Fitzroy Crossing pool back in action

The Fitzroy Crossing community pool is officially open after a fire tore through the facility in July last year.

It took a combined effort from local services, volunteers, and Royal Life Saving WA pool managers Chris and Katie, to ensure the pool was back up and running after unprecedented floods saw the community cut off from the rest of the state and delayed repair efforts.

Pool Manager, Chris Osborne, said the pool closure has been felt not just by locals but also in surrounding communities who travelled to town to access the pool. 

“For most of the closure the river was dry or too dirty to swim in, and then during the big wet season the river was contaminated with sewerage, so everyone is very happy to have a safe and clean place to swim again.”

To celebrate the long-awaited opening, Chris and Katie teamed up with the local council and Aboriginal Sport and Recreation organisation, Garnduwa, to host a pool party and barbeque for locals.

“The pool is hugely important amongst everyone in the community and the overall mood at the party was very high,” said Chris.

“We had new pool inflatable toys and activities out for the very first time and everyone was very well behaved.”

Fitzroy Crossing is part of the Remote Aboriginal Swimming Pools project, funded by the Department of Communities, which sees a Royal Life Saving Pool Manager spend nine months of the year embedded within a community to run the local pool and deliver vital swimming and water safety lessons.

“This was an important event as the pool has been closed for the entirety of the pool season due to the fire damage,” said Chris.

“It’s boosted morale around a still recovering community as well as offering health and wellbeing benefits.”

To learn more about the Remote Aboriginal Swimming Pools project, visit the link below.