Yandeyarra pool reopens as temperatures and spirits soar

The Yandeyarra Remote Aboriginal Pool recently opened again for the summer season, much to the delight of the ‘Yandy’ locals, as the remote community is affectionately known.

Situated in WA’s Pilbara region, around 130km south of Port Hedland, Yandeyarra is a small Aboriginal community with a population of 250-300 people. It was one of the first remote WA communities to receive a pool as part of the Remote Aboriginal Swimming Pool program, with the pool currently overseen by Pool Manager Sandra McKenzie.

After a bit of a cold start to the pool season, Sandra says the heat has now set in and the pool is great way for the community to cool off. “The temperature has increased really quickly and already into the 40’s, so all community members are loving the relaxing time they have at the pool. All the Yandy kids are so happy to be back in the pool. Everyone is enjoying the new basketball hoops, one of Yandeyarra's favourite sports.” 

Sandra says everyone is looking forward to school swimming lessons beginning in Term 4, especially 5-year-old William who can now join his classmates. “The school holidays have given us the opportunity to spend some one-on-one time with William, who has struggled with his confidence. There has been an amazing increase in his water confidence in this short time and he is now looking forward to learning to swim with the rest of the class in Term 4 swimming lessons.”

“The ‘no school, no pool’ rule has already changed the attendance at the school, and Swim for Fruit has made the children keen to swim laps,” says Sandra. No school, no pool (NSNP) is an initiative that has been very effective in Yandeyarra, with teachers giving out pool passes to attending students which are then presented to Sandra after school. Swim for Fruit provides healthy rewards to children for swimming laps of the pool, with additional prizes that the kids can win.