Fonty's Pool
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]
History
[edit]Creation of the pool
[edit]Archimede "Archie" Fontanini arrived with 12 shillings and 6 pence,[2] equivalent to A$110.89 in 2022, in Fremantle, Western Australia from Italy in 1904.[3] He worked for a timber sawmill at Greenbushes for three years, then decided to move near Bridgetown to become a farmer.[3] Fontanini bought 190 hectares (460 acres) of land in what was known locally as Archie's Oven Gulley in 1907.[3] He cleared the land and planted and harvested apples and various vegetables.[3] 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.[3] He believed this would settle the silt in the water[4] and improve the land's fertility.[3]
Fontanini and his wife had five children, who swam regularly in the dam he created.[3] The dam became popular with other children and adults as the district of Manjimup and timber town of Deanmill expanded.[3] There was no public pool in Manjimup, and Fontanini was encouraged to keep the dam and charge an entry fee.[3] This he did, and he constructed facilities, cemented the dam walls and floor and developed the surrounding gardens with little mechanical assistance.[3]
Open to the public
[edit]
The pool was officially opened to the public in 1925.[3] On Australia Day, 1947, a log chop was held as part of an Australia Day Sports carnival.[3] This was held annually for eleven years.[3]
In 1950, Fontanini retired from farming to work full-time on managing the pool and gardens.[3] Fonty's Pool received thousands of visitors each year, and the swimming lessons were very popular.[3] 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.[3]
Fontanini closed the pool to the public in 1973, because the management burden was too great.[3] 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.[3] Some 12,000 people attended the carnival.[5] Fontanini was present at the celebration. He died in 1982.[3]
Today
[edit]Public liability insurance issues led to the closure of Fonty's Pool in 2005, when its insurance policy was revoked.[6] The Fontanini family sold the farm shortly afterwards.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 (980 ft) fence around the perimeter to meet insurance requirements.[6]
The Shire of Manjimup celebrated its centenary on Australia Day 2008 with a "Back to Fonty's" event.[7] The celebration included swimming races, a bathtub race and a log chop competition.[7]
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.[8] The 330-hectare (820-acre) winery, established in 1989, also produces avocados and truffles.[8]
Fonty's Pool holds 18 million litres (4.8 million US gallons) of water, with a winter flow rate of 44,000 litres per hour (12,000 gal/h).[3] The pool covers nearly 4,000 square metres (1 acre).[1]
References
[edit]- 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.
- ↑ Fonty's Pool (n.d.a).
- 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.
- ↑ Fonty's Pool (n.d.b).
- ↑ Olsen, Graeme. "South West Life – Fonty's Pool". Archived from the original on 19 October 2007. Retrieved 31 December 2007.
- 1 2 "Fonty's Pool". Archived from the original on 12 December 2007. Retrieved 31 December 2007.
- 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.
- 1 2 "Margaret River Regional Wine Centre". Archived from the original on 9 December 2004. Retrieved 31 December 2007.
Sources
[edit]- Fonty's Pool and Caravan Park (n.d.a). Where it all Began: Fonty's Pool (Information board). Fonty's Pool. Jardee, Western Australia. First board. Retrieved 26 March 2026.
- Fonty's Pool and Caravan Park (n.d.b). Where it all Began: Fonty's Pool (Information board). Fonty's Pool. Jardee, Western Australia. Second board. Retrieved 26 March 2026.
