The Auckland Outdoor Naturist Club just celebrated a major milestone.

A trip down memory Lane

In celebration of AONC's 74th Birthday, we republish this previous article by Les O

When the club moved to Ranui from their earlier site at Oratia, the grounds that were purchased were in a some -what run down state having been a former farm property that had fallen into neglect and was in need of some tender loving care.   

Little work could be done initially as there was only about a dozen members at the time who had taken the opportunity to come over from the old club grounds and who were prepared to put in the time and effort to establish the new club grounds. For the first club season in 1956 the members used to leave their cars at the club gate and tramp into a small clearing down to where the small walk bridge is now located.

Essentially it was a day visit only site at the outset as there were no amenities until a water pipe was put in from the gateway so that at least a cup of tea could be brewed to go with the soggy tomato sandwiches that each one had packed in for their lunch. This in itself was an exercise as a fire had to be built so that a billy of hot water could be brewed.

The next season 1957 it was decided that a bridge should be erected across the Paramuka Stream so that at least the members could bring their cars onto the property and Hans Bergin being an engineer took over the project and built the first part of the bridge using concrete and old railway line steel as reinforcing. A clearing was made just above the bridge among the fallen wattle trees and gradually a clearing was made up to where the power house now stands.

In the short period that the members were able to attend they spent many hours clearing the fallen timber, gorse and blackberry and having large bonfires to get rid of the debris.

To finish the day an opportunity was taken by a few of the hardy ones to have a splash in the stream in what became the clubs first swimming hole located about where the walk bridge is now situated.

Around the summer of 1958 a few more members had been recruited: among them Laurel and Les and work began in earnest to clear the grounds further into the area in which the swimming pool now stands. There was a stagnant muddy area full of fallen trees and manuka scrub into which a small water course that originated in the paddocks up behind the present club carpark. To drain this stagnant area, it was necessary to dig a drain along the boundary to divert the water around the back of the present camping area. This in itself was no small feat with a few hardy souls getting stuck in with pick and shovel to accomplish the task over a couple of long weekends. From this early clearing the long-term plan was formed to eventually build a swimming pool but funds had to be raised and much more clearing accomplished before any thought could be made to actually start working on the building of a pool.

In the interim a small concrete block pool was established : about where the sauna now stands and this was used for a few seasons principally for the 1960 NZNF rally which was held on the grounds and from this venture, to which many club members came from around the country, we were well on the way with funds to clear some of the clubs’ mortgage and look toward a  more prosperous future.

Somewhat of a delay to the pool building occurred as it became a priority to complete the first stage of the clubhouse that had been started just prior to the Rally.

Funds that had been promised for the pool were diverted to the clubhouse project but in the end this was a godsend as it gave more time to plan for the eventual building for a much larger pool than was at first initially envisaged.

Work began on the pool building soon after approval was given at the AGM 1963.

Initially it was necessary to clear the remaining fallen timber and manuka in the locality and establish a platform on which the base of the pool would stand.

This was indeed no small feat and some of the initial levelling of the site was accomplished by Dick Whittington; the caretaker of the day; with his Fordson tractor and willing helpers. A small bulldozer was eventually needed to accomplish the task and bring about some semblance of order to the site.

Field tile drainage was established and truck loads of scoria was put into the base before the concrete was poured over the steel meshing and thus the pool base was established upon which the walls could be erected.

All this work was carried out by a team of members weekend after weekend until the major part of the pool structure had been erected.

Throughout the late summer season, the tiling of the interior pool sides was carried out and the fitment of the filtration system was installed and some of the groundwork around the outside completed before the scheduled opening of the pool on the 13th December 1964.

A reasonably large group of members and visitors from Auckland Sun Club was in attendance on the opening day and soon after the official opening there was a major thunderstorm and everyone present was able to get into the newly established clubroom and have a cup of tea in celebration pf the clubs’ milestone event.  

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