From Melbourne Pools to Christmas Island: Warwick Westmore

Warwick Westmore’s aquatic career began in Melbourne in 1999, when he started working as a Pool Lifeguard and occasional Swimming Teacher while studying at university. What began as a way to earn some extra money soon became a career.

Warwick enjoyed the industry and the strong camaraderie among staff. After university, he continued working at the pool and progressed through roles as Senior Lifeguard, Duty Manager and Operations Coordinator.

His career later took him overseas after he and his girlfriend—now his wife, whom he met at work—moved to London for several years. While there, Warwick worked as a Lifeguard and then Team Leader at the Dolphin Square Hotel leisure centre.

After returning to Melbourne, he continued building his operational experience through roles at Hawthorn Aquatic and Leisure Centre, Richmond Recreation Centre and Monash Aquatic and Recreation Centre.

Taking a Chance on Remote Australia

In 2012, Warwick and his wife were ready for a new challenge and a change of scenery. They accepted a joint position managing sport and recreation facilities across the Tiwi Islands in the Northern Territory, despite never having visited Darwin or the Tiwi Islands.

The couple lived in a demountable on the pool grounds in the Wurrumiyanga community and spent two years working across Bathurst and Melville islands. The experience introduced Warwick to the rewards and challenges of managing recreation facilities in small, remote communities.

As their contract drew to a close, Warwick and his wife began looking for an opportunity on the mainland where they could start a family. Warwick was appointed Manager of Albany Leisure and Aquatic Centre, and during their two years in Albany, they welcomed their daughter, Indiana.

However, after becoming accustomed to the tropical climate of the Northern Territory, the cooler weather on WA’s south coast was not quite the right fit. The family began watching for another opportunity in northern Australia.

In late 2015, the Facility Manager position at Christmas Island Recreation Centre became available. Once again, the family took a leap of faith and relocated somewhere they had never visited and knew little about—apart from its famous red crabs.

They quickly fell in love with Christmas Island and its community and have now called the island home for more than 10 years.

Making a Difference in the Community

For Warwick, one of the most rewarding aspects of working in aquatics and recreation is that facilities are used by people from every part of the community.

Working in a small and remote community means getting to know customers personally and seeing firsthand the difference that recreation facilities can make in people’s lives. These relationships have become one of the things Warwick values most about his role.

His experience has also reinforced the importance of keeping the community at the centre of facility operations. Warwick believes teams can sometimes become focused on internal needs and lose sight of why aquatic and recreation centres exist.

While ensuring staff feel valued and supported is essential, he believes this must be balanced with delivering the best possible services and experiences for the community.

A Complex Pool Upgrade

One of the Recreation Centre’s recent projects was the first complete regrouting of its main 25-metre outdoor pool in 20 years. Remarkably, despite very little grout remaining, the pool had not lost any tiles.

Completing the work involved much more than simply emptying, regrouting and refilling the pool. Christmas Island’s limited infrastructure required careful planning and cooperation with the Indian Ocean Territories Administration and Water Corporation.

Additional plumbing was installed to transfer the pool water to a suitable natural drainage area, and the water had to be neutralised before it could be safely pumped out.

Refilling the pool was also a lengthy process because of the island’s limited water supply infrastructure. Christmas Island’s mains water comes from underground aquifers and is highly alkaline and rich in minerals, which significantly affected the pool’s water chemistry.

The team needed to completely change its usual approach to pH management, switching from alkaline to acidic dosing. Under normal operating conditions, the island’s high rainfall and the use of chlorine gas mean the team usually works to keep the pool’s pH levels up.

The project highlighted the adaptability, technical knowledge and collaboration required to operate an aquatic facility in one of Australia’s most remote communities.

When Robber Crabs Invade

Life on Christmas Island also comes with experiences that would be difficult to imagine elsewhere.

During a family camping trip several years ago, Warwick and a group of friends were enjoying a barbecue when their campsite was overrun by more than 50 robber crabs, also known as coconut crabs. Photos of the extraordinary invasion went viral around the world, providing Warwick and the families with a camping story they are unlikely to forget.

Dozens of horrifying 3ft robber crabs invade family's campsite looking for food after smelling BBQ