It’s Time to Rethink Aquatic Safety Across Inland Waterways and Aging Infrastructure

In just a few short weeks, councils, planners, operators, suppliers, community advocates, designers, and safety professionals will come together in the heart of the Hunter Valley for a landmark event in aquatic safety and infrastructure.

Welcome to the Safer Places to Swimposium

📅 Wednesday 27 & Thursday 28 August 2025

📍 Oaks Cypress Lakes Resort, Hunter Valley, NSW

Organised by Royal Life Saving NSW, this two-day event explores two of the most urgent challenges facing aquatic communities across NSW and ACT:

🔹 Inland Waterways – Natural swim spots are growing in popularity, but they also present complex risks. From microbial safety to shared-use conflicts, we’re unpacking what’s needed to make these spaces safer, more accessible, and sustainable.

🔹 Aging Aquatic Infrastructure – Many of our public pools and facilities are at breaking point. We’ll explore how we can modernise infrastructure to meet the needs of diverse and growing communities.

💡 The Agenda is Live – What’s In Store?

This is not your average industry conference. The Safer Places to Swimposium blends keynote insights, real-world case studies, and interactive co-design to chart the future of aquatic safety and community access.

Here’s just a snapshot of what you’ll experience:

Keynote Spotlight: Victoria Vanstone

We’re thrilled to welcome Victoria Vanstone, culture-changer, speaker, and host of the global hit podcast Sober Awkward, with over 7 million downloads.

Victoria’s sobriety journey started on her bedroom floor—hungover, overwhelmed, and ready to reclaim her life. Her raw, honest storytelling has inspired millions to rethink their relationship with alcohol and social norms.

In her keynote, Victoria shares how culture, parenting, and safety intersect, offering a powerful and personal perspective on creating safer spaces for families and communities.

Day 1 – Identifying Challenges, Seeding Solutions

The Swimposium kicks off with influential voices setting the scene:

• Nick Ryan (Business Western Sydney) opens with a keynote on regional infrastructure priorities

• William “Will” Koon (Royal Life Saving Australia) delivers a presentation on the evolving challenges for ageing aquatic centres

• Malcolm Kuhn (Otium Planning Group) shares insights from the Inverell Aquatic Centre redevelopment, spotlighting cost-effective innovation in regional communities

• Michelle Nolland (Larcan) explores operational advice for new and refurbished aquatic/leisure developments

• Dr Amy Peden (UNSW) examines evidence-based risk management for inland swim spots

• Alek Olszewski (Life Saving Victoria) presents a data-driven overview of water safety trends, enhancements, and partnerships across Victoria

  
  

Panel Discussion: wrap-up dialogue featuring infrastructure leads, council reps, and academics—sharing lessons learned and debating future-readiness for aquatic spaces.

Hands-on Workshop: “Build the Ideal Aquatic Centre”—a collaborative design sprint enabling delegates to combine expertise, share solutions, and foster cross-sector innovation.

Day 2 – Resilient Solutions & Cross‑Sector Integration

Day two builds momentum with forward-thinking approaches:

• Chiara Cenati (Myrtha Pools) discusses revitalising ageing facilities with advanced design and engineering solutions

• Alexia Morgan (Sustainability professional- Belgravia Leisure) addresses low‑carbon design, climate adaptation, and inclusive accessibility

• RJ Houston (Royal Life Saving) explores integrated safety frameworks for inland waterways

• Technical deep-dives from Myrtha Pools, ParaMobility, Larcan, and Blacktown City Council, showcasing innovative projects in infrastructure, inclusion, and design innovation

• Sydney Water, Water & Health, and national aquatic authorities present strategies on water, hygiene, and environment-driven resilience

  
  

An interactive continuation of the “Ideal Centre” exercise extends the Day 1 workshop, giving delegates the space to reflect, iterate, and expand pilot ideas into viable future projects.

Featuring regional decision-makers, infrastructure specialists, academic experts, and industry leaders, each session delivers actionable insights while morning coffee sessions, Q&A forums, grouped design workshops, and evening catch‑ups provide rich opportunities for new collaborations.

View the full agenda here - Copy of Agenda - Inland Waterways Swimposium Marketing.pdf

🎯 Who Should Attend?

Whether you're from local government, urban planning, facility operations, public health, or a community organisation, this event is for you. It’s a space to listen, share, and contribute to a safer future for swimming in NSW and the ACT.

🎟️ Register Now (registrations close 18 August 2025)🔗 Safer Places to Swimposium | Royal Life Saving

🏨 Accommodation Discount Book your stay at Oaks Cypress Lakes with our exclusive promo code: Ourevent

Join us as we co-design a more inclusive, sustainable, and safer future for aquatic communities across NSW and ACT.