For the last two seasons (2022-23 and 2023-24) users of the outdoor pools in Campaspe have had entry fees waived.
Royal Life Saving Australia has lobbied hard for improved access to the 2100 public pools that operate across the country, including a reduction in user fees.
In 2023 several councils around Australia offered reduced entry fees, and some (like Campaspe) even let pool users in for free.
These initiatives were aimed at ensuring everyone in the community could enjoy these facilities.
Among those councils to offer free use of outdoor pools last year were Ararat Rural City (which has three pools), Central Goldfields (Dunolly and Talbot pools), Murrindindi (four outdoor pools) and Shire of Mitchell (three pools).
In Campaspe Shire that free use of the outdoor swimming pools is at an end — for now at least.
Campaspe Shire Mayor Rob Amos said council was not necessarily reintroducing fees and there were not “new” aquatic service fees.
He said at meetings in September 2022 and May 2023 council decided to waive outdoor pool fees, and whether fees are waived again in future would be a council decision.
“While council endeavours to keep fee increases to a minimum, there is a proposed increase this year to cover increased operational costs such as utilities, maintenance, and staffing.
“At the March 2024 council meeting, council committed to an Aquatic Strategy which will aim to deliver improved aquatic facilities and wet play areas across the shire for the next 15-20 years.
“We will work with communities across Campaspe to deliver this strategy to meet our residents’ needs and expectations,” Cr Amos said.
Royal Life Saving Australia’s message, however, came with a warning that about 500 public pools were in need of major repairs and replacement (that is the case with some of the Campaspe facilities).
By 2030, about 40 per cent of public pools were expected to be unfit for public use and the cost to replace them was an estimated $8 billion.
Their message was simple — “use them as much as you can now or risk losing them”.
In Campaspe Shire the use of pools trebled with the introduction of free entry.
What happens in regard to the use of the pools, with the return of entry fees, may weigh heavily on any future decision by council.
The cost of running the outdoor pools, between late November and early March, has been borne solely by the shire.
That honeymoon period, which started after a heated debate around the future of the outdoor pools in January 2022, is coming to an end.
Council undertook a 28-day public consultation process for the draft fees and charges and received no submissions to the advertised fees and charges.
The fees and charges 2024-25 document put to council at its Tuesday, April 23 meeting included full details of the aquatic services fees.
Page 86 of that council meeting agenda detailed a return to a paid usage model for the six operational Campaspe Shire outdoor pools.
Full details of the Outdoor Pools — Seasonal fees were offered up in the document after the swimming seasons of 2022-23 and 2023-24 were enjoyed by users of Kyabram, Lockington, Rushworth, Tongala, Stanhope and Colbinabbin — at no charge.
The same would have occurred at the Rochester facility if it had not been destroyed by the October 2022 floods.
And not only is there a return to the user-pay model, but there is also an across-the-board increase in fees of between 5.41 and 6.52 per cent.
A casual adult pass to the outdoor pools will be $5.90, up 30 cents on the previous fee, while a concession day pass is now $4.90 (also a 30 cent increase).
You will get 50 cents change from a $20 note for a family day pass (now $19.50, up 5.41 per cent on the previous charge) and a family season pass is now $195 (a $10 increase).
The concession season pass, which now costs $73.50, and the child season pass (which costs the same) have been increased by 6.52 per cent.
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