Aquatic sports need new home

AQUATIC sport players around greater Geelong are concerned the closure of Norlane’s Waterworld Leisure Centre will leave them without a fit-for-purpose venue to practice and compete.

Sports including underwater hockey, water polo, underwater rugby and synchronized swimming ideally need a 50-metre pool with a two-metre-deep end like that at Norlane, but the under construction Northern Aquatic Community Hub (NACH) that will replace the existing pool will be downscaled to 25 metres and have a shallower end.

The Geelong Underwater Hockey Club’s Stuart McCallum said sports like his are already being squeezed out of Norlane due to competing users of the facility, and its impacting on the competitiveness of players.

“States that have the suitable pools are typically stronger in the sport,” he said, noting that Victoria is devoid of a suitable 50-metre deep water pool that can host interstate teams for games.

“Victoria has to go to New South Wales, Queensland or Western Australia to play national competitions.”

Acknowledging that it’s too late for the NACH to include a multi-purpose facility that could sutitably accommodate sports such as his, he and fellow aquatic sport players are lobbying local MP’s to consider them when planning new pools in the region.

Mr Mccallum has already written to Member for Geelong Christine Couzens, outgoing Member for Bellarine Lisa Neville and federal Member for Corangamite Libby Coker raising the issue.

He’s proposed that new Drysdale pool could be an option, so to Torquay where existing plans for the new facility there are being revised.

“But they’re a lot further for people to travel to from Geelong, or even Melbourne.”

When the existing Norlane pool does go, fall back options include the Kardinia International College or Geelong Grammar, but neither are suitable for hosting national or international competitions Mr McCallum said.

Aquatic sports like underwater hockey and underwater rugby are not included in the Commonwealth Games, but advocates believe they could be and that the 2026 regional games in Victoria would be a logical time to push for their inclusion.

“Underwater hockey could be demo’ sport for the games, for future inclusion,” Mr McCallum said.

“It’s played worldwide, it fits the criteria.”