THE AUSTRALIAN ICE SKATING
HISTORICAL ARCHIVES

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FIGURE SKATING - HOW IT ALL BEGAN
ARTICLE TRANSCRIBED IN ORIGINAL FORM - Courtesy of Frank parsons

The first movement to introduce ice skating to Australia took place in Adelaide, when, in 1903 a syndicate was formed to open an artificial ice rink.  Although skating was originated, in a primitive form centuries ago in Europe, Americans can be proud of tHe fact that figure skating as we know it today takes its origins directly to JACKSON HAINES, who was born in New York in 1840 and died in Finland in 1876 from pneumonia caught during a raging blizzard encountered while travelling by sled from St. Petersburgh to Stockholm.

Jackson Haines was a true revolutionary, for, in a country where figure skating had laboriously developed a stiff and rigid style, he leapt into the limelight with his daring combination of both skating and dance.  It is on record that in 1863 he was recognised as the United States Champion.  This was many years prior to the formation of the United States Figure Skating Association, in 1921.

The International Skating Union, the governing body of figure and speed skating was founded at SCHEVENINGEN, Netherlands, July 23-28, 1892, and the first World Championships took place in LENINGRAD, U.S.S.R. in 1896.  This was for men only.  It was not until 1908 that ladies and pairs events were added.  Ice dancing had to wait until 1952 to achieve World Championship status. But what of skating in Australia since formation of the 1903 syndicate? Young skaters of today should spare a thought for a young Scot, Dunbar Poole - whose spirit was far too adventurous to stay tepidly at hime and in 1903 sailed from Glasgow, near where he was born, bound for Australia in the windjammer "LOCH GARRY".

It has been written that after a stormy voyage of 112 days the "Loch Garry" berthed in Adelaide.  There, under the clear blue skies of a new continent, Poole found something he had not expected - a group of ice skating enthusiasts.

When the windjammer sailed again it was, as the reader might imagine, without Dunbar Poole.  He had joined the syndicate to open and popularise the Adelaide Glaciarium - Australia's first.

In 1906 the Melbourne Glaciarium opened with Poole as manager and the following year he moved to Sydney to open the third of the "Glaciariums".  He remained in Sydney managing the ice rink for 25 years.

The New Glaciarium, Melbourne Opened June 16, 1906
Courtesy Frank Parsons

Ice skating was, by this time, an accepted form of recreation thanks to the foresight of that early syndicate of which the family Newman Reid were leading figures, and Dunbar Poole whose profound influence is still strongly in evidence today.

The National Ice Skating Association of Australia was first formed in Melbourne shortly after the 1914-18 War and the N.S.W. Figure Skating Club soon after.  In the Late Twenties the N.I.S.A.A. added (Victoria) after its name while in N.S.W.  The Club changed its name to N.I.S.A.A. (N.S.W.).

Representatives of both bodies collaborated with a view to forming the Council of the National Ice Skationg Association of Australia whose specific duties were to conduct national championships and to affiliate with the International Skating Union.

The first National Championships of this Association were held in Sydney in 1931.  It was not long before Queensland and South Australia became associated, giving ice skating in Australia a truly National aspect.