Edithburgh Swimming Pool: Amber takes to the water in the Yorke Peninsula region of South Australia

With about 450 kilometres of sometimes spectacular coastline and an average width of only 40 kilometres it's not surprising the people of Yorke Peninsula have strong links to the sea. Surfing, fishing and generally relaxing are popular. When the grueling harvest is over the usually quite seaside towns almost burst as the inlanders head for the coast.

Edithburgh is typical - sitting on the heel of Yorke Peninsula it's regular population of around 600 swell to two thousand during the summer holidays. The town jetty is popular with hopeful anglers but in the late 18,000 of ton of salt was being shipped through here. Mined from nearby inland lakes, the salt lakes kept the town going when the crops failed. But when the port was busy - the locals still needed somewhere to swim and that led to the creation of the Edithburgh Tidal Swimming Pool.

It's now a Yorke Peninsula icon - a safe haven protected from the waves and any other nasties that might be out in the deep.

Peter Stockings, Development Board: "Originally it was on the southern side of the jetty where the ladies used to have a pool because there was no mixed sex bathing back in the 1880s. As things moved on they decided to build another pool for the men and consequently that became this area where we are today."

In the 1920s the local Salt Companies used to sponsor a number of handicap races for its workers.

Peter Stockings, Development Board: "You've got to remember that Edithburgh was a shipping port and the jetty was used quite considerably so there were times you couldn't swim over there because they were loading ships with not only salt, they were loading with grain so that was out of bounds a lot of the time so consequently the ships would be tied up some everyone cold come over here and have a safe swim and enjoy themselves."

And they've been doing it ever since. In 1930 a 'work for the dole' scheme saw the cliff-face terraced. Not long after the local swimming club decided to build a safe pool for the local children. It's undergone a number of facelifts over the years - from it's beginnings as a collection of strategically placed rocks below the pavilion to the well planned concrete terraces we have today maintained by the local Progress Association.

Pop into the Edithburgh Museum in the old Produce Store to learn more about the pool and the rest of Edithburgh's history - like the days when it was South Australia's third busiest port, shipping out salt, grain, lime and even eggs. The museum's in the main street and is open on Sundays from 2 till 4. If you have any further questions please email info@postcards-sa.com.au

Edithburgh Museum
Edith St
Open Sundays 2pm - 4pm

Published 7th March 2010