Pics From The Past | Shepparton’s rowing boat shed

The club’s boat shed at that time was built on the river, near the jetty, at the start of High St. In 1933, this boat shed, and the boats, were destroyed by fire, and a new building at the new Victoria Park Lake precinct, established in 1929, was approved.

“A meeting, called by the mayor (Cr J T Stuart), will be held in the Agricultural Society’s room this evening to discuss ways and means of assisting the Rowing Club after the loss of its boat shed, boats and equipment by fire. Anxious to rebuild as soon as possible, the club has obtained permission to erect its new shed at Victoria Park Lake between the two existing swimming sheds, and it has had plans prepared, which have been approved by the Parks and Gardens committee. The intended structure will add considerably to the improvement of the public’s prosperity at the lake.” Shepparton Advertiser May 1, 1933

The building of the new clubhouse in 1934 in its Jubilee year, which cost £450, was an initiative that received significant community support and was a source of pride for the town. It was formally inaugurated with a ‘smoke social’ held on the upper floor of the building, and Mrs C Borrman christened two new practice pairs of boats. The boats were named “W Grant” and “C Borrman”.

Over the years, the rowing club shared the building with other organisations, especially the swimming club, as the lake became the prime location for the local ‘public baths’ and swimming races.

When the Raymond West Swimming Pool was opened in 1955, the “boat house”, as it was commonly known, housed the swimming club and public changerooms, and a year or so later, the Shepparton Boys’ Club and a kiosk. The boys’ club conducted many activities in the building, such as boxing, wrestling, gymnastics and archery. They relocated in 1960 to their new Karibok Park buildings and formed the new Shepparton Youth Club.

The boat house was still being used by the swimming club as changerooms/toilets for the public, with a kiosk on the northern end of the building through the 60s and 70s.

Over time, the facilities and buildings started to fall into disrepair.

The Raymond West pool was unfenced at this time, and there was no cost to go swimming, so funds were possibly in short supply for the upkeep of the buildings.

Eventually, the boat house building was demolished sometime in the 1970s. In the early 80s, a new Raymond West Swimming Complex was built and fenced, with new toilets, change rooms, swimming club facilities, a kiosk and an entry fee introduced. It wasn’t long before a further upgrade of the facilities was required due to difficulties in managing a very large swimming pool and the associated health/safety/hygiene requirements.

In August 1997, Aquamoves was opened and boasted a state-of-the-art health and fitness club with the original Raymond West 50-metre pool. The old Raymond West Swimming Pool (and its unique boat house) held the distinction of being the largest chlorinated pool in the Southern Hemisphere, but it could not stand the test of time in a world that quickly adopts the modern and leaves behind few if any reminders of the past.

Geoff Allemand is an amateur photographer and Lost Shepparton Facebook page admin. Please share your pics of the past at pastpics@mmg.com.au