Best practices in aquatic facility management headlines at 2024 NSW Country Pool Managers conference

A dynamic opening session at the 2024 NSW Country Pool Managers conference has addressed key topics in aquatic facility management, with presentations on a range of key current topics encouraging conversations among delegates.

Being held at Club Forster in the NSW Mid North Coast town of Forster on 15th and 16th May, the conference commenced with a session Current Best Practices in Aquatic Facility Management, backed by Australasian Leisure Management and facilitated by Lindsay McGrath, Chief Executive of SPASA and Managing Director of Leisure Media Limited, the publisher of Australasian Leisure Management. 

The session included presentations from:

• Michelle Nolland, Executive Director, Larcan
Considering challenges faced by managers of regional aquatic facilities and offering a series of solutions

• Ken Chandler, Aquatic Services Equipment and Training QLD 
Addressing the delivery of training and professional development in remote and regional areas

• Lee Salisbury, Trainer, The Institute of Research and Learning
Considering career paths, recruitment and industry capabilities  

• Adrian Schruhm, Commercial Projects Manager, Fluidra Commercial Australia
Delivering practical solutions and innovative technologies for effective operations 

• Nigel Benton, Publisher, Australasian Leisure Management.
Explaining ways that the industry can be more effective in its communications to share the community, economic and wellness benefits.

Explaining ways that the industry can be more effective in its communications to share the community, economic and wellness benefits.

With a room of delegates with aquatic management experience ranging from a few months to 40 years, each of the addresses generated wide-ranging discussion, giving all involved a vision of how the industry is positioned and where it might move in the future.

Commenting on the quality of engagement and debate, McGrath advised “the session and the interaction it encouraged highlighted the depth of professionalism in the industry and gave on-the-ground feedback and good tactical information to help form both a local and national view of what the industry needs to do to grow.”

Day Two
Significantly, the second day of the conference has seen the involvement of the Aquatic and Recreation Institute (ARI) NSW, with ARI President Marco Blanco addressing the challenges of industry recognition and the lobbying of governments by an industry that is fragmented in its representation.

In his address, Blanco spoke of the need for ARI to engage more comprehensively with regional NSW, looking for “greater collaboration” with the Country Pool Managers Association.

He noted that “coming out of COVID there is a greater appreciation of the need to highlight the benefits of the aquatic industry to government.”

Other presentations at the event were delivered by Craig Slattery and Anne Nasr of Aqua Access, Matt Baxter of Trisley Hydraulic Services and Tim Batt of Tim Batt Water Solutions.

It has also been announced that the 2025 Country Pools Managers conference will be held in Cessnock in the NSW Hunter Valley in May next year.

Image credit: Yvette Audet.