Thousands of children in Melbourne’s west forced to wait a year for swim lessons

Waitlists at some Victorian swim schools have ballooned out to more than a year and there are fears it could get worse because of the lack of new infrastructure that was planned for the Commonwealth Games.

Kids in some parts of the state spend more than 12 months on waiting lists to learn to swim, sparking calls for the government to build more pools.

Swimming Victoria chief executive Jason Hellwig told a parliamentary inquiry on Monday that in Melbourne’s western suburbs, more than 2000 children are forced to wait a year for swim lessons.

“There are significant ­waiting lists across the state for even access to Learn to Swim,” he said.

The state’s peak swimming body told the inquiry it had been relying on the 2026 Commonwealth Games to maintain wearing infrastructure.

Mr Hellwig warned that without the Games, lasting infrastructure – including sporting venues – needed to be built.

There are significant waitlists for children’s swim lessons in some parts of the state. Picture: Josie Hayden

“If that doesn’t happen, the waitlists are going to get longer and the challenges are going to become greater,” he said.

“It’s a decision that’s still within our grasp.”

But Premier Jacinta Allan, who was asked if it was reasonable for kids to be waiting 12-months for lessons, said that there were currently learn to swim programs being run by the government to aid in teaching the “vital life skill”.

“The Big Swim Summer Kids Program last year provided 17,000 kids with the opportunity to learn to swim,” she said.

“That’s a program that continues to receive funding and support over the forward four years and will provide the opportunity for thousands of more kids to be able to learn how to swim.”

Ms Allan also said that plans were going for the swimming pool planned for Armstrong Creek and another was planned for Wyndham in 2024.

However Shawn Read, owner of Shawn’s Swim School in Hoppers Crossing, said he was struggling with the demand.

Even adults wanting to hop in the pool to learn to swim were being told they’d have to wait 18 months.

“We have no room for more,” he said.

“We have a waiting list at most levels of nine to 12 months, ­especially in after-school classes, which is our peak time.

Some swim schools are struggling to keep up with demand. Picture: Alex Coppel

“I feel bad having to tell parents we can’t take on their kids right now, but there is a population boom with a lot of young new families out this way and in places like Point Cook and Manor Lakes.”

Mr Read said if the government could not build more pools, it would “have a detrimental effect” on children.

Laverton Swimming and Fitness Centre manager Gary Rodda said a “huge number” of school children missed out on lessons throughout Covid.

“Our swim school is choc-a-bloc,” he said.

“To be honest we might be able to get people in, in six months. But it is a long waiting list, we have a book full of names waiting to get in the place.

There are calls for the state government to build new pools. Picture: Tim Carrafa

“There was meant to be a new pool built in our area but they have run out of money by the sound of it, and it’s not going to happen in the near future. It will most certainly have an impact on waiting times.”

Moonee Valley mayor Pierce Tyson said councils often ran their swimming facilities at a financial loss.

“With a significant proportion of Melbourne’s swim and leisure centres built for the 1956 Olympics, there is significant asset renewal needed across many local council facilities,” he said.

“This issue, combined with high demand for Learn To Swim, school use and the public getting active, mean significant pressure points across all swimming lanes in Melbourne.”

Opposition sports spokesman Sam Groth said it was unacceptable kids had to wait so long to learn a vital skill.

“Learning to swim is a fundamental skill that all kids should have access to,” he said.

“As part of legacy benefits from the Games, the government must commit to building more pools so kids can learn basic swimming skills that will help save lives.”

The situation comes as the popularity of swimming explodes, the sport experiencing a 30 per cent increase since 2017 to 15,300 club participants.

The government had plans to build a swim centre, consisting of two 50m pools, a diving pool and seating stands, at Armstrong Creek, near Geelong, for the Games.

It has now committed to housing and sports infrastructure, but it remains unclear if funding will include pools.

A state government spokesman said: “We will continue to invest in providing opportunities for Victorian children to learn to swim, through both swim schools, and our in-school swimming program.”