From Diamond Creek’s earliest days, hot summer weather often meant locals spent time swimming to get some relief. That usually meant finding a part of the creek with a deep pool that could be accessed easily. A pool downstream from the bridge was popular with boys and young men, but young women and girls had few options.

Before You Came – Mines, Myths & Memories of Diamond Creek (John L. Ryan 1972) has a descriptive story of swimming before a dedicated swimming pool was constructed.

In the early days the only swimming pool was a hole in the creek known as “Brewers’ Hole”. This was named after some early settlers, who had their home on the bank where the present swimming pool is now. There were no bathing togs in those early days so the boys went into the water in the nude. After a good swim they would run around on the bank to get dry. One lady, who lived more than ¼ of a mile away, reported to the Police that she could see the boys running around naked. The Policeman said, “But lady, you could not see them that distance away”. “Yes! You can”, she said, “When you put the field glasses on them”.

At a meeting of the Diamond Creek Progress Association in December 1924, the association’s president Dr. Cordner   introduced the desirability of having a swimming pool in the district. At present boys went in swimming in a nude state, and the girls had no chance of bathing at all. If they had a swimming pool times would be fixed for boys and girls. He said that they could gather up enough money to get a swimming pool.—It was resolved, on the motion of Mr. Lorimer that a committee consisting of Messrs. Young, Edmonds, Campbell, and Gilding be a committee to go into the proposal and report at next meeting.

The proposal gained momentum in early 1925 and reports show that for the residents of Diamond Creek it was full steam ahead. At the next Progress Association meeting on 6th January it was resolved to convene a public meeting to move forward with arrangements for the swimming pool. It was also suggested that a swimming club be formed. In the following weeks it was formed and the Diamond Creek Swimming Club held a meeting of members and intending members on Friday, 30th January. The Advertiser’s report of that meeting shows how productive it was. An enthusiastic meeting of members and intending members of the Diamond Creek Swimming Club was held on Friday evening last, Mr. W. Cook presiding. A site for baths has been selected handy to the town, and has been approved by the shire engineer. Preparations are being made for the necessary improvement required. Already several donations have been handed in, and a big membership is anticipated. The subscription is—adults 2/, children 1/ (under 16), family tickets 5/. The following office-bearers were elected: President, Mr. A. L. Leach; vice-presidents, Dr. Cordner and Mr. Rose; secretary and treasurer, Mr. F. Jennings; general committee, Messrs. Cook, Wynne, Campbell, Courtney, and Whitaker; auditors, Messrs. Skeoch and Christian. A further general meeting is to be held on Friday evening next, to which all ladies interested are invited.” The committee appointed at the January meeting of the Progress Association to select a swimming pool, recommended a large lagoon on the recreation reserve, which it was considered could not be excelled near the township. Separate bathing days will be set apart for males and females. A committee of three was appointed to draw up a constitution and rules. On Saturday afternoon a working bee cut a channel from the lagoon to the creek and considerably reduced the water in it, and snagging, deepening, and cementing the bottom of the lagoon will be done in due course.”

Throughout March 1925, it was reported that work was progressing well. Water was being pumped out of the lagoon and old logs and other debris cleaned out. The volunteers working on clearing the water-hole were pleased to find it deeper than anticipated – up to 18 feet – as they believed it would make a fine swimming pool. It was pumped dry and cleared by winter. No reports were found of further work or progress until December 1928 when the secretary of the Diamond Creek Progress Association wrote to council asking for assistance in providing a satisfactory swimming pool. The Shire of Heidelberg decided to make an inspection to find a suitable site and report at the next meeting. It seems the hard work on the original site in 1925, for whatever reason, was in vain. They followed up with council in early 1929, but it wasn’t until the end of May that they were disappointed to be told that owing to financial stringency, a swimming pool would be postponed. It was the start of the Great Depression that would affect Australia so badly during the early 1930’s.

A swimming pool for the benefit of the community and in particular local school children, remained on the agenda at each progress association meeting. Their efforts continued throughout the next few years with offers to raise funds to match any grants from the Shire and attempts to have local men on sustenance work on construction.

In June 1934 the Advertiser reported on the Heidelberg Council meeting – Swimming pool for Diamond Creek. Cr J. L. Ryan moved that the council make application to the Crown Lands department for permission to erect a swimming pool on the Crown land at the rear of the tennis courts on the creek bank. Cr Jessop seconded—Carried. Cr Ryan said that for many years Diamond Creek had tried to have a swimming pool constructed. The site suggested was the best position and the area was approximately an acre in extent. “This will take financing,” he said, “and we hope that about £150 worth of sustenance labor will be available. We possibly can collect about £100 for cement and other necessities.”

By August the Department of Crown Lands and Survey had granted occupancy of the site for an annual fee of 10/-. The next step was for council to ask the State Rivers and Water Supply for permission to erect a windmill so water could be pumped from the creek into the swimming pool. A meeting of the local community was held in September with a view to forming a swimming pool. The following office-bearers were elected.—President Cr Ryan, vice-presidents: W. Brown and W. Laurie sen; patrons: Mr Everard, Major Casey, Cr G. H. Mott, Doctors Cordner and Sinclair, Messrs Alston, Spiers, Perversi, and Bradley, secretary: Mr S. R. Wieland, treasurer: W. Brown. It was    reported that two grants amounting to £275, have been allotted the venture. The pool, which will be 52 feet by 32 feet, so as to be uniform with other similar constructions because of competitions, will be built on a piece of Crown Land behind the tennis courts. The depth will vary from six feet to two feet. Work will commence almost immediately on the construction the material used being concrete.

Alongside community efforts to finally have a pool built, a social committee raised funds by organising Swimming Pool Socials such as novelty nights with dancing, novel games and competitions for local children and subscriptions from residents across Diamond Creek district were received towards the cost of the swimming pool. In November members of the Diamond Creek Swimming Club met to discuss a number of items of vital importance to the welfare of the club. They also resolved to meet with the shire’s engineer to have plans and specifications drawn up for work to start in the first week of December.

Work was delayed until March 1935 by floods in early December, and the sustenance men who were to work on the pool were instead engaged in work repairing flood damage. The swimming pool was finally completed in November and an opening ceremony planned for Saturday 23rd. The ceremony was attended by about 250 residents and the pool was officially opened by Cr C J Jessop, Mayor of Heidelberg. A report in the Advertiser describes the day, bunting lining the path through trees along the creek bank to the pool which was roped off. An official enclosure was also roped off, where the committee men and their wives and other official guests were accommodated. The Mayor and the Town Clerk of Heidelberg in their robes, inspected a guard of honor drawn from the Mayor’s Own Scout troop of Greensborough. The Fairfield State School Boys provided music during the afternoon. To Mervyn Hodgetts and Bob Laurie went the honor of being the first into the pool following the official opening. Hardly had the Mayor declared the pool open when there was a splash and the two youths mentioned were “in.” … Cr Ryan spoke of the good citizenship shown by the Diamond Creek residents and thanked the committee for the splendid and harmonious way in which they worked. … After the pool was declared open, a demonstration of primary lessons in swimming and life-saving was given by the instructor of the Education Department, with the assistance of two junior teachers. … The pool was soon the scene of many bobbing heads and splashing legs and arms, and a carnival followed.

Improvements were made over the next year or so, with water being made available from Yan Yean reservoir in March 1936. Complaints had been received from some swimmers about the creek water used in the pool. So there was a real transition from only having water holes in the creek available for cooling off!