Dive continued as a facility used by experienced swimmers until 1967 when it closed due to the drought causing the water to dry up. Today the site has been turned into an ornamental lake. This image was used as a mural in the refurbishment of the Box Hill Aqualink. The image has strong associations with early industry (brick making), recreation and particularly the early history of the sport of swimming.Black and white photo with a white border. Scan shows image only. It shows 3 men diving from a wooden platform into an area of water beneath higher banks. There is a boat in the background, a building to the LHS of the photo and many spectators in boater hats on the platform, some in bathing suits along a ledge and many around the top of the bank. Two men in the LH foreground may be officials.Printed long the bottom edge of the frame: "An image from history - Carnival Day at the Dive. / (photo: Box Hill Council)"surrey dive, box hill brick works, swimming, surrey park swimming club, (mr) frank beaurepaire, (mrs) ivy lavinia weber, swimming carnivals

The Dive, in Elgar Road Park was formed when water seeped into the hole from which clay had been quarried for brick-making. In 1905 the Surrey Swimming Club was formed and carnivals were held regularly. This was the venue for training Olympic swimmers prior to the Council constructing an Olympic sized pool.Black and white photo with a grassy foreground beyond which the apex of the roof only of the clubhouse is visible. Beyond this the far bank of the Surrey Dive can be seen with fencing along its perimeter.surrey dive, swimming, sports and recreation, quarries, box hill brick works, elgar road park, surrey swimming club