Saturday 24 July 2021, 2.30pm — View Steve’s talk here…
BRISBANE’S love affair with swimming from early colonial days to the present will be in focus at the July meeting of the New Farm and Districts Historical Society.
The speaker is to be Steve Capelin, a writer who is a member of the West End Making History Group.
“The river was the site of early bathing, though mixed bathing and the irreverent behaviour of young men was frowned upon,” says Steve. “From that moment onwards and for the following 180 years, Brisbane has sought to create ever more sophisticated facilities.”
Sure to be mentioned are the Mowbray Park baths (across from Oxlade Dr) and the Valley Baths where many New Farm children learned to swim.
A book called A Short History of Swimming in Brisbane, a proposed collaboration between Steve and Matthew Wengert, is in the pipeline.
The meeting is to take place at the Uniting Church Centre, 52 Merthyr Rd, New Farm, on Saturday, 24 July, beginning at the later time of 2.30pm. The meeting will be recorded, so as be available online the following day.
There will be room for 100 attendees, and afternoon tea will be available. All are welcome. $5 (members $4).