When logging onto the online portal for Kiama Leisure Centre, local parents are used to seeing the warning: ‘Kiama Leisure Centre Swim School is currently at a high capacity of enrolments’. Due to increased families moving into the area and a country-wide shortage of swim teachers, parents and carers are struggling to get a spot in the popular swim school, especially when juggling the schedules of multiple children.

In 2023, Kiama Leisure Centre closed its waiting list for swim school places in a temporary move that has now become permanent. It’s a similar story at swimming schools across the country.

Whilst the NSW Government’s Active Kids vouchers are now means tested, as at February 2024, the First Lap program — which provides $50 per year towards the cost of swimming lessons — is still open to eligible children, regardless of their family’s income. This program, however, has increased the pressure put on swim schools, as parents take advantage of the government program. 

Living in a coastal town, Kiama families are acutely aware, it’s important for their children to learn to swim confidentially. So where can you learn to swim if spots are scarce? Luckily, there are local alternatives:

Shellharbour and surrounds

A popular alternative for local parents is Oak Flats Pool, where swim school spaces in the heated outdoor pool are still limited, however, there is an active waiting list. Alternatively, Shellharbour Swim Academy is a private swim school with two locations in Albion Park and Barrack Heights. They also offer a ‘large family discount’ for families with more than two children taking part in lessons. 

Swim intensives

During school holidays, Kiama Leisure Centre and Shellharbour’s three pools — Albion Park, Oak Flats and Warilla — all hold intensive swim programs. You can sign up your child to go for swimming lessons for five days in a row (or four days, if it’s a week with a public holiday). It’s a great way to adopt skills quickly and your child doesn’t need to be enrolled in a weekly lesson to sign up to the program. To be the first to know when enrolments open, follow the Facebook pages for Kiama Leisure Centre and Shellharbour City Council.

Private lessons

If your child can’t get a spot in a group class, both Kiama Leisure Centre and Oak Flats Pool do offer private one-to-one sessions with an instructor. They are more expensive ($50 per lesson) however, you can still put your First Lap voucher towards the cost. Available times depend on the schedule of individual instructors, so contact each facility for more details. At present, Kiama Leisure Centre has closed enquiries for private lessons until further notice.

Future expansion

The shortage of swim instructors hasn’t gone unnoticed. Shellharbour City Council has just closed recruitment applications for a new Swimming Development Coordinator. One goal of this role is to ‘develop and expand the delivery of safe and sustainable Learn to Swim programs’. Meanwhile, Royal Life Saving Australia has called the instructor shortage an opportunity for school leavers looking for a role in the aquatic industry. If you’re a water-lover who is interested in a career change, find more information on royallifesaving.com.au.