Growing up
water play was a big part of our lives and learning to swim was considered
essential. I attended lessons at school and privately, as my children did, and
now my grandchildren do. Swimming lessons were part of the school curriculum.
Holiday
programs such as VICSWIM were also popular and which was offered as an
intensive Christmas Holiday swimming Program. In 1990 the “Summer Vacation
Learn to Swim Campaign attracts 32,500 children at 266 venues and involved 792 teachers”[i]
1963
Out first childhood holiday was Batesman Bay which is near Merimbula, a coastal town on the Princes Highway in southeast New South Wales, Australia.
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| Photographer Christine Filiamundi, Caravan Park, 1963, Batesman Bay, NSW, Australia. [W126] From the Left in the foreground, John Williamson leaning over Mark Williamson, Sandra Williamson & Judy Williamson |
The caravan park is to the left of the picture, where we hired a caravan and slept during the nights.
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| Photographer
Christine Filiamundi, Family on the beach, 1963, Batesman Bay, NSW, Australia
[W161] From the left Judy walking towards
John who has Mark on his knee, John
Williamson Snr, Sandra Williamson and Margaret Williamson |
While on holidays our paternal Grandparents came down to visit from Sydney in New South Wales.
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| Photographer Christine Filiamundi, Sandra sitting on the beach with her paternal grandparents, 1963, Batesman Bay, NSW, Australia [W118] |
1968
As we got older we continued to go to the beach often.
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| Photographer unknown, A picnic on the beach, 6 October 1968, Chelsea, Victoria, Australia. [W165] |
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| Photographer unknown, Paddleboarding at the beach, 6 October 1968, Chelsea, Victoria, Australia. [W166] From the back: Judy, Paul, Mark & Sandra |
2019
And so the tradition continues
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| Trying to escape the 43-degree heat (109F for my US friends), 30 December 2019, Frankston, Victoria, Australia |
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| At the beach with friends, 2 October 2019, Frankston, Victoria, Australia |
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| Beautiful day for the beach, 2 October 2019, Frankston, Victoria, Australia |
Beach Swimming in Australia – background notes
“Shark Patrols”
As a child, I remember small flying overhead as we played and swam at the beach which preformed “Shark Patrols”. A horn would sound and we would have to get out of the water where we’d wait until eventually an announcement or another siren would ring or perhaps a megaphone announcement from the plane and we would be allowed to venture back into the water. I don’t ever remember scared, just excited. Some years the popular AM Radio Station 3UZ funded the operation of the shark spotting plane.
“Swimming between the Flags, and the Surf Life Saving Clubs”
As child when possible we needed to swim between the flags.
Best, Alleyn & Surf Life Saving Victoria 2002, 50 years and more : a history of Surf Life Saving Victoria, Surf Life Saving Victoria, St. Kilda, Vic
“The painful stings of Blue Bottle Jelly Fish”
Marine Stingers – “Australia’s waters are home to many interesting and fascinating creatures, including jellyfish, some of which can be the cause of painful stings!”
“Slip! Slop! Slap!” cancer prevention program
One of the most successful health campaigns in Australia's
history was launched in 1981, when a cheerful seagull in board shorts, t-shirt
and hat danced his way across our TV screens singing the jingle.
I suppose most Australians live reasonably close to a beach so as to learn about sharks or jellyfish. Sadly skin cancer seems likely a much higher risk.
ReplyDeleteBack in the '60s, we used to lie out baking in the sun using baby oil and coco butter as sunscreen. I've had to have several suspicious-looking spots removed because of it. I wish we'd known then, what we know now. Now I use Broad Spectrum spf 50 protection and keep to the shade as much as possible!
ReplyDeleteGreat collection of photos at the beach! Good for you to have them to share. I did wonder about the sharks and jelly fish, which fortunately haven't bothered me most of the time when I have gone to a beach. But then the sun on our skin...and mine is so old now...oh my!
ReplyDelete