By Margaret Maccoll
She’s an extraordinary Olympian, a mother, grandmother, patron of many causes and just shy of her 80th birthday is about to embark on a new role – teaching Aboriginal children in outback Australia to swim.
Her down-to-earth, humble nature belies the extraordinary person who is our own Noosa resident Dawn Fraser.
In sporting terms Dawn is a phenomenon whose international accolades include World Athlete of the Century.
Nationally in 1999 she was hailed Athlete of the Century by the Australian Sports Hall of Fame and National Living Treasure a year earlier.
She won her first Olympic gold medal in 1956 in Melbourne, winning the100m freestyle in record time, gold in the 100m freestyle relay and silver 400m freestyle.
In 1958 she won two gold medals at the Commonwealth Games in Cardiff, Wales and gold at the Rome Olympics in the 100m freestyle in 1960.
She picked up another four gold medals at the 1962 Commonwealth Games in Perth, becoming the first woman to swim 100m under one minute, and won her final gold medal in 1964 at the Tokyo Olympics in the 100m freestyle.
She has given back to her sport and other sports by being a mentor for able and disable Australian Olympic Teams. She has maintained an active role in the sporting and wider community as Patron of the Cerebral Palsy Sports Association, the Wheelchair Sports Association of Victoria and of the Ladies Professional Golf Association.
She is a Founding Member of the Laureus Sports Academy, a member of the Sport for Good Foundation and Vice President of the World Association of Olympic Winners.
Among other roles she is patron of the Save the Bilby Fund, actively involved in the Noosa Heads Surf Lifesavers Seahorse Nippers for children with special needs and is on the board of directors for the Balmain Tigers Rugby League Football Club.
The Australian Coaches and Teachers Federation have recently enlisted Dawn to be ambassador for their learn to swim program.
Dawn is drawn to help people in need, something she said stems from her own background.
“I was told I’d never swim for Australia because I came from the wrong side of the tracks,” she said.
“That was a big challenge for me and I’ve been proving people wrong all my life.”
Born in Balmain, Sydney, in a working class and sporting family Dawn was the youngest of eight and with a string of brothers grew up a bit of a tomboy.
Her first love was horse riding.
She and her brothers used to look after the council horses taking them swimming in the ocean.
It was one of three jobs Dawn had while she was swim training with Sydney coach Harry Gallagher who spotted her swimming at the local sea baths.
Times have changed enormously for athletes today.
When Dawn competed in the Olympics she was considered an amateur and needed to earn a living, something she doesn’t regret.
“I think you really appreciate your achievements more if you strive to get them and you learn a lot from it,” she said.
Facilities at the time were limited.
“We had one heated swimming pool, the City Baths in Melbourne until 1956 when they built pools for the Olympics,” she said.
The Olympics changed Dawn’s life and opened doors for her.
“I met some wonderful people and have seen most of my country. That’s fantastic,” she said.
“I was meeting the likes of Johnny Weissmuller.”
She now counts as her friends Morgan Freeman and Elton John, along with a list of athletes including Usain Bolt and Michael Jordan, some of whom meet annually at the annual Hall of Fame get together.
After her swimming career, Dawn coached for many years and became publican of the Riverview Hotel, Balmain, a pub where her father used to drink.
In 1988 she was elected an Independent MP for the seat of Balmain until the seat was abolished in 1991.
Dawn moved to Noosa from Sydney almost nine years ago to be near her daughter Dawn-Lorraine and grandson Jackson, 14.
“I don’t have any memory of my grandparents,” she said.
“When I did (family history television program) ’Who do you think you are?’ I found out I had a grandmother I didn’t know. She passed away when I was two. My daughter had a baby and I wanted to spend the rest of my life with him so he knows he has a grandmother. He has a mother and grandmother who love him desperately.”
Dawn knew the area well having holidayed at Noosa for 50 years and has been a long-term patron of the Noosa Triathlon.
Growing up the daughter of a famous athlete was tough at times for Dawn-Lorraine.
She felt she was often expected to perform at sport.
When she lived in Sydney she used to take Jackson to the Dawn Fraser Baths but she didn’t want him to feel the pressure she had as a child.
In Noosa, Jackson is involved in a variety of sports and his grandmother is ever by his side to support him.
Last week Dawn travelled to Perth to speak at the funeral of Betty Cuthbert who passed away after a long battle with multiple sclerosis.
Dawn said they met when they were 16.
“I was going out with a guy who was training with her. I was training too.
“We got on very well together.”
She said Betty’s strong will persisted throughout her life and despite having spent 27 years in a wheelchair she still held hopes she would walk again.
“I could see the illness was getting to her but she’d never give in. She was a great fighter,” she said.
“I don’t think we have seen another athlete like Betty to have an injury and come back and win like she did. No one ever did what she did.”
Dawn considers herself to be semi-retired but is always on the lookout for the next project.
“I still want to work. I don’t want to retire. I couldn’t think of anything worse than sitting at home watching TV. I’m still thinking what can I do.”
