**To ensure your signature counts for the official council submission, please fill in your full name, residential address and email address here: Google form - for signature

** please note this is a petition for support (signatures) and is NOT fundraising. Any donations do NOT go to the pool, and are instead directed to the website platform.** 

To: Moyne Shire Councillors

We, the undersigned residents of Port Fairy, Moyne Shire and the wider community, urgently call on the Moyne Shire Council to work with us to secure the funding and support required to reopen our vital community facility, Belfast Aquatics.

Belfast Aquatics is an essential public asset that provides safe, accessible and affordable health, rehabilitation and wellbeing services for people of all ages and abilities. Its closure has immediate and far-reaching consequences for our community.

 
1. A Vital Health & Rehabilitation Resource

The indoor pool is widely used for physiotherapy, injury recovery, chronic pain management and low-impact exercise that cannot be safely replicated elsewhere. Healthcare professionals consistently recommend the facility to prevent further health decline and reduce pressure on medical services.

 
2. Supporting Older Residents

Many older residents rely on warm-water exercise, aqua classes and gym programs to maintain mobility, independence and social connection. The closure disproportionately affects those with limited options for safe, year-round activity.

 
3. Essential for Children & Youth

Belfast Aquatics delivers swimming lessons, school programs, holiday activities and competitive squads—programs that are critical for water safety, confidence, physical development and youth wellbeing. Without this facility, families must travel long distances or withdraw altogether, increasing water-safety risks for local children.

 
4. Inclusion for People with Disabilities

The centre offers warm water, accessible equipment and trained staff supporting people with physical, developmental and sensory disabilities. For many, this facility is irreplaceable—other centres simply do not offer equivalent accessibility or specialised programs.

 
5. A Community Gym for All

The gym provides affordable fitness options, social connection and supervised programs—particularly valued by beginners, seniors and those uncomfortable in large commercial gyms. It is a safe and welcoming space that supports preventative health and active living.

 
6. Economic & Social Benefits

The facility sustains local jobs, attracts families to the region and strengthens community cohesion. Closure will lead to higher long-term health costs and a reduction in quality of life for residents.

 
7. Local Employment

Belfast Aquatics employs 33 local staff, including lifeguards, swim teachers, reception staff and instructors. Losing these jobs diminishes local skills, opportunities and income at a time when regional employment is already under strain. This makes it even more critical that all funding avenues are explored to enable reopening.

 
We acknowledge the financial pressures facing Moyne Shire. However, we ask Council to stand with the community and advocate—alongside us—to both State and Federal Governments to secure the $2 million required.

To support this call, we present clear evidence showing the substantial health, social and economic benefits provided by indoor pools and aquatic facilities.

 
Evidence Summary: Health, Social & Economic Benefits of Indoor Aquatic Facilities

1. Rehabilitation & Clinical Health Benefits

• Aquatic exercise reduces pain and improves mobility in people with arthritis and osteoarthritis.
• Hydrotherapy improves balance, strength and mobility in older adults and reduces fall risk.
• Warm-water exercise reduces chronic pain by 20–40%

2. Benefits for Older Adults

• Regular swimming reduces early mortality risk by 28%.
• Water-based exercise reduces cardiovascular-disease risk by 30–40%.
• Group aquatic classes reduce loneliness and social isolation.

3. Children & Youth

• Formal swimming lessons reduce drowning risk in young children by 88%.
• Swimming improves cognitive development, motor skills and school engagement.
• Youth swimming squads support mental health and overall fitness.

4. People with Disabilities

• Water reduces body weight by up to 90%, enabling movement not possible on land.
• Aquatic therapy improves gait and balance for people with stroke, MS and cerebral palsy.

5. Mental Health Benefits

• Swimming reduces symptoms of anxiety and depression by 20–30%.
• Water-based exercise lowers stress and improves sleep quality.

6. Social Connection & Community Cohesion

• Regular pool users report 20–25% greater social connectedness.
• Adults in aquatic programs experience 30% higher levels of social support.
• Pools act as inclusive “third places,” reducing isolation and improving life satisfaction.

7. Economic & Community Benefits

• Every $1 invested in community sport and recreation delivers $4–$7 in benefits.
• Aquatic centres reduce long-term healthcare costs by preventing chronic disease.
• Local pools increase physical activity in low-income communities by up to 40%.

These evidence-based benefits show that Belfast Aquatics is essential public infrastructure, not a luxury. 

Our Request

We respectfully call on the Moyne Shire Councillors to protect this essential service and demonstrate a commitment to public health, inclusion and the long-term future of Port Fairy and the wider Moyne community. Stand with us and provide assurance that you will explore any and all funding options available and commit to working with residents, rather than allowing the permanent loss of this crucial facility.

We, the undersigned, request that Council act decisively to secure funding and reopen Belfast Aquatics.

**To ensure your signature counts for the official council submission, please fill in your full name, residential address and email address here: Google form - for signature

** please note this is a petition for support (signatures) and is not fundraising. Any donations do not go to the pool, and are instead directed to the website platform.**