Yarra Pools

about

About the Project

Yarra Pools is currently conducting research to understand the needs of future users of a Yarra Pool.

We want to understand what’s important to the community and how can we incorporate this into the Pool design and operation.

Stage 1 of the user needs analysis focused on understanding the views of peak bodies and community organisations. This culminated in the formulation of our ‘design principles’ across 5 themes.

Download the full design principles report here

The design principles were used by RMIT architecture students through a design studio process to develop 7 new high level concept designs for a proposed Yarra Pool at Enterprize Park. We are now seeking community feedback on these concepts and how they deliver on our design themes of health and wellbeing, place and community, sustainability, environment and heritage, and jobs, economy and innovation.

The survey will take about 15 minutes and can be accessed here

Imagine swimming in Melbourne’s Yarra River . . . Pool

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‘Our vision is to have Melburnians talk about our river differently. To be proud of the Yarra, and to see it as an active place of nature, recreation and play.’

Matt Stewart, Yarra Swim Co.

media

Media

In the Media

http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/yarra-river-pool-plan-20160526-gp4ql7.html

https://www.timeout.com/melbourne/blog/a-swim-in-the-yarra-river-might-be-possible-in-the-near-future-052716

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-05-27/floating-swimming-pool-in-melbourne-yarra-river-possible/7450880

http://www.theurbandeveloper.com/yarra-swim-co/

http://worldlandscapearchitect.com/yarra-pool-urban-lido-planned-for-melbournes-yarra-river/

http://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/2016/05/27/floating-pool-proposal-melbournes-yarra-river-unveiled

https://www.pedestrian.tv/news/arts-and-culture/-if-you-fancy-a-swim-in-a-clean-yarra-your-wish-co/e7bc7c87-9ac6-43c9-95b1-ece79a0e43d5.htm

http://local.images.brisbanetimes.com.au/video/video-news/video-national-news/would-you-swim-in-the-yarra-20160526-4flrb.html

http://www.smh.com.au/victoria/yarra-river-pool-plan-20160526-gp4ql7.html

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-05-27/floating-swimming-pool-in-melbourne-yarra-river-possible/7450880

http://www.thecourier.com.au/story/3931884/yarra-river-pool-plan/?cs=7

http://www.architectureanddesign.com.au/News/Waterway-pool-being-conceptualised-for-Melbourne-s?mid=81ad84ab2f&utm_source=Cirrus+Media+Newsletters&utm_campaign=7d27652a80-Architecture+and+Design+Newsletter+-+201&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_fe913f1856-7d27652a80-60065193

http://www.theurbandeveloper.com/yarra-swim-co/?omhide=true&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=MON%20VIC&utm_content=MON%20VIC+CID_1f5c5b9e78777f2fcb23a0afbd22faac&utm_source=Campaign%20Monitor&utm_term=Yarra%20Swim%20Co%20Pushes%20Melbourne%20Waterway%20Pool%20Concept

http://www.architectureanddesign.com.au/news/waterway-pool-being-conceptualised-for-melbourne-s

http://tenplay.com.au/news/melbourne/2016/5/27/yarra-pool-proposal

http://www.dezeen.com/2016/05/27/studio-octopi-floating-swimming-pool-filtered-tidal-water-yarra-river-melbourne-venice-architecture-biennale/

http://www.splashmagazine.com.au/2016/05/30/yarra-river-pool-concept-floated-again/

http://www.trendhunter.com/trends/floating-swimming-pool

http://awol.junkee.com/could-melbournes-yarra-river-be-getting-a-floating-pool/28816

http://agreenliving.org/sparkly-clean-floating-river-pool-proposed-for-australias-polluted-yarra-river/

Imagine swimming in Melbourne’s Yarra River… Pool

Waterway pool being conceptualised for Melbourne’s Yarra River

Sparkly clean floating river pool proposed for Australia’s polluted Yarra River

This floating pool could help clean up a polluted river in…

Pool planned for Melbourne’s Yarra River

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history

History of Swimming in the Yarra

For thousands of years the Yarra River was an iconic central meeting place, a source of food and recreation. The local indigenous people, the Wurundjeri, nurtured it, told stories about it, and swam in its clear fresh waters.

When Europeans arrived and established Melbourne, the desire to swim in the river continued, even despite urbanisation and industrialisation leading to the river becoming increasingly polluted. In 1849, N.L. Kentish set about building the Victoria Baths, one of a number of floating, public pools constructed in the Yarra River around that time. Victoria Baths were located just downstream of the Queens Bridge Falls. The falls, removed in the 1880s where a natural feature of the river which separated the fresh and salt water.

In the early 1900s an annual swimming race was established in the river. The Three Mile Yarra Swim was “one of the chief swimming events in the world” and drew a world record number of entrants in 1929. It was attended by large crowds who lined the banks of the Yarra cheering on the likes of Olympic silver medallist Ivan Stedman, and former Lord Mayor and Olympian, Frank Beaurepaire.

Pollution, which remains a problem to this day, eventually put a halt to swimming in it the Yarra’s lower reaches. The Three Mile Swim was briefly revived from 1987-1991 but has not run again due to safety concerns. This is despite a report done on participants of the race which found that they were in fact less likely to fall ill than a control group who didn’t swim. It is currently illegal to swim in the lower Yarra for boating safety reasons.

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