Key Facts:
- Remote pools are vital community assets, providing the only safe place to swim in many areas where rivers and waterholes are unsafe or inaccessible.
- The Northern Territory has Australia's highest drowning rate per capita - nearly triple the national average.
- Almost half of all remote pools are over 30 years old, with three now closed and several others operating at minimal capacity.
- Most councils lack qualified staff, safety systems and business plans, leaving facilities vulnerable to shutdowns and safety risks.
- Despite this, every dollar invested can return up to $25 in social and health value, underscoring the missed potential of these assets.
- The majority of recommendations made in the 2010 Review of Swimming Pools in Remote Areas of the Northern Territory remain unimplemented.
Embargoed until Monday 29 June 2026 Remote swimming pools across the Northern Territory are essential community infrastructure that save lives, strengthen communities and improve health and wellbeing, yet decades of underinvestment have left many facilities at risk of closure.
A new report released today by Royal Life Saving Northern Territory, Sustaining Remote Swimming Pools in the Northern Territory: A Strategic Imperative, calls for urgent, coordinated action to secure the future of remote pools and the communities that rely on them.
Drawing on more than 15 years of safety audits, workforce reviews and operational experience across 19 remote swimming pools, the report highlights the critical role these facilities play in preventing drowning, supporting education, improving health outcomes and providing safe places for recreation in some of Australia's most isolated communities.
The report also reveals that many of the recommendations made in the 2010 Review of Swimming Pools in Remote Areas of the Northern Territory remain unimplemented, contributing to ageing infrastructure, workforce shortages and increasing operational pressures.
Northern Territory communities continue to experience the highest drowning rate in Australia, with the Territory's drowning rate almost three times the national average.
Almost half of all remote swimming pools are now more than 30 years old, with three facilities already closed and several others operating at reduced capacity because of ageing infrastructure, limited funding and workforce challenges.
Royal Life Saving Northern Territory Executive Director, Floss Roberts, said remote swimming pools were much more than recreational facilities.
"For many remote communities, the local swimming pool is the only safe place to swim. These facilities are essential community infrastructure that improve health, bring people together, support school engagement and help prevent drowning."
"When a pool closes or cannot operate safely, communities lose far more than access to swimming. They lose opportunities for children to be active, for families to gather, for local employment and skills development, and for water safety education that can save lives."
"We have known for many years what needs to be done. This report provides clear evidence and practical recommendations that can help secure the long-term future of these facilities. What is needed now is coordinated investment and commitment."
The report estimates that every dollar invested in remote swimming pools can generate up to $25 in social and health benefits through improved community wellbeing, increased physical activity, stronger education outcomes and reduced health costs.
The report recommends a coordinated Territory-wide workforce and mentoring strategy, a dedicated operational support model, establishment of a Remote Pool Safety and Infrastructure Fund, recognition of remote pools as essential public health infrastructure, and ongoing evaluation of their social and economic value.
Royal Life Saving Australia Chief Operating Officer, RJ Houston, said the findings reflected a broader national challenge facing Australia's aquatic infrastructure.
"Across Australia we are seeing ageing community aquatic facilities reaching the end of their operational life while demand for safe places to swim continues to grow."
"Swimming pools are essential public infrastructure. They provide opportunities to learn lifesaving skills, support community health, create local employment and play a vital role in preventing drowning."
"Investment in community aquatic infrastructure is an investment in public health, community resilience and safety. The findings from the Northern Territory reinforce the need for long-term planning and sustainable investment in aquatic infrastructure across Australia."
The report concludes that without urgent and coordinated action, more remote pools are likely to close, increasing drowning risk and reducing access to one of the most valuable community assets in remote Australia.
Royal Life Saving Northern Territory is calling on governments and stakeholders to work together to implement the report's recommendations and ensure every remote community has access to safe, sustainable and well-supported aquatic facilities.
