Remote Pools Project

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Remote Pools Project

Working alongside remote Aboriginal communities to keep local pools open. A project of The Y Northern Territory

27/08/2026

There’s been a lot of Sorry Business in Ngukurr lately, and community has been quieter, with various events postponed out of respect.

Last Friday felt like the right time to come together more joyfully again. Yugul Mangi Development Aboriginal Corporation organised a delayed NAIDOC week celebration right next door to the pool.

The pool was full and loud, a local band played -testing some new music equipment for the first time!-, there was food, people were dancing, and our new co****le boards were a big hit.

Big love for Ngukurr and thanks to all the people who make events like last week’s so special 💛

23/08/2026

It’s been just 51 years since the Wave Hill walk-off. Well within the lifetime of a third of Australians.

In 1966, two hundred Gurindji, Mudburra and Walpiri people protested poor working conditions when they walked off the cattle station where they were employed, about 1.5hrs north of where our waterpark in Lajamanu sits today. Led by Gurindji man, Vincent Lingiari, this began the national Land Rights movement.

Nine years later, then prime minister Gough Whitlam handed Vincent Lingiari the title deeds for a portion of that cattle station, pictured here. Lingiari held the deeds in his left hand as Whitlam poured a handful of red earth into Lingiari’s right palm – ‘a sign that this land will be in the possession of you and your children forever.’

It was the first time the Australian government had returned land to traditional owners.

Happy Gurindji Freedom Day 💛

📸 by Mervyn Bishop, 1975, via the National Portrait Gallery

19/08/2026

Zoe, one of our full-time staff at Ngukurr pool, has begun helping out in the music class at Ngukurr school on one of her days off. She's off-camera in this video, helping the students remember their dance moves.

Away from the pool, Zoe's a passionate clarinet player who has loved getting involved with the Ngukurr music scene. She'll continue helping out with the music class the rest of this year, ahead of their big Christmas concert - stay tuned!

About a week after she began attending the music class, a bunch of kids brought their mums and aunties to the pool because they had found out that ‘music girl’ is also ‘pool lady’ 🥹 They got so excited to show their mums that pool lady is the same person who sings and dances with them in music class. A good good good day!

04/08/2026

Celebrating the strength, pride and potential of our #1 pool visitors!

Happy National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children’s Day ☺️

A big, big thank you to all the children who make our pools and waterpark joyous, loud and life-filled spaces. It’s a gift to grow alongside you.

24/07/2026

Today’s World Drowning Prevention Day.

Last year, 357 people drowned in Australia. If you lived in a remote area, your risk nearly tripled.

But drowning is preventable, in cities and out bush, it just takes all of us to play our part.

👀 Around water, constant supervision.

🏊🏾 At school and in community, swimming and water safety lessons.

🚑 In an emergency, people skilled in CPR and first aid.

〰️

Drowning prevention is at the heart of what we do at the Remote Pools Project.

🛟 Safe, supervised facilities: All our pools are now at least bronze-rated by Royal Life Saving Australia, ahead of the national average.

🏊🏽‍♀️ Free access to swimming and water safety programs: Our upcoming season will offer the most lessons yet, to the most schools.

⛑️ Regular training in CPR, pool lifeguarding and first aid: Offering courses based on local demand.

When everyone plays their part, we can turn the tide 💛

21/07/2026

We’re hiring four new teammates to reopen our aquatic facilities on Warlpiri land!

We’re looking for aquatic coordinators and duty managers to live and work in the remote Aboriginal communities of Lajamanu and Yuendumu.

🏊🏽‍♀️ Yuendumu pool ~
2 roles available, 6-month contracts from Sep to Apr, full time.

⛲️ Lajamanu waterpark ~
2 roles available, permanent/ongoing from Sep, full-time.

Applications welcome from anywhere in Australia. Couples and friends encouraged to apply together!

To find out more, visit https://bit.ly/rpp-jobs

📸 Your future customers, workplace and weekend getaway… 😎

09/07/2026

50 years deadly.

With this theme, we couldn’t miss highlighting the 50-year history of the Ltyentye Apurte pool.

The pool was built in the same year that the Aboriginal Tent Embassy was pitched outside Parliament House (1972).

It has stood through…

🗓️ Aboriginal Land Rights Act in the NT (1976)
🗓️ Mabo vs Queensland High Court ruling (1992)
🗓️ Bringing Them Home report (1997)
🗓️ National apology by Kevin Rudd (2008)
🗓️ Uluṟu Statement from the Heart (2017)
🗓️ Australia’s first statewide treaty between Victoria and Traditional Owners (2025)

So much change in the lifespan of a pool. Here’s to another 50 🤞🏾

📸 by Jessica Howard for Women’s Weekly

07/07/2026

Big thanks to the Ngukurr Language Centre staff and their families for sitting with us across a couple of afternoons to write new signage in Kriol for around the pool.

Displaying signs in local languages is one way we can make pools in remote communities both physically and culturally safer.

Here we’ve got Ngukurr Language Centre staff pictured holding three of the finished signs – from left to right:

🗑️ Pick up your rubbish
🛟 Talk to a lifeguard if you need help
✋🏾 Staff only

Thank you so much for sharing your time and knowledge with us 💛

03/07/2026

Floating into the weekend 🦦

Address

7 Doctors Gully Road
Darwin, NT
0801

Telephone

+61889818377

Website

http://www.remotepoolsproject.ymca.org.au/, https://www.facebook.com/borroloolacommunitypool, https://www.facebook.com/l

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