1892 - present

The Bondi Amateur Swimming Club (BASC) is among the oldest amateur sporting bodies in the Commonwealth. It was established in 1892 and has been based at the Baths at South Bondi, now known as Bondi Icebergs.

In December 1883, residents petitioned Waverley Municipal Council for baths at the south end of the beach, and in 1887 baths were built over a natural rock pool. In 1892, the club was formed with 17 young men as the first members. It grew rapidly.

Through subscriptions and donations, the club built a two-storey weatherboard clubhouse near the pool. The Baths had a makeover in 1931: the pool was lengthened to 55 yards in accordance with Olympic requirements and a new clubhouse was built. The pool was extended to 50 metres in 1979.

From its earliest days, the club contributed to the emerging surf lifesaving movement. The Waverley branch of the Royal Life Saving Society sought to expand its activities to the Bondi Baths by affiliating with the BASC, hosting lifesaving classes at the baths during the 1890s.

Many champion swimmers have emerged from the club to represent Australia. The most successful was Murray Rose AM (1939-2012), who at 17 became the youngest Olympian to claim three gold medals at one Olympics, winning the 400m and 1500m freestyle and the 4x200m freestyle relay in Melbourne in 1956. Rose continued his success at the 1960 Rome Olympics and 1962 Perth Commonwealth Games.

Other notable alumni include Gary Winram, who was also a junior lifesaving champion, and Murray Garretty. Both competed at the Melbourne Olympics. Stephen Badger broke the short-course 400m freestyle world record in 1977 and Graeme Brewer was a member of Australia’s ‘Mean Machine’ freestyle relay team at the 1982 Brisbane Commonwealth Games.

In 1969, the club merged with the Bondi Ladies’ Amateur Swimming Club, also based at the Baths since its formation in 1907. At its peak, the clubs’ combined membership numbered over 700, making it the largest in Australia. Today, it continues to provide people of all ages and abilities with opportunities to enjoy social swimming, holding weekend races and swim lessons.

Courtesy Waverley Library Local Studies Collection.