Fonty's Pool

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Fonty's Pool is a historic freshwater swimming pool near Manjimup, Western Australia. It is registered with the National Trust of Australia as an area of heritage significance. [1]

Manjimup, Western Australia Town in Western Australia

Manjimup is a town in Western Australia, 307 kilometres (191 mi) south of the state capital, Perth. The town of Manjimup is a regional centre for the largest shire in the South West region of Western Australia. At the 2016 census, Manjimup had a population of 4,349.

National Trust of Australia federation of non-profit organisations committed to promoting and conserving indigenous, natural and historic heritage in Australia

The National Trust of Australia, officially the Australian Council of National Trusts (ACNT), is the Australian national peak body for community-based, non-government non-profit organisations committed to promoting and conserving Australia's indigenous, natural and historic heritage.

Contents

History

Creation of the pool

Italian Archimede "Archie" Fontanini arrived in Fremantle, Western Australia in 1904. [2] He worked for a timber sawmill at Greenbushes for three years, then decided to move near Bridgetown to become a farmer. [2] Fontanini bought 460 acres (1.9 km2) of land in what was known locally as "Archie's Oven Gulley" in 1907. [2] He cleared the land and planted and harvested apples and various vegetables. [2] The water in the front of the house was used to grow heavy crops, and Fontanini decided to rest the land by damming the stream with a large log and earth. [2] He believed this would settle the silt in the water and improve the land's fertility. [2]

Greenbushes, Western Australia Town in Western Australia

Greenbushes is a timber and mining town located in the South West region of Western Australia. The 2016 population was 362.

Bridgetown, Western Australia Town in Western Australia

Bridgetown is a town in the South West region of Western Australia, approximately 270 kilometres (168 mi) south of Perth on the Blackwood River at the intersection of South Western Highway with Brockman Highway to Nannup and Augusta.

Fontanini and his wife had five children, who swam regularly in the dam he created. [2] The dam became popular with other children and adults as the district of Manjimup and timber town of Deanmill expanded. [2] There was no public pool in Manjimup, and Fontanini was encouraged to keep the dam and charge an entry fee. [2] This he did, and he constructed facilities, cemented the dam walls and floor and developed the surrounding gardens with little mechanical assistance. [2]

Deanmill, Western Australia Town in Western Australia

Deanmill is a historic timber town located in the South West region of Western Australia, near Manjimup. Its postcode is 6258.

Swimming pool Artificial container filled with water intended for swimming

A swimming pool, swimming bath, wading pool, or paddling pool is a structure designed to hold water to enable swimming or other leisure activities. Pools can be built into the ground or built above ground, and are also a common feature aboard ocean-liners and cruise ships. In-ground pools are most commonly constructed from materials such as concrete, natural stone, metal, plastic, or fiberglass, and can be of a custom size and shape or built to a standardized size, the largest of which is the Olympic-size swimming pool.

Open to the public

Fonty's Pool in 1950. Fonty's Pool 1950.jpg
Fonty's Pool in 1950.

The pool was officially opened to the public in 1925. [2] On Australia Day, 1947, a log chop was held as part of an Australia Day Sports carnival. [2] This was held annually for eleven years. [2]

Australia Day Australian national holiday

Australia Day is the official national day of Australia. Celebrated annually on 26 January, it marks the anniversary of the 1788 arrival of the First Fleet of British ships at Port Jackson, New South Wales, and the raising of the Flag of Great Britain at Sydney Cove by Governor Arthur Phillip. In present-day Australia, celebrations reflect the diverse society and landscape of the nation and are marked by community and family events, reflections on Australian history, official community awards and citizenship ceremonies welcoming new members of the Australian community.

In 1950, Fontanini retired from farming to work full-time on managing the pool and gardens. [2] Fonty's Pool received thousands of visitors each year, and the swimming lessons were very popular. [2] Fontanini was made a Member of the Order of the British Empire and received a Queen's honour for his contribution to the community and tourist industry in 1970. [2]

Fontanini closed the pool to the public in 1973, because the management burden was too great. [2] Community support saw the pool reopened in 1979 with the Australia Day Log Chops and Swimming Carnival, in celebration of Western Australia's 150th anniversary. [2] Some 12,000 people attended the carnival. [3] Fontanini was present at the celebration. He died in 1982. [2]

Today

Public liability insurance issues led to the closure of Fonty's Pool in 2005, when its insurance policy was revoked. [4] The Fontanini family sold the farm shortly afterwards. The new owners, with assistance from the National Trust of Australia, reopened the pool with a 300-metre fence around the perimeter to meet insurance requirements. [4]

The Shire of Manjimup celebrated its centenary on Australia Day 2008 with a "Back to Fonty's" event. [5] The celebration included swimming races, a bathtub race and a log chop competition. [5]

Part of Fontanini's original farm now houses a winery called Fonty's Pool Wines, which is adjacent to the pool on Seven Day Road. [6] The 330 hectare winery, established in 1989, also produces avocados and truffles. [6]

Fonty's Pool holds 18 million litres of water, with a winter flow rate of 44,000 litres per hour. [2] The pool covers nearly one acre. [1]

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References

  1. 1 2 "Heritage Council of Western Australia : Year of the Built Environment 2004". Archived from the original on 15 June 2005. Retrieved 31 December 2007.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 "History of Fonty's Pool" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 29 August 2007. Retrieved 31 December 2007.
  3. ↑ Olsen, Graeme. "South West Life – Fonty's Pool". Archived from the original on 19 October 2007. Retrieved 2007-12-31.
  4. 1 2 "Fonty's Pool". Archived from the original on 12 December 2007. Retrieved 31 December 2007.
  5. 1 2 "Historic pool dives back into festivities". The West Australian. 25 January 2008. Archived from the original on 17 February 2008. Retrieved 6 February 2008.
  6. 1 2 "Margaret River Regional Wine Centre". Archived from the original on 9 December 2004. Retrieved 2007-12-31.

Coordinates: 34°17′24″S116°04′08″E / 34.290°S 116.069°E / -34.290; 116.069

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