Researcher Dawn Coleman has been in touch to ask what information we have about water skiing in Manly. As Dawn Bancroft, she was one of Australia's top female water skiers in the 1950s, and was Australian champion in 1952. She enclosed this lovely photo taken in January 1952. It shows Marie Higgs, Lyris McIntosh and Dawn Bancroft performing a stunt at the Manly Mardi Gras Festival, where they were one of the star attractions. Marie Higgs was Australian champion in 1953. Manly was also the home base of Betty Leighton, several times Australian champion in the 1950s, who was inducted into the Hall of Fame of the Australian Water skiing and Wakeboarding Foundation earlier this year.

Both Manly Cove and Manly Dam were popular venues for water-skiers. We would love to hear from anyone who has memories of water skiing at either venue, from any era.