Attendance numbers took a dive during the 2025-26 outdoor pool season.
Photo by
JORDAN TOWNROW
A decision by Campaspe Shire Council to waive entry fees for the 2025-26 outdoor pool season did not turn around the decline in swimming numbers, council figures reveal.
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Despite waiving entry fees to boost access numbers, overall attendance across the shire’s six active outdoor pools dropped by three per cent compared to the previous year.
The free entry initiative saw total attendance across the pools fall to 20,970 visitors, down from 21,709 the previous season.
Council data reveals mixed results across the shire, with some communities taking advantage of free swimming while others recorded low attendance figures.
Total attendance by each outdoor pool location within Campaspe Shire from the past five years.
2021-22
2022-23
2023-24
2024-25
2025-26
Colbo
1237
3034
2788
2836
2024
Kyabram
4938
11,419
8285
7519
8021
Locky
2201
5189
4154
4016
3433
Rochester
5981
0
0
0
0
Rushworth
813
2654
1905
1750
1563
Stanhope
1204
2847
2443
1903
2253
Tongala
2274
4734
4069
3685
3676
17,411
29,877
23,644
21,709
20,970
Kyabram pool remained the region’s most popular outdoor facility with the highest numbers in attendance, followed by Tongala and Lockington, with Stanhope, Colbinabbin and Rushworth pools all recording lower attendance numbers.
“To encourage usage, council delivered a range of additional activities across the pools,” Campaspe Shire Council communities director Jo Bradshaw said.
Activities included aqua aerobics at Lockington and Kyabram, inflatable fun days at each pool during the summer holidays, school swimming programs at Lockington and Kyabram, VICSWIM holiday programs, a youth ‘pool party’ event at Rushworth organised by Campaspe Youth and support for the Kyabram Blue Light pool party.
Ms Bradshaw said council also encouraged usage by modifying operational hours to suit school swimming carnival and school learn to swim programs and ongoing support for swim clubs at Kyabram and Tongala.
However, swimmers should prepare to pull out their wallets again next season.
At this stage, entry fees are set to return for the 2026-27 season as per the fees and charges endorsed at the May 19 council meeting.
The Lockington pool is one of the region’s most popular outdoor facilities.
“In previous years where councillors have made the decision to waive fees, they have done so to encourage increased attendance at the local pools but also cited water safety and provision of cool spaces during hot weather as reasons to make the pool more accessible to the whole community,” Ms Bradshaw said.
“Should a decision be made to waive the fees as per previous years, this will be through a council meeting.”
With the outdoor pool season now at an end, Ms Bradshaw said council saw an increase in abuse towards staff and wanted to remind the community, whether the pools were free to enter or not, council had a zero tolerance policy for abuse to help ensure pool environments remained safe and welcoming for everyone.
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