OUR HISTORY
Beatty Park was purpose-built as the major aquatic venue for the 1962 British Empire and Commonwealth Games, held in Perth in November 1962.
Beatty Park was originally known as the City of Perth Aquatic Centre, or more colloquially as Beatty Park Pool, even though there were in fact three pools.
It comprised of two 50 yard pools, a diving pool, extensive spectator seating and press rooms.
Apart from attracting international publicity for Perth, the enduring legacy of the 1962 Games was public access to first-class sporting facilities. Three days after the Games finished, Beatty Park Aquatic Centre opened for public use on 4 December 1962.
SWIMMING 🏊
After the Games, Beatty Park Aquatic Centre was used for swimming lessons and for competitive swimming and diving, water polo and scuba dive instruction. It also became the headquarters of the WA Swimming Association (Swimming WA).
Throughout its history, Beatty Park has played a prominent role in the development of swimming and aquatic sports in Western Australia, both in education and at an elite level.
A generation of champion swimmers trained at Beatty Park, including Neil Brooks, Peter Evans, Shelley Taylor-Smith, Robyn Bradshaw & Raelene Tillbrook.
In 1963, large numbers of school children enrolled in swimming lessons at Beatty Park, and the Public Schools Association began holding their inter-school swimming carnivals here.
The first State Championship Swim Meet in the newly opened venue took place in the evening on 14 December 1962. Shortly after in February 1963, the venue hosted the first National Swimming Championships.
diving
A ten metre diving platform was built for the Games. After the Games, the platform was used for dive training and for exhibitions and special events
such as royal visits.
Diving exhibitions were a regular feature, particularly during royal visits. Her Royal Highness the Queen Mother visited Beatty Park in March 1966, Princess Margaret and Lord Snowdon in 1972 and Prince Philip in 1973, 11 years after he opened the 1962 British Empire and Commonwealth Games.
The diving tower stood at Beatty Park until 1994 and looms large in the memories of Perth kids as a test of courage.
music & events 🎶
In the 1960s and 70s, Beatty Park moonlighted as a venue for beauty pageants (Miss West Coast and Miss Western Australia), graduation ceremonies and concerts.
Back then, Perth was without any other venue of suitable size to host some of the world's biggest names of music, so Beatty Park was the place to be.
Visiting musical artists included:
- 1968: The Seekers
- 1971: Daddy Cool, Deep Purple, The Bee Gees, The Kinks
- 1972: Roy Orbison
- 1973: The Jackson 5, Santana
- 1974: Suzi Quatro
SIXTY YEARS SERIES 📽️
In 2022, we celebrated our 60th birthday in true sixties style.
We wore retro uniforms, gave the cafe a funky facelift and threw two epic parties featuring the tunes that were once played here.
We also spoke to 12 people with fond memories of Beatty Park, like Peter who broke into the pool a day before it officially opened!
WATCH THE FULL SERIES HERE
BECOMING A LEISURE CENTRE 🏋🏻
In the decades since, Beatty Park has endured and evolved, becoming a much loved sporting and meeting place for generations of West Australians.
Following the construction of Challenge Stadium (previously Superdrome) in 1986, much controversy surrounded the decision to redevelop Beatty Park Leisure Centre.
Feasibility studies and a series of public consultations were conducted in an effort to ensure that the new facility would meet the needs of the existing users and the broader community.
In 1994, Beatty Park underwent a major upgrade. Although it was the end of an era with the removal of the diving boards, it was also the start of a whole new one, with the addition of fitness facilities.
The new gym and aerobics space warranted a name change; Beatty Park Aquatic Centre officially became Beatty Park Leisure Centre. The outdoor learners’ pool was converted into an indoor lap pool with adjoining water playground, and a spa, sauna and steam room were also added.
In 2013, further redevelopment saw a major upgrade in fitness facilities, with a 750sqm gym and two group fitness studios added on the eastern side of the complex, overlooking Beatty Park Reserve.
A brand new entrance welcomed increasing numbers of members and visitors. The heritage-listed façade was not affected.
Beatty Park is unique in that it has maintained its historical links to the past, yet has become one of Western Australia's premier indoor and outdoor leisure facilities. It is a valued resource for the people within the City of Vincent and surrounds.