Bidyadanga pool back in action for the new season

The Bidyadanga Remote Aboriginal swimming pool recently opened for the new season, and manager Bernie Egan was busy right away planning fun activities for the local children to enjoy during their school holidays.

Bernie is one of Royal Life Saving WA’s longest serving remote pool managers, heading into her 13th year in the role and much loved by the local community! She says it’s been fantastic to see the local children get straight back into their swimming and lifesaving! “With it being so early in the season I’m impressed with how the kids have retained the skills that they learned last season. They continue to strengthen in their swimming and show good confidence in rescue skills.”

After swimming and lifesaving practise the kids have plenty of time for free play, with games of Barramundi Fishing and Crocodile Hunting! The children are also already enjoying the Go for 2 and 5 Swim for Fruit program at the pool, swimming laps in exchange for a morning snack of fresh fruit smoothies, fruit and toasted sandwiches.

Bernie returned to the community with a special surprise in store, the new Pool Inflatable – Aquarun finally in action. She says the inflatable was purchased earlier this year with grant money from the WA Police, Community Crime Prevention Fund. “Due to COVID 19 we were unable to use it when it first arrived back in April, so the kids are delighted to have it in action now! With the Aquarun in the water it is good that I have a small group of volunteers to help supervise this activity.”

The Bidyadanga children are certainly enjoying having their pool back open for the season, and especially with the weather heating up, while the parents certainly appreciate that the kids have somewhere to go and are no longer bored!

We look forward to hearing about all of the Bidyadanga Pool activities and highlights over the coming months. You can read more about our Remote Aboriginal Swimming Pool project at the link below.