Jigalong's newest residents, Renee with daughter Ruby
Remote Pool life suits Renee to a tee
When Pool Manager Renee McKie accepted her new role at Jigalong Pool, regional and remote life was nothing new to her.
Coming from the equally remote Paraburdoo, taking the position at Jigalong was a no-brainer as Renee loves to travel across WA and prefers the relaxed lifestyle, saying, "it's been a full cultural submersion."
Even though it's only been a month since Renee moved to Jigalong, she's loving the variety of the role and has even welcomed a new member to her family – her daughter convinced her to take in an 8-week-old puppy named Coco.
As a sole operator, Renee loves the control that this offers her across all aspects of the pool.
Her days consist of anything from the technical side of things like checking water quality to event and program coordination, and even groundskeeping!
"I like everything and the chop and change - it's all the moving parts and I feel rewarded when I slot them all together into the right sections," Renee said.
The Jigalong Remote Aboriginal Pool is able to operate thanks to funding from Department of Communities and additional swimming and water safety program from the support of Community Principal Partner BHP.
Renee's love of multi-tasking and organising allows for her to have a greater work-life balance to spend time with her ten-year-old daughter, Ruby, their 4-year-old camp dog, Elva, and of course the new puppy!
Renee is a very keen gardener and aesthetic indoor plant lover, growing natives which she hopes to bring to the pool as well as edible plants which she loves to cook with.
While Renee hasn't been in the aquatic industry long, she's always been heavily involved in scouts, volunteering and emergency services, making her the perfect Royal Life Saving WA fit as many of Renee's previous skills have come in handy so far.
Her experience includes running an Endorsed Swim School – which lucky for Jigalong involved Junior Lifeguard Club – so don't be surprised if you find aspects of this intertwined into upcoming events.
Her passion for working with youth also played a part in where she is today as Renee says she "loves giving kids access to different skills I believe in."
So, what does Renee's future look like you ask?
Renee wants to continue her work in aquatics, ideally doing a few more seasons in the remote areas and then will reassess when it's time for her daughter to go to high school.
Inspired by the work we do remotely? Follow the link below to learn more about our Remote Pools program.
Learn more about our commitment to reconciliation, to listening and to fostering meaningful relationships with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people at the link below.
