East Gippsland Aquatic Strategy

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We are developing a new East Gippsland Aquatic Strategy.

HAVE YOUR SAY NOW

This strategy will guide how we manage, enhance, and envision aquatic facilities across East Gippsland, shaping a future where residents can enjoy high-quality aquatic services that meet their interests and needs.

A key part of developing the new strategy is receiving input from community, and will consider:

  • Current aquatic community needs and perspectives.
  • Area growth and projected populations.
  • Current condition of existing facilities.
  • Costs of the service and facilities over the next 10 years.
  • Opportunities for infrastructure renewal, service improvement, and strategic investment.
  • A peer review of the 2015 strategy to ensure ongoing relevance and effectiveness.
  • Aligning the new strategy with the Council Plan and Council's sports facility planning priorities.

We are working with the community to develop the strategy and have appointed @leisure Planners – an experienced sport, leisure and open space firm specialising in strategies and community engagement in the aquatics, leisure and open space field.

Engagement enquiries can be directed to @leisure Planners via email to info@atleisure.com.au with 'East Gippsland Aquatic Strategy' as the subject line.

Community involvement and consultation

The development of the new strategy will include extensive community engagement, including a project reference group.

This approach ensures that decisions are informed by community and stakeholder input, while also considering the demand for, and the cost and feasibility of, additional aquatic facilities in our shire.

Our commitment to you: inform to involve – We will work closely with the reference group to ensure community concerns and aspirations are understood, considered, and reflected in the strategy. We will keep the community informed and provide opportunities for feedback.

Ways you can get involved

The more feedback received through the survey from across the shire the better. It’s your chance to explain how you use public aquatic facilities now, and what future use and facilities should consider.

Survey responses are made directly to @leisure Planners through the link above. Hard copies of the survey can also be picked up at any of Council’s customer service centres, libraries and recreation centres. De-identified responses will be shared with the community reference group to inform the strategy development.

Project reference group

The project reference group comprises of a diverse mix of community members, key stakeholders and user groups to help guide the development of the new East Gippsland Aquatic Strategy.

The reference group is working directly with @leisure Planners.



SURVEY COLLECTION NOTICE — East Gippsland Shire Council is collecting your information to inform the development of its East Gippsland Aquatic Strategy. Your responses will be used to help infor the development of the draft strategy. Submissions (de-identified) will be accessible to relevant Council staff, Councillors, the Project Reference Group and Council-appointed consultants working on this project - for this purpose only. For more information on Council’s Privacy Policy, please visit the EGSC Privacy Policy or email feedback@egipps.vic.gov.au if you have any questions.

We are developing a new East Gippsland Aquatic Strategy.

HAVE YOUR SAY NOW

This strategy will guide how we manage, enhance, and envision aquatic facilities across East Gippsland, shaping a future where residents can enjoy high-quality aquatic services that meet their interests and needs.

A key part of developing the new strategy is receiving input from community, and will consider:

  • Current aquatic community needs and perspectives.
  • Area growth and projected populations.
  • Current condition of existing facilities.
  • Costs of the service and facilities over the next 10 years.
  • Opportunities for infrastructure renewal, service improvement, and strategic investment.
  • A peer review of the 2015 strategy to ensure ongoing relevance and effectiveness.
  • Aligning the new strategy with the Council Plan and Council's sports facility planning priorities.

We are working with the community to develop the strategy and have appointed @leisure Planners – an experienced sport, leisure and open space firm specialising in strategies and community engagement in the aquatics, leisure and open space field.

Engagement enquiries can be directed to @leisure Planners via email to info@atleisure.com.au with 'East Gippsland Aquatic Strategy' as the subject line.

Community involvement and consultation

The development of the new strategy will include extensive community engagement, including a project reference group.

This approach ensures that decisions are informed by community and stakeholder input, while also considering the demand for, and the cost and feasibility of, additional aquatic facilities in our shire.

Our commitment to you: inform to involve – We will work closely with the reference group to ensure community concerns and aspirations are understood, considered, and reflected in the strategy. We will keep the community informed and provide opportunities for feedback.

Ways you can get involved

The more feedback received through the survey from across the shire the better. It’s your chance to explain how you use public aquatic facilities now, and what future use and facilities should consider.

Survey responses are made directly to @leisure Planners through the link above. Hard copies of the survey can also be picked up at any of Council’s customer service centres, libraries and recreation centres. De-identified responses will be shared with the community reference group to inform the strategy development.

Project reference group

The project reference group comprises of a diverse mix of community members, key stakeholders and user groups to help guide the development of the new East Gippsland Aquatic Strategy.

The reference group is working directly with @leisure Planners.



SURVEY COLLECTION NOTICE — East Gippsland Shire Council is collecting your information to inform the development of its East Gippsland Aquatic Strategy. Your responses will be used to help infor the development of the draft strategy. Submissions (de-identified) will be accessible to relevant Council staff, Councillors, the Project Reference Group and Council-appointed consultants working on this project - for this purpose only. For more information on Council’s Privacy Policy, please visit the EGSC Privacy Policy or email feedback@egipps.vic.gov.au if you have any questions.

  • Commitment to broad community engagement

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    Council adopted the officer recommendation relating to the Bairnsdale Outdoor Pool following consideration of an independent safety and condition assessment at its meeting on Tuesday 19 May 2026.

    Council also accepted a community petition relating to the future of the facility.

    The assessment found the Bairnsdale Outdoor Pool is beyond its service life and presents significant safety, compliance and operational risks in its current condition. It concluded that substantial investment would be required to bring the facility up to standard.

    The independent assessment estimates remediation would exceed $5.3 million and extend the asset’s life by approximately 10 years, noting that further works would likely be required within five years. It also notes the estimate does not include a range of additional project costs such as detailed design, engineering, permits, demolition, excavation, project management and contingencies.

    Council noted that, in line with its obligations under the Occupational Health and Safety Act 2004, the facility cannot be reopened in its current condition.

    Council also noted that a new East Gippsland Aquatic Strategy is currently being developed. The strategy will review the condition and future role of aquatic facilities across the shire, include community and stakeholder engagement, and reassess demand for outdoor swimming facilities in Bairnsdale.

    Importantly, Council is committed to ensuring the community plays a central role in shaping the future of aquatic facilities across East Gippsland, with broad community and stakeholder engagement to form a key part of the Aquatic Strategy process. Council acknowledged the strong community interest in the facility and the important role aquatic infrastructure plays in supporting health, wellbeing and community participation across East Gippsland.

    Read the media release

    Council adopted the officer recommendation relating to the Bairnsdale Outdoor Pool following consideration of an independent safety and condition assessment at its meeting on Tuesday 19 May 2026.

    Council also accepted a community petition relating to the future of the facility.

    The assessment found the Bairnsdale Outdoor Pool is beyond its service life and presents significant safety, compliance and operational risks in its current condition. It concluded that substantial investment would be required to bring the facility up to standard.

    The independent assessment estimates remediation would exceed $5.3 million and extend the asset’s life by approximately 10 years, noting that further works would likely be required within five years. It also notes the estimate does not include a range of additional project costs such as detailed design, engineering, permits, demolition, excavation, project management and contingencies.

    Council noted that, in line with its obligations under the Occupational Health and Safety Act 2004, the facility cannot be reopened in its current condition.

    Council also noted that a new East Gippsland Aquatic Strategy is currently being developed. The strategy will review the condition and future role of aquatic facilities across the shire, include community and stakeholder engagement, and reassess demand for outdoor swimming facilities in Bairnsdale.

    Importantly, Council is committed to ensuring the community plays a central role in shaping the future of aquatic facilities across East Gippsland, with broad community and stakeholder engagement to form a key part of the Aquatic Strategy process. Council acknowledged the strong community interest in the facility and the important role aquatic infrastructure plays in supporting health, wellbeing and community participation across East Gippsland.

    Read the media release

  • Community reference group and survey

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    @leisure Planners is working directly with a Community Reference Group – self-nominated residents and representatives of peak industry bodies – to inform the strategy development and provide a broad representation of interests. The Community Reference Group met for the first time last month.

    Direct engagement with key stakeholders and user groups has also started, led by @leisure Planners.

    A community and user survey opened on 5 May 2026 to gather community feedback on aquatic facilities to inform the development of a draft strategy. The survey closes 29 May 2026.

    @leisure Planners is working directly with a Community Reference Group – self-nominated residents and representatives of peak industry bodies – to inform the strategy development and provide a broad representation of interests. The Community Reference Group met for the first time last month.

    Direct engagement with key stakeholders and user groups has also started, led by @leisure Planners.

    A community and user survey opened on 5 May 2026 to gather community feedback on aquatic facilities to inform the development of a draft strategy. The survey closes 29 May 2026.

  • PRG membership confirmed

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    Thank you to everyone who expressed interest in joining the East Gippsland Aquatic Strategy Project Reference Group (PRG).

    We appreciate the time and thought put into each application, applicants will be notified of the outcome from mid December.

    The PRG has been formed with a diverse mix of community members, key stakeholders and user groups to help guide the development of the new East Gippsland Aquatic Strategy.

    The group will provide a representative viewpoint from across the entire shire for the development of the strategy.

    We encourage everyone to stay involved. Upcoming engagement opportunities will be shared on Your Say East Gippsland, and we welcome your continued insights.

    To stay updated on the project’s progress, please subscribe to this project page.

    Thank you to everyone who expressed interest in joining the East Gippsland Aquatic Strategy Project Reference Group (PRG).

    We appreciate the time and thought put into each application, applicants will be notified of the outcome from mid December.

    The PRG has been formed with a diverse mix of community members, key stakeholders and user groups to help guide the development of the new East Gippsland Aquatic Strategy.

    The group will provide a representative viewpoint from across the entire shire for the development of the strategy.

    We encourage everyone to stay involved. Upcoming engagement opportunities will be shared on Your Say East Gippsland, and we welcome your continued insights.

    To stay updated on the project’s progress, please subscribe to this project page.

Page last updated: 04 Jun 2026, 10:13 AM