Royal Life Saving 2023 Aquas Awards celebrates leading the way to safer waterways and community participation

Recognising the outstanding contributions, effort and dedication of individuals and organisations in the prevention of drowning and promotion of aquatic participation across community, government, media, industry and corporate sectors, Royal Life Saving has presented its 2023 Aquas Awards.

Presented at the Aqua’s Gala Dinner at Luna Park Sydney last week, Royal Life Saving NSW| ACT | TAS Chief Executive, Michael Ilinsky thanked the finalists for their continuous commitment to protecting our community in and around our water ways.

Ilinsky noted “a water way of life is an Australian way of life but with that comes significant dangers. The high number of deaths we have witnessed over the past year has been devastating, but without the actions of the people in this room the number would have seen much higher.

“Tonight is a celebration of all the work our industry organisations and individuals are doing to make the water a safer and more inclusive place. Drowning prevention doesn’t happen on its own, it requires a whole community approach and that’s why I thank everyone in this room.”

One standout award recipient was Orange Aquatic Centre and Glenroi Heights Public School who received the Award for Excellence in Diversity and Inclusion, acknowledging their commitment to improving the lives of their students shone as they were able to transform their students’ swimming abilities.

In 2021, only three students from the school were able to participate in the swimming carnival. In response, the two organisations banded together to create a program that has led to over 30 students competed in the swimming carnival this year. With the majority of the 100 students now meeting the 6-year-old national benchmark of being able to swim 5 meters and float on their front and back.

The Aquas awards celebrated 14 aquatic industry organisations and individuals for their outstanding contribution to the aquatic industry. See the full list of award recipients below. In addition, special Commendation Awards were also presented to members of the community who went above and beyond their civic and professional duties to lead the rescue or resuscitation of another.

Awards and Recipients
The Excellence in Swimming Award recognises individuals, community groups, Local governments or organisations who have made a difference or innovative approach to the promotion and benefits of swimming and participation in aquatic activity at a community level.
• Awarded to Parramatta Swim Club for their commitment to the development of swimming and lifesaving skills to their greater community for over 70 years.

The Excellence in Lifesaving Sports Award recognises individuals, organisations who have made a significant difference or innovative approach to the advancements of Pool Lifesaving Sport
• Awarded to Andrew Bowden for his unwavering time, passion, effort, honesty, reliability, dedication, and vision for the future of the lifesaving sport.

The Excellence in Aquatic Safety Design Award recognises individuals or organisations who have made an outstanding contribution to the safe design or development of an aquatic locations such as an Inland Waterway, Swimming Pool, Bay or Baths.
• Awarded to City of Sydney for taking safe design to a whole new level. Engaging a range of experts during the concept and design stage of their new aquatic centre to ensure safety factors are in line with the Guidelines for Safe Pool Operations and best practice design. This high level of regard has continued following the completion of the aquatic centre with continuous proactive evaluation of their site.

The Excellence in Pool & Plantroom Operations Award recognises individuals, suppliers or Aquatic Facilities who have made a difference or innovative approach to Pool Plant Operations in an Aquatic Facility.
• Awarded to Canberra International Sports & Aquatic Centre for their systematic and quality approach to leading and managing pool plant operations for some time. They have excelled at producing industry leading WH&S policies and procedures regarding the Use and Storage of Hazardous Chemicals across three Plant Rooms and supported this by high level training that is regularly scheduled and executed for their staff.

The Excellence in Training & Education Award recognises individuals, Local governments or organisations who have made a difference or innovative approach to a swimming or lifesaving training or education program that has been implemented.
• Awarded to Maitland Aquatics for their commitment to invest in the ongoing training of team members. This has enabled the training and education of the broader Maitland Aquatics team with ongoing staff training, as well as the wider community in courses such as Swim Teacher and CPR.

Excellence in Media & Promotions Award recognises individuals or organisations across any media platform that has delivered exceptional coverage or promotion of a drowning incident, issue or agenda during the nomination period.
• Awarded to Julie Power - Senior reporter with the Sydney Morning Herald. Recognising her extensive coverage and championing of drowning prevention topics such as global complacency about drowning, the importance of learning to swim for migrant communities, bystander rescuers and the increased risk, lapses in concentration and its impact to children’s survival.

The Award for Excellence in Diversity & Inclusion recognises individuals or organisations who have made a difference or innovative approach to Diversity and Inclusion within a Swimming, Lifesaving or Drowning Prevention context.
• Awarded to All Abilities Swim for their unique swimming program which focuses on 1 on 1 lessons with an instructor who is especially trained to teach people of diverse abilities in a way that works for them and their learning requirements.
• Awarded to Blacktown Key Ventures who has demonstrated a strong commitment to engaging with Cultural and Linguistic Diverse people and promoting safe swimming and water safety behaviours in their community. For example, they offer a free, 4-day Swim Program for adults teaching basic swimming and safety skills for people from diverse communities who often have never experience a swimming lesson in their lives.
• Awarded to Orange Aquatic Centre and Glenroi Heights Public School for their life changing collaboration to improve the aquatic skills of their school community.

The Award for Excellence in Aquatic Supervision recognises individuals, organisations or Aquatic Facilities who have made a difference or innovative approach to Aquatic Supervision.
• Awarded to Inner West Council for their active pursuance of excellence in this space by implementing a comprehensive suite of integrated supervision training, safety audits, staff development, mystery guest visit and bespoke location safety training at each site.
• Awarded to Bay Pavilions Arts & Aquatic Centre for its significant dedication to aquatic supervision with the opening of their new facility. The facility was then recognised as Five-star Aquatic Safety Partners, receiving a score of 98% compliance and 96% Safety in their most recent Aquatic Facility Safety Assessment

The Excellence in Drowning Prevention Award recognises individuals, community groups, government or organisations who have made a difference or innovative approach to drowning prevention at a community level.
• Awarded to Mark Horton who has been instrumental in establishing and driving drowning prevention strategies across the far west in towns like Mungindi, Lightning Ridge, Wilcannia and Broken Hill. Through his leadership within the community, we have seen barriers broken down, relationships established and enhanced, swimming pools reopened, Lifeguards and Swim Teachers trained from within and ultimately some of our most remote communities being made safer.
• Awarded to Wagga Wagga City Council for its ambition to half the number of drowning deaths in their area. As a result, this recipient undertook a risk and safety assessment and the developed the first Local Drowning Prevention Plan in NSW

The Royal Life Saving President’s Award is to recognise clubs, organisations, business or schools for their continued and significant contributions to the community
• Awarded to Sydney Water. Through its drive and ambition, this year's recipient of the Royal Life Saving President's Award, Sydney Water is making it possible to swim in rivers and is transforming amenity, recreation, health and enterprise across Greater Sydney.

The Aquas were supported by event sponsors International Quadratics, Peirce Pool Supplies, ProMinent, Trisley's Hydraulic Services and Crane Aquatics.

For further information please visit www.drowningprevention.org.au

Image: Sydney Water representatives Hannah McKnight, Nerida Taylor  and Leanne Niblock recieve their President’s Award from Royal Life Saving President Jim Whiteside.