First woman to swim Lake George reflects on 'the marathon race'

Sixty-three years ago, the then Goulburn 17-year-old Julia Lamrock hit upon a swimming race across the lake as a fundraiser to build the city's Olympic pool. She was an accomplished swimmer and sat on the Amateur Swimming Club's committee.

Mrs Laybutt loved swimming from young, just like her mother, Gwen, and honed her sport at 'The Rock' on the Wollondilly River and the pool after the family moved to Goulburn from Sydney in 1950.

The lake was another kettle of fish. Reports of monsters, capsized boats and confirmed drownings in the silt-heavy water body created an air of mystery.

"I had wondered why very strong swimmers had tried and failed to cross it for a number of years. It bemused me," Mrs Laybutt said.

"...I wanted to swim across it and I knew I could do it."

But the idea met a frosty reception with her parents: "You're not doing that," they replied.

They eventually agreed, the idea took hold and organisers undertook safety checks. A boat towing a brick across the lake ensured there were no submerged fences or objects. Julia and her father also did a recce.

A week before the race, she swam five miles in Goulburn's 33-yard pool to ensure 'match fitness.'

Julia went on to become the first woman to swim Lake George. In fact she was the only female in that historic race on March 12, 1961. Twelve people entered and six pulled out before it started due cold and windy conditions. Another three withdrew with cramps during the five-mile race from Rocky Point on the lake's east to Gearys Gap on the west.

Mrs Laybutt, now 80, recalled the day during a talk to Goulburn and District Historical and Genealogical Society on Thursday, July 25.

It was bitterly cold but some 2500 people flocked to the lake's shoreline to watch the event. They paid an entry fee and tried to guess the winning time in a competition.

Goulburn was well represented with champion 14-year-old swimmer, Peter Bryant, also competing. He later owned the city's famous Bryant's Pies.

Competitors lathered up with petroleum jelly to combat the cold. Julia had a secret weapon.

"My mum asked Dr Peter Lyttle what would keep me warm and he suggested lanolin. After all, it keeps sheep warm," she said.

The competitors were taken by boat to the starting point. 'Mr Brophy' kept time and each swimmer had a support boat. They set off at 1pm and a commentary boomed from a loud speaker.

A film made of the race, produced by Brian Baxter and Des Storrier, recorded Peter Bryant "swimming confidently."

A "relaxed backstroke puts Julia Lamrock in the swim," the narrator says.

She switched between freestyle, backstroke and breast stroke, the latter to giving her a break.

Other competitors did freestyle and fought to keep their head above the choppy water.

"The lake is shallow and the waves are close together because they're wind blown," Mrs Laybutt said.

Her father, Nigel, riding in a support boat, couldn't see Julia on the other side of the waves.

But as she told the audience, she never doubted her ability to finish.

Peter Bryant won the race in two hours, 45 minutes and 27.5 seconds. Tynan Campbell-Burns placed second in 3:33:45 while Julia was third in 3:47:08.

Bryant emerged from the water blue from the cold and was immediately wrapped in a blanket and plied with warm drinks. He did push-ups to warm himself up. Campbell-Burns "stumbled ashore, absolutely exhausted."

Mrs Laybutt said she just stood up and walked from the lake, warmer than her competitors, thanks to the lanolin.

"I just thought, 'okay, I've done that.' I don't remember feeling excited but there was a bit of a to-do around me. I would have been relieved," she said.

The teenager won a trophy, pennants and a set of cake knives for her feat.

Julia competed in the same race in 1962 "just to prove that I really did do it." This time, better conditions prevailed. Faster, female swimmers entered and beat Julia with their freestyle stroke.

"I knew they'd come in before me. Both times I wasn't racing but swimming to get there," she said.

Mrs Laybutt said she didn't need to prove herself a third time. The event stopped after that due to the time lag between men's and women's finishes.

She only realised later that a short film was made of the first race. Mrs Laybutt received a copy and about eight years ago, donated it to the National Film and Sound Archive. The Goulburn Historical Society played it on Thursday to a fascinated audience.

Mrs Laybutt said she thought little more about her achievement but it had gained greater publicity in recent years.

"I am proud of it," she said.

"People took a strong interest at the time but it fell out of conversation. But every now and then someone will say they drove past Lake George and they heard that I swam across it."

Mrs Laybutt still swims 1km a week at the much improved pool complex that inspired 'the great marathon race.'

"I just love being in the water and always have," she said.