A picture of two families in front of a tin shack during the Great Depression is a sobering part of the checkered history of Cook Park at Kyeemagh.
The image from the Fairfax Media archives was captured about 1934 after a shanty town sprang up in the sandhills as Australia struggled with huge unemployment.
In following years, the beachfront would become a council rubbish dump before the area was transformed into a park with adjoining swimming baths.
It would become a popular area for picnics, the venue for the long-running Brighton Beach Festival and other entertainment as well as acting as a magnet for hoons in hotted-up cars.
In 1960, the chief health inspector of Rockdale Council, Mr R Mitchell, told the Leader the Kyeemagh sandpit was an outstanding example of planned tipping.
When the pit is filled in wish ashes, it will be covered with ashes and soil and will be made into a beautiful park, he said.
The pit was dug out years earlier because of the sand nuisance, the report said.
People living on the western side of General Holmes Dive had their beautiful view blocked by sandhills 20ft (six metres) high.
On windy days, sand was blown across the road and piled up against the front of houses feet deep.
All traffic often had to be stopped on general Holmes Drive because of sand from the pit.
Rockdale Council has made thousands of pounds from the sale of sand from the pit.
The money is being used to beautify and develop the area.
Already, a swimming pool has been constructed at Kyeemagh from the funds.
In 1969, six months before man landed on the moon, Rockdale Council installed a nine metre high rocket ship climbing frame in Cook Park at a cost of $3000.
For all imaginative children whose latest game is pretending to be astronauts orbiting the moon, here is just the thing to add a touch of realism a 30-foot high rocket, the Leader reported.
The rocket ship was part of a three-piece imaginative playground equipment set, which Rockdale Apex Club helped fund.
From 1992 until 2007, Cook Park hosted the popular Brighton Beach Festival in January each year.
In 2006, Rockdale Council gained wordlwide publicity when it decided to play Barry Manilow recordings through loudspeakers to deter hoons from gathering in the car park next to Hashams restaurant.
In 2008, the beachfront became a construction site for two years for the desalination plant pipeline.
A four metre deep trench was dug in the floor of Botany Bay from Kurnell to Kyeemagh to allow twin pipes to be embedded.
Water quality at the baths, near the entrance to Cooks River, has long been a problem.
Oil spills from tankers in Botany Bay have also caused some nasty pollution incidents.
The Beachwatch monitoring program shows pollution levels have greatly improved, but the baths are unsafe for swimming after heavy rain.
LEADER FLASHBACK
Every Friday we delve into the Leader archives to embark on some time travel.
We will bring you photographs of a news event from 57 years of Leader news coverage that you may or may not recall.
Flashback Friday submissions are also welcomed.
Feel free to share your recollections with us on our Facebook page @SutherlandShireStGeorgeNews or email leaderletters@fairfaxmedia.com.au
