1970s in Inkerman Street
Inkerman Street was short of kids in the 70’s except down towards the dead end. We use to play cricket in the street, forcings back with footballs and use to fish down at Inkerman Street Jetty. One house (whose parent still live there) had 4 kids and across the road (whose parents still live there) had two kids.
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I would come home from Middle Harbour primary school (early to mid 70s),grab some fishing stuff and head down to Inkermans and Quakers Hat Bay. Not only do I remember the baths I vaguely remember the raft. The raft was at times “anchored” in the centre of the baths. There was a sign prohibiting swimming for 3 days after heavy rain which was due to the sewage overflow located at the top of Quakers hat bay. I have fond memories of fishing from Bob Dyers wharf, he had a place in Bay St that went down to Quakers Hat Bay. He kindly allowed this as long as we left no bait or hooks lying around.
To the West of the baths I remember Joel’s boatshed at the bottom of Julian St. I don’t recall there being vehicle access to Joel’s. There was a bit of a well worn track down from Julian St adjacent to a cable powered trolley on rails to ferry goods down to the shed. To me then, Joel seemed in his late 70s, gruff and powerfully built. With great trepidation I would ask him if I could fish from the boatshed wharf, the answer was always the same…..don’t leave hooks or bait boy and if you see a boat coming in to moor, lines in boy.
these memories make me smile
Yes the Inkerman Street baths, probably around 300 steps by the time you got to the bottom!! Great fishing spot, mainly bream and leather jackets.
Tom Joel and his old black dog were clear memories as well. I heard that Tom only passed away in recent years (maybe late 90’s) and that he has a few black dogs over the years. He ran a great boat shed operation and it was a hive of activity on weekends.
I remember Inkerman Street and the Baths well.
We lived in Countess street and had friends The Badgerys in Inkerman Street and later The Skippers…is that you “Mark” ??
1975ish I remember going down to Inkermans fishing with my brother, all those stairs haha , we lived in Countess street behind the Tennis Courts. I also attended Middle Harbour Primary before going into Mosman High.
I spent many a weekend fishing and boating in Middle Harbour, Had a 16’ single cylinder chapman( putt putt )motor boat moored at Tom Joel’s boat shed during the late 50’s early 60’s, would have been in my mid teens then. Inkerman pool served it’s purpose in those days considering the shark attacks of that era. I can remember working on a building site looking down into Hat Bay around 1999 and watching a couple of guys swimming 50 metres out from the rocks. Can only say that if they had seen the size of some of the sharks that use to take our fish before we could land them, they would have walked on water. If only time could be turned back I would go back in a flash.
Rod McCracken
I remember Inkermans Street Baths very well. My brother and I and our next door neighbours used to walk down from Bay Street with our dog Paddy. We used to meet up with the Addicoat family who lived in Carrington Ave. High tide was always the best and other times we would dive off the walkway, our dog swimming behind us. Miss those days!
Wow all these memories. I would often go from the top of Hale Road to Inkerman Baths with my young sister during the hot Summer days. This was during the fifties. I recall the many steps down that seemed like twice the number going back up again. My little sister Nancy would start crying ‘carry me, I can’t walk any more’. I would then have to piggy back her up the remaining stairs. We always took a bottle of water to drink. Yes high tide was the only way to go. Low tide exposed the oyster and crab laden bottom. Shame it was taken down.
I remember those baths very well, used to sneak down to the baths late at night to have a dip on those hot summer nights and I remember Joelsy’s Boat shed and black dog. Used to hire a row boat to go fishing very regular. There used to be a ship wreck in a small bay towards Tunks Park(was that it’s name?). I used to fish off that as well. Lived on the corner of Macpherson and Awaba. Was a great skateboard street, macpherson as I remember. Me and my mate Bernard Ennis. This was mid 70’s.
Ah yes.. great memories, great times.
Yeh we lived in Awaba St, I was a kid in the seventies when I loved sliding down Joel’s goods slide. I remember a sea plane used to park down there and vaguely remember Inkerman's swimming hole when my big bros and sisters swam down there.
I used to buy bait from Joel and try to fish – I was around 6 years old.
I lived on the other side of the bay in the 50s and remember walking around to the pool on hot days and the tar sticking to my feet. 22 laps of the pool was equal to a mile. Opposite the pool at split rock l had a 12 foot timber canoe. I remember at the top of the steps in Inkerman Street there was a lovely young girl who I fancied. When she went for a swim she would hang a towel out the window to let me know. I lived over the Bay in Central Avenue. Her dad had a boat moored in the Bay. They were great days full of fun
I lived across the road from Mark at No. 16.
Inkerman Street baths (we called it Inkies) was a great fishing spot for yellowtail. Some days, you’d catch 50 of them, but on other days those pesky leatherjackets would consistently sneak around the pilons and steal your bait.
The yellowtail made great bait for flathead, bream and blue swimmer crabs fishing from the little known public reserve on the other side of the bay.
Skateboarding down Awaba Street was a regular event. We used to pour petrol on the road, double stack the boards and skate through the flames. I remember losing control once and went straight through the stop sign on the corner with Countess. I also remember losing my prized Bahn Superflex down the drain one afternoon. A local “friend” went straight down to get it for me but said he couldn’t find it. I went down too but couldn’t find it. I told my father later that evening and he thought this was strange. Early the next morning we went back and I found the skateboard conveniently placed further uphill in the drain!
We staked out the drain to see my “friend” return to collect his prize. To see that look on his face… that was was priceless! I learned something that day.
In No 15 before we demolished the house lived a WW1 Nurse. Her nurses outfit from Gallipoli and the Western Front is at the Australian War Memorial in a glass cabinet at the Reception desk.
Caught fish at Joel’s boatshed 1952-54. Went to Ryrie’s Parade expecting to see elephants.
Swam in Inkies often. Lived on Ellalong Rd and went to MHPS. Had rock fights in Lodge Park. Once rode along with the milko on his dray. Could hear the lions roar at Hallstrom’s zoo. Our old house now on the market > four million. Johnny Ray cried in the rain. Chips cost a zac. 2p to take a tram to Wynyard. Sex hadn’t been discovered yet. Bob Dyer hid packets of dried peas in a box.
Take me back please. A perfect childhood.
Who remembers the Inkerman Street Baths ? Actually located off Carrington Avenue at the base of steps from Inkerman Street. I don’t know about the origin of the baths or when it was dismantled. A school friend at Sacred Heart who knew the baths introduced us children to this off-the-beaten-track swimming spot, situated in the supposedly shark infested waters of Middle Harbour. We constructed a very basic raft of planks and five gallon drums to use at the baths. Time early 1970s.
— Chris Hampton · 18 December 2012, 15:46 · #