South Hedland Aquatic Centre experiences significant increases in patronage during the summer months due to extreme weather conditions, school holiday programs and the Hedland Splash initiative, which provides free pool access for children under 12 years of age. While these programs deliver important recreation, health and wellbeing benefits, they also place increased demands on facility operations, supervision and behaviour management.
The Community Guardian Program was introduced at South Hedland Aquatic Centre during the 2025/26 summer season to provide a visible, culturally responsive and community-led presence that could support staff, positively engage young people and help create a safe and welcoming environment for all pool users.
The program brought together the Town of Port Hedland, Royal Life Saving Society WA, Talent Pool and local cultural leadership to deliver a community-led approach focused on positive engagement, mentoring and early intervention.
A key strength of the Community Guardian Program was the engagement of local Elder Rayleen Button through Mampulunya Kariyarra, who provided cultural leadership, training and advisory support throughout the project. Her involvement helped ensure the program remained culturally responsive, community-led and aligned with local needs.
Independent evaluation findings and staff feedback identified reduced antisocial behaviour, improved perceptions of safety, stronger youth engagement and increased support for aquatic staff, with overall positive ratings for the program from both staff and community members.
The Community Guardian Program successfully demonstrated how local leadership, trusted relationships and proactive engagement can improve safety, build community capacity and create a more welcoming environment for all pool users.
Highlights