Swimming carnival fun for Remote Pools

It’s that time of year again, with two of Royal Life Saving WA’s Remote Aboriginal Swimming Pools based in the Kimberley recently hosting swim carnivals.

The first took place in Bidyadanga, with children from the La Grange Remote Community School enjoying their annual swimming carnival for the first time since the pandemic commenced.  

“This is the first school carnival since Covid, and the first time parents and community members were able to come and watch their kids swim,” said Pool Manager Bernie Egan.

Both primary and high school students attended the swimming carnival which gave children an opportunity to showcase the swimming and water safety skills they've learned during Swim and Survive lessons.

Meanwhile, three schools converged on the Warmun Community Pool, with Purnululu Aboriginal Independent Community School, Dawul Remote Community School and the local Warmun School attending.

Overall, more than 150 students, teachers and community members attended the day with the younger students competing in noodle races and back floats while the older students took part in freestyle, breaststroke and relay races.

“It was a special day and was great to see three communities coming together to see the kids having a great time,” said Pool Manager, Steve Waterman.

“It was also the first swimming carnival for Dawul Remote Community School and they had an awesome time with the other schools.”

Our Remote Aboriginal Swimming Pool program, supported by the Department of Communities, aims to ensure that aboriginal children in remote areas of WA have an opportunity to learn vital swimming and lifesaving skills, with research showing that aboriginal children are almost three times more likely to drown than non-aboriginal children. 

For more information on the program, visit the link below.