Barkly Regional Council honoured with Royal Lifesaving Award despite pool’s uncertain future
A remote Northern Territory public pool has been honoured with the Royal Life Saving Society Northern Territory President’s Award, even as the ageing facility teeters on the brink of closure. Read the details.
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Barkly Regional Council was honoured last week with the Royal Life Saving Society Northern Territory President’s Award as part of the 2025 Administrator’s Medal Awards.
The event, hosted on July 21 by NT Administrator Hugh Heggie AO PSM and Ruth Jones, celebrated the Diamond Jubilee of the Royal Life Saving NT, honouring six decades of commitment to water safety across the Territory.
The award received by the council was in recognition of “outstanding service” to water safety and drowning prevention in the region.
“A huge congratulations to our incredible pool team,” Barkly Regional Council Mayor Sid Vashist said in a statement.
“Your hard work, passion, and community-first approach is deeply appreciated and now formally recognised.”
The recognition comes at a time when the future of the Tennant Creek Public Pool faces uncertainty, however.
“Our regional pool is the only public pool available in the 1,200km stretch between Alice Springs and Katherine,” said Mr Vashist.
“It services not just Tennant Creek, but a vast portion of the Barkly region — providing a vital space for cooling down, learning water safety, exercising, better health outcomes, and building community connection.”
“Unfortunately, the infrastructure that supports this pool is ageing and beyond economic repair.
“The pump room — the heart of our operations — is failing. This puts immense strain on keeping the pool open, especially during our harsh summer months when temperatures soar past 40C.
“When the pool isn’t operational, we know how frustrating that is for the whole community.”
The council has been working with the community on designing a new aquatic centre as a long-term solution, but the short-term goal is urgent Territory Government funding to replace the failing pump room, it says.
While at the event, Mr Vashist said he met with Minister for People, Sports and Culture Jinson Charls to present the pool business case for an infrastructure upgrade.
“While our people do incredible work, as this award proves, they need the right tools and functional infrastructure to support them.” said Mayor Sid Vashist.
“We’re committed to delivering better facilities for our region — because the Barkly deserves it.”
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