Explore the Australian obsession with swimming, beach life and water through these photographs from the State Library of New South Wales’ collections.

Cousins at their grandparents enjoying a dip in the swimming pool – Mount Kuring-gai, NSW, no date

[Swimming class for girls], c. 1930s, by Sam Hood

An official hands a young woman swimmer a token, Tramway swimming at Coogee Aquarium, 27 March 1935

Possibly Mina Wylie with an unidentified female swimmer, probably Stockholm Olympics, 1912

Swimming exams at Newcastle Oce an Baths, by Sam Hood

Snowy Baker, Duke Kahanamoku and Frank Beaurepaire, Sydney, [between 1914-1924]  photographer unknown

Cecil Healy, Olympic swimming gold, silver and bronze medallist in Manly Surf Life Saving Club swimsuit, [no date]

Acrobats, Sydney, 1930s  Sam Hood

Tooth and Co. Ltd. float at the Australian Sesquicentenary, 1938  Hall & Co.

Newcastle Beach on Christmas Day, 25121954  by Sam Hood

Bondi surf lifesavers, n.d.  by Sam Hood

Beach scene, 1930s  by Sam Hood

Mr J Prentice and Miss J Howat doing acrobatics, Bondi Beach, Jan 1935  by Ted Hood

Mr J Prentice and Miss J Howat performing beach acrobatics at Bondi Beach, 2 Jan 1935  by Ted Hood

Peggy Bacon in mid-air backflip, Bondi Beach, Sydney, 621937  by Ted Hood

Chorus girls in Rhonrad wheels roll across Bondi Beach, ca. 1935  by Sam Hood

North Bondi team march past, 1930s  by Sam Hood

Theatre Royal chorus, Tamarama Beach, ca. 1938  by Sam Hood

Valerie Hays from the cast of Over she goes being leapfrogged, 1937  by Sam Hood

Beach studies, 1930s  by Sam Hood

Beach studies, 1930s  by Sam Hood

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26 Start of the Sydney-Hobart Yacht Race, 1971

Women’s team, Coffs Harbour Jetty Surf Life Saving Club

Australias first women Olympians, Fanny Durack and Mina Wylie, 1912

Coogee Pier, Sydney, between 1928-1932  Samuel Wood

Giles’s Hot Sea Baths, Coogee, c. 1930s, by Sam Hood

Beautiful Bondi [Ladies Dressing Rooms], c. 1900-1927, Broadhurst Post Card Publishers

David Cant, aged 3, Nielsen Park, Sydney, n.d.  Sam Hood

Bronte Beach, c. 1900-1910, by Star Photo Co.

Dirigible over Tamarama, 1908, Hall & Co.

Fairy Bower, Manly, c. 1900-1910, by Star Photo Co.

Women in bathing suits on Collaroy Beach, 1908,  photographed by Colin Caird

Billy and Graham Green from the Salvation Army Camp practise a little deceit, Collaroy Beach, ca. 1940 photographer unknown

Annette Kellermann, as a mermaid, ca. 1915-1925  photographer unknown

The Australasian (combined Australian and New Zealand) Olympic Team at Stockholm’s Roddforening [Rowing Association], 1912  photographer unknown

A young diver in the air as he dives from the high-board, St Aloysius College swimming at Manly, 17 March, 1935, by Sam Hood

Start of a relay race showing five swimmers diving in, Colleges swimming at Drummoyne, 13 March 1935, by Sam Hood

Inspectors of Schools and Swimming watch Stewart House swimming exercises on the beach, South Curl Curl, 10 Jan 1935, by Sam Hood

Country children at Stewart House Preventorium learn to swim, South Curl Curl Beach, 10 Jan 1935, by Sam Hood

Tin can used as a floatation device in learn-to-swim class, Domain Baths, c. 1930s by Sam Hood

Start of a race at a Belmore Central School’s second swimming carnival, Enfield Pool, 27 March 1935, by Ted Hood

Men and boys swim and play in canoes in a beach rock pool, n.d. by Sam Hood

Oak Park rock pool ca.1950, by Sam Hood

Swimming carnival, Roseville Baths, c. 1930s, by Sam Hood

General view of the Baths (Domain Baths, Woolloomooloo, c.1930s, by Sam Hood

Juniors line up for the start, c. 1920s, by Sam Hood

Depression at ‘Happy Valley’, Brighton-le-Sands, Sydney, 1930’s  Sam Hood

Levuka, Fiji, ca. 1883  photographer unknown

Reserve and beach, Cronulla, Sydney, ca. 1928  Samuel Wood

Hargrave family, Probably Hilda, Margaret and Geoffrey, Stanwell Park beach, unknown photographer

Manly Harbour pool, 193-

Tipping horse for Manly Harbour pool built at Kurraba Point, 193-

Ferry Dee Why and Manly Harbour pool, 193-

Balancing wheel, Manly Harbour pool, 193-

Manly Harbour pool, 193-

Bronte Baths, c. 1930s, by Sam Hood

Bondi Beach, Sydney, 1922  photographed by R. P. Moore

Bondi Beach, Sydney, 1922  photographed by R. P. Moore

Bondi Beach, Sydney, 1922  photographed by R. P. Moore

Bondi Beach, Sydney, 1922  photographed by R. P. Moore

Bondi Beach, Sydney, 1922  photographed by R. P. Moore

Pictorial post card, Miss Annette Kellermann, Champion Lady Swimmer and Diver of the World

Pictorial post card, Miss Annette Kellermann, Champion Lady Swimmer and Diver of the World

Pictorial post card, Miss Annette Kellermann, Champion Lady Swimmer and Diver of the World

Start of a girl’s swimming race, Mina Wylie with raised hand

Mina Wylie, Coogee, 1913

Portrait of Mina Wylie

Portrait of Mina Wylie

The Women Co. girls on Tamarama beach, 2 February 1939  photographer Sam Hood