SPLASH 158 February-March 2025 by The Intermedia Group

Bathhouses

Reviving the ancient lifestyle

Robot disruption

New entrants shaking up the market

Business of the Year

Trying a little kindness

Hot, hard and dusty Pool life in the Red Centre

Size does matter

AutoChlor® is the hallmark of AIS Water, an internationally acclaimed brand of inline chlorine generators that symbolises excellence in the industry. It’s the go-to choice for saltwater, coastline, and seawater pools, especially those with salinity levels between 3,500 - 35,000ppm.

Offering a diverse range of models, from 10 to 5,000 grams per hour, AutoChlor® ensures there’s a perfect fit for you and your customers this summer.

AutoChlor® Pixie

Chlorine output: 1 -10 g/h

Salinity Range: 4,000ppm - 5,000ppm

Designed in Australia to meet the surging demand in the plunge pool and spa market, the Pixie micro chlorine generator inherits the DNA of its bigger AutoChlor® counterparts. With a reverse polarity cell, water flow alarm, and high/low salinity alerts, it also shields your pool or spa from over-chlorination. Say goodbye to risky chlorine dosing and oversized chlorinators intended for larger pools. Pixie delivers peace of mind with its cost-effectiveness, simplicity, reliability, and hassle-free installation.

AutoChlor® Classic MkII

Chlorine output: 15 / 20 / 25 / 36 / 50 / 64 / 80 g/h

Salinity Range: 3,500ppm - 5,000ppm

Born over 30 years ago, the AutoChlor® Classic™ series reigns as AIS’ flagship, celebrated for its unwavering simplicity, unmatched reliability, and effortless installation. The Classic™ series has continuously advanced, and in its latest iteration, AutoChlor® Classic™ Mark II proudly features an aluminium heatsink, fortifying its durability to excel in the most extreme, high-temperature conditions with unparalleled ease.

AutoChlor® MIDI

Chlorine output: 100 & 150 g/h

Salinity Range: 3,500ppm - 5,500ppm

Say goodbye to juggling multiple residential chlorinators. Elevate your pool experience with the AutoChlor® MIDI™ – the ultimate solution for busy pools. With its industrial aesthetics and unmatched performance, this semi-commercial powerhouse provides the chlorine your pool demands. Operating at a salinity level as low as 3,500ppm, the RP150 model, takes your swimming experience to the next level. AutoChlor® MIDI™: where reliability, strength, and top-tier functionality meet.

AutoChlor® Commercial

Chlorine output: 100 - 5,000 g/h

Salinity Range: 4,000ppm - 35,000ppm

AIS Water stands as a pioneering force in commercial pool water disinfection, leading the charge in innovative solutions for over 25 years. The awardwinning AutoChlor® commercial range, designed for saltwater, coastal, and sea water swimming pools, is the culmination of 25+ years of relentless research and development. Today, it remains the unrivaled chlorine generator of choice, diligently disinfecting thousands of swimming pools in resorts, hotels, public swimming pools, aquatic centres, swim schools, lagoons, water parks, and schools across more than 55 countries worldwide. AIS Water - setting the gold standard in commercial pool water purification.

A 30 year history of innovation and a laser focus in chlorine generation via electrolysis.

Power Supply and electrolytic cell

AWARD WINNING TECHNOLOGY,

EvoHeat’s upgraded i-Pro Series delivers the same superior pool heating performance - with the latest advanced features. Experience our award-winning heat pumps with the latest upgrades.

SOLAR SMART MODE

Maximises solar PV use for greater efficiency and lower heating costs.

Wi-FI CONTROL

Seamless wireless control and monitoring from your smart phone.

NEW CABINET DESIGN

New, sleek, durable cabinets built for Australia’s harsh weather.

REMOTE ASSIST

Remote Assist connects via Wi-Fi to quickly diagnose and resolve system issues.

INTUITIVE CONTROLLERS

Designed with intuitive colour touchscreen controllers.

EASY INSTALL

Hassle-free installation with simple connection terminals.

Published by

The Intermedia Group Pty Ltd

ABN 940 025 83 682

41 Bridge Road, Glebe, NSW, 2037 Australia

Ph: (02) 9660 2113 Fax: (02) 9660 4419

On behalf of The Swimming Pool & Spa Association of Australia Ltd (SPASA Australia)

Managing Editor: Chris Maher

Phone: 0412 048 639

Email: chrismaher@intermedia.com.au

Contributors: Veda Dante, Declan Gillard-Martin

Executive Manager - Commercial: Declan Gillard-Martin

Phone: 0404 725 554

Email: declan@spasa.com.au

Graphic Designer: Sanja Spuzanic

Production Manager: Jacqui Cooper

Subscriptions: 1800 651 422

Email: subscriptions@intermedia.com.au

All material in this publication is copyright to the publisher and/or its contributors. No material may be reproduced without the express permission of the publishers.

Disclaimer: This publication is published by The Intermedia Group Pty Ltd (the “Publisher”) on behalf of SPASA Australia. Materials in this publication have been created by a variety of different entities and, to the extent permitted by law, the Publisher accepts no liability for materials created by others. All materials should be considered protected by Australian and international intellectual property laws. Unless you are authorised by law or the copyright owner to do so, you may not copy any of the materials. The mention of a product or service, person or company in this publication does not indicate the Publisher’s endorsement. The views expressed in this publication do not necessarily represent the opinion of the Publisher, its agents, company officers or employees. Any use of the information contained in this publication is at the sole risk of the person using that information. The user should make independent enquiries as to the accuracy of the information before relying on that information. All express or implied terms, conditions, warranties, statements, assurances and representations in relation to the Publisher, its publications and its services are expressly excluded save for those conditions and warranties which must be implied under the laws of any State of Australia or the provisions of Division 2 of Part V of the Trade Practices Act 1974 and any statutory modification or re-enactment thereof. To the extent permitted by law, the Publisher will not be liable for any damages including special, exemplary, punitive or consequential damages (including but not limited to economic loss or loss of profit or revenue or loss of opportunity) or indirect loss or damage of any kind arising in contract, tort or otherwise, even if advised of the possibility of such loss of profits or damages. While we use our best endeavours to ensure accuracy of the materials we create, to the extent permitted by law, the Publisher excludes all liability for loss resulting from any inaccuracies or false or misleading statements that may appear in this publication.

This issue of SPLASH! magazine published by The Intermedia Group Pty Ltd (Intermedia) may contain magazine or subscription; offers, competitions, forms and surveys (Reader Offers) which require you to provide information about yourself, if you choose to enter or take part in them. If you provide information about yourself to Intermedia, Intermedia will use this information to provide you with the products of services you have requested and may supply your information to contractors that help Intermedia to do this. Intermedia will also use your information to inform you of other Intermedia publications, products, services and events. Intermedia may give your information to organisations that are providing special prizes or offers that are clearly associated with the Reader Offer. Unless you tell us not to, we may give your information to other organisations that may use it to inform you about other products, services or events or to give it to other organisations that may use it for this purpose. If you would like to gain access to the information Intermedia holds about you, please contact Intermedia’s Privacy Officer at The Intermedia Group Pty Ltd, PO Box 55, Glebe, NSW 2037. Copyright © 2025 - SPASA Australia.

Proudly supported by

The views expressed in this magazine do not necessarily represent those of the above supporters, nor should any product advertised in SPLASH! magazine be seen to be endorsed by the above.

editorial

Hot weather, hard water, fine dust

My wife and I decided to travel to Alice Springs to join our son and his girlfriend, who are travelling around the continent in a van of their own making. We were excited to meet up with them, but were conscious there had been a lot of bad publicity about the town in the media.

Some of our friends even questioned why we were going. But when we landed in Alice we were pleasantly surprised. The town was friendly and engaging, with a vibrant art scene and an awe inspiring natural beauty.

The Intermedia Group takes its Corporate and Social Responsibilities seriously and is committed to reducing its impact on the environment. We continuously strive to improve our environmental performance and to initiate additional CSR based projects and activities. As part of our company policy we ensure that the products and services used in the manufacture of this magazine are sourced from environmentally responsible suppliers. This magazine has been printed on paper produced from sustainably sourced wood and pulp fibre and is accredited under PEFC chain of custody. PEFC certified wood and paper products come from environmentally appropriate, socially beneficial and economically viable management of forests.

Chris Maher Managing Editor chrismaher@ intermedia.com.au

Everyone we met said how upset they were by the constant bad publicity the town was getting, and stressed it was a great town, admittedly with a few issues, but overall an excellent place to live.

I wondered what it would be like to work in the swimming pool industry out there. It’s hot – in fact, one stinker of a day the main street melted and my thongs got stuck on the asphalt. It’s dusty – when the wind gets going everything becomes covered in a fine red film. And it’s dry, so all the water comes from deep down in the mineral-laden aquifer.

Quite a set of challenges.

I had some fascinating conversations with a pool builder and a pool shop manager, and learned about the travails and joys of working in this unique environment. You can read about it on page 46.

This issue we also look at the changes that are occurring in the swimming pool robotic cleaner market. This is an intriguing issue, as robots have been become more and more a mainstay of the pool maintenance suite. The recent influx of robot manufacturers, largely from China and often selling direct to the consumer, has had an impact on the traditional sales channels. But how much is it affecting the overall Australian and global market, and how are the established players responding? We find out on page 34.

We also look at the wellness trend and the revival of the ancient bathhouse lifestyle, along with a number of other interesting stories.

I hope you enjoy this issue.

The cover

The large communal bathing pool at London’s luxury health sanctuary, Third Space. There is more on the global and local public bathhouse trend on page 56. Image by Jamie McGregor Smith/Third Space

EVERY DAY IS A

POOL DAY

Enjoy an endless swim season with perfect water temperature all year round. AquaThermPRO Heat Pumps deliver optimal year-round temperature control with efficient, ultra quiet operation and exceptional cost savings. Depend on Davey.

20 Impacts of hot climate on work, health and safety

Advice from HR Anywhere on the WH&S considerations of working in Australia’s hot outdoor industries.

22 Championing standards, advocacy and growth

Spiros Dassakis updates us on the importance of industry advocacy, and how it is contributing to professionalism and industry growth.

24 Australian influence and global innovation in Lyon

Declan Gillard-Martin gives us the low down on Lyon’s Piscine Expo, including the role Australia is playing on the world stage.

28 Try a little kindness, says Business of the Year winner

Multitasking teamwork combined with a respectful workplace is the bedrock of Everclear Pools SA’s successful pool and spa business.

34 Robotic disruption as a new players enter the pool cleaner market

We discuss with experts in supply and retail to see how much the latest entrants, predominantly from China and often going direct to consumers, will disrupt the existing cleaner market.

46 The hot, hard and dusty life in the Alice Springs pool industry

We take a close up look at pool installation, service and retail in the unique, exciting and demanding environment of Australia’s Red Centre.

56 Ancient bathhouse lifestyle experiencing a modern boom

Veda Dante looks at the opportunities in public bathhouses in Australia, and also at public health guidelines in this space.

Strong engagement a feature of 2025 expo season

“Pool Spa Life season has been amazing so far,” says SPASA commercial executive manager Declan Gillard-Martin, who spoke with SPLASH! at the Sydney expo.

“The feedback is that the visitors that came in have good intent, are really engaged and ready to buy, so we’ve targeted the right audience and brought the right people through the doors. Hopefully the exhibitors can capitalise on that.”

Gillard-Martin also says the New Zealand show should be back next year.

“The New Zealand show in 2025 hasn’t gone ahead, but in 2026 is likely to go ahead –we’re currently contracting to the venue at the moment and speaking with prospective exhibitors about who, what, when, where and why.”

SPASA CEO Lindsay McGrath says that it is clear that the Pool Spa Life Expo continues to be an essential event in the calendar for both consumers and industry professionals.

“Though the market faces challenges, the expo’s ability to attract qualified buyers highlights the ongoing strength of the industry.

We are excited to continue supporting our members as they adapt and find new ways to connect with consumers.”

Although overall attendance was slightly lower, he says that digital engagement in the lead-up to the expo tells a different story.

“Marketing metrics indicate a significant increase in online traffic and consumer intent resulting in a 42 per cent increase in visitors to the website throughout the campaign period.”

The number of people clicking on the Grab Your Ticket button (showing real intent to attend) had a 21 per cent increase in highintent engagement.

“These numbers indicate that while fewer people ultimately attended the event –perhaps influenced by ticket prices which deters casual visitors – those who did come were serious about making a purchase. This strategy ensures exhibitors connect with high-quality prospects, delivering stronger business outcomes.

Comments from exhibitors

“What a magnificent pool and spa Show,” says Mike Griffin of Pool Ranger. “We had so much interest in swimming pool and spa equipment, from SplashMe Pool automation to chlorination to pumps, filters and heating. Many Thanks to SPASA. Lots of work ahead next weekend helping customers we met over the two days.”

Jade from Just Spas said they have exhibited at the Sydney pool and spa expo for more than 15 years, and it keeps getting better.

“The advertising is outstanding, driving strong attendance and quality leads. This weekend’s sales have been solid, and the prospects are highly promising,” she says. Thomas from Achievable Pools & Spas says the quality of buyers this year was very good.

“We’re seeing increased interest from people asking technical questions, and the overall quality of enquiries is better.

Compared to previous years, the number of attendees seems lower, but from our company’s perspective, the quality is significantly higher,” he says.

“We take the expo very seriously every year, as it’s our key opportunity to build brand awareness and connect with the community. Now in our third year, it’s great to see so many companies here supporting the industry, and consumers looking to invest in pools.”

Kristin Cassidy from Sapphire Pool and Spa says one of the key advantages of the expo is the ability to foster strong industry relationships, highlighting the value of the event beyond just consumer interactions:

“This event is the perfect opportunity to network with suppliers, tilers and outdoor living companies, allowing us to build strong relationships from start to finish. While here, I even gained a new customer in our area.”

The next Pool Spa Life expos are at Adelaide on March 29-30, Brisbane on May 17-18, followed by the Perth Home Show on June 20.

TOP LEFT: Engagement was high among visitors to the Sydney Expo

BOTTOM LEFT: The Aquea stand

TOP RIGHT: Mike Griffin of Pool Ranger says they had a lot of serious interest

BOTTOM RIGHT: Jordan Forde and Ben Silver of Masterbuilt Pools, who ran a summer competition in which their customers went into a draw for a chance to win their pool for free.

Ben Silver: “We ran it over December, January and February, and it just ended last night. They also got a free upgrade to Mineral Swim, which is the experience with the Dead Sea minerals, and a free variable speed pump as well from Maytronics, who has been our partner in the summer promotion. The winning prize was an eight-metre classic pool, valued at around $18,000, plus the free equipment upgrades. It’s been really good. We wanted people who were already getting a pool to go in the competition –we wanted to give them a reason to choose us. It was great not just for the winners, but everyone, it was something fun and pretty good odds, 15-to-one! I updated people as they signed, you know, you’re five-to-one, or six-to-one. The ones who won were very excited. They even had the date of the draw planned in their calendar.”

Lindsay McGrath to move on from SPASA after a decade of leadership

The Swimming Pool and Spa Association of Australia and New Zealand (SPASA) has announced that CEO Lindsay McGrath has resigned after 10 years at the helm.

McGrath will continue as CEO until SPASA’s AGM in May.

“On behalf of the SPASA Board, I sincerely thank Lindsay for the tremendous contributions he’s made throughout his decade-long tenure,” says SPASA chairman, Anthony Grice.

“Leadership transitions are a natural part of any organisation, and SPASA remains focused on its long-term strategy and continued success.”

Under McGrath’s leadership, SPASA successfully consolidated into a unified national association, earning a spot on the Australian Financial Review’s Fast 100 List for the second consecutive year. This transformation also led to the most successful SPLASH! Pool & Spa Trade Show to date, with record-breaking exhibitor and guest attendance at last year’s event.

“Since its formation in 2011, SPASA has grown from a fragmented collection of state-based groups into a strong, cohesive entity,”

Grice says.

“From shaping national Standards through dedicated advocacy to fostering industry connections at its bi-annual trade show, SPASA continues to drive innovation, strengthen the sector and elevate the industry’s collective success.”

The role of a lifetime

McGrath describes the experience of working with SPASA as a career-defining role.

“This has been an amazing opportunity to collaborate with talented and dedicated people to make a long lasting difference,” he says.

“I am truly lucky to have played my part in creating trade qualifications, a united association, and trade and consumer brands that grow the market. SPASA is ready for the next stage of leadership, moving from the fast-paced startup style that was required, to nurture the mature trade association I am honoured to leave behind.”

Grice says SPASA’s mission has always been clear: to protect, promote and grow the pool and spa industry, ensuring its resilience, sustainability, innovation and prosperity.

“I personally, and all of us at SPASA, are very grateful for the role Lindsay played in helping us achieve these incredible milestones,” he says.

“SPASA is in the best shape it’s ever been, the financial performance is strong, and we have built a platform for sustainable growth over the coming years.”

The SPASA Board has commenced an executive search for a new CEO and will announce McGrath’s successor in due course.

Annual rate of decline grows to minus 11 per cent

The rate of decrease has grown slightly for this reporting period, as the available pool DA figures for the 12 months to January show that annual applications are down by 11 percent nationally, a two per cent acceleration on the previous rate of decline –however, the rate had been reducing over the three previous reporting periods.

Western Australia is down by three per cent, New South Wales by four per cent, Queensland by five per cent, Victoria by 20 per cent and South Australia by 26 per cent.

The DA numbers over the most recent three months were down by 14 per cent nationally when compared to the same period last year. The November-January numbers from Cordell show Queensland is up by 18 per cent and New South Wales is up by 11 per cent, while South Australia is down by 38 per cent, Victoria is down by 41 per cent and Western Australia is down by 45 per cent.

Lindsay McGrath

Passings

MBA executive director, Brian Seidler passes away

Sadly, the long-standing Master Builders Association of NSW executive director, Brian Seidler AM has passed away. He was a cornerstone of the MBA, and a tireless champion for the building industry.

For more than four decades, his dedication helped shape a better, stronger industry. His legacy is one of hard work, passion and integrity. Beyond his achievements, we will remember him for his kindness, his commitment to mental health in the industry, and the many lives he touched with his leadership and care.

Master Builders Australia CEO Denita Wawn says that the building and construction industry has lost one of its finest leaders, as the Master Builders family around the country mourns the loss of a leader who’s selfless 40-year devotion ensured that the industry’s voice was heard.

“The building and construction industry is in a better place because of Brian Seidler. Brian’s tireless, tenacious, and energetic commitment was astonishing, and his legacy is far reaching. We will miss him greatly.”

SPASA policy officer Spiros Dassakis also says that throughout Brian’s career, he had been very supportive of the swimming pool and spa industry, when there were areas of mutual interest.

SPLASH! offers sincere condolences to his wife Donna, and children Amelia, Marcus and Mila, and to friends and colleagues.

Keep informed by subscribing to the free online newsletter.

Five charged following Melbourne swimming pool assault

Detectives charged five people following an alleged assault at a swimming pool in Narre Warren last month.

Passings

Denis Baxter passes away

Sadly, Denis Baxter, long time industry veteran who retired from Niagara Pools Supplies in 2015, has passed away. Born in Liverpool, England, he came to Australia with his parents after World War II, studied at Canterbury High School and trained as an architect. He started in the pool industry in 1989 during the recession, later owning and running Niagara Pool Supplies with wife Nelleke.

Passings

Mick Toohey passes away

Sadly, pool and spa industry veteran Mick Toohey has passed away.

Michael Peter Toohey started in the pool industry as a service technician for Quipmaster Filtrite, a division of Clark Rubber, back in the early 1980s. His career in the swimming pool and spa industry spanned his whole life. He held various positions with a number of prominent businesses such as McAskell Nominees, Poolstore International, Bells Pool Service, Barracuda, BioLab, Raypak, Endless Spas, Lazaway Pools and others before diving into the swimming pool construction sector in his later years.

Predominantly based in Victoria, Mick had a stint in NSW representing Raypak, eventually ending up back in his home state. His experience was widespread in the swimming pool and spa industry including technical service, pool plumbing, wholesale and retail sales, and later received his pool builders licence that enabled him to turn his hand to swimming pool construction.

For the last six years he was managing director of Apex Pools, Spas and Plumbing in Clarinda, Victoria.

He never shied away from challenges and his dry sense of humour endeared him to the many people he came in contact with.

A service was held in March at South Oakleigh Bowling Club, including the planting of a tree along with his ashes and the unveiling of a memorial plaque.

SPLASH! offers sincere condolences to all family, friends and colleagues.

Upcoming events

2025

Mar 29-30 Adelaide Pool Spa Life Expo, Wayville Pavilion, Royal Adelaide Showgrounds

May 14-15 NSW Country Pool Managers Conference, East Cessnock Bowling Club

May 17-18 Brisbane Pool Spa Life Expo, Exhibition Building, Brisbane Showgrounds

Jun 4-6 World Sauna Forum, Jyväskylä, Finland

Jun 14 Victorian SPASA Awards of Excellence

Jun 20 Perth Home Show, Perth Convention & Exhibition Centre

Jun 21 WA SPASA Awards of Excellence

Jun 28 NSW SPASA Awards of Excellence

July 12 Queensland SPASA Awards of Excellence

July 19 SA SPASA Awards of Excellence

Aug 12-14 Spark Conference, Sofitel Wentworth, Sydney

Aug 16 NZ SPASA Awards of Excellence

Sep 6 National SPASA Awards of Excellence

More details at www.splash.online Dates are subject to change and should be checked with the relevant organisation. Send calendar submissions to info@splashmagazine.com.au.

In Brief

In a major milestone for the industry, swimming pool builders and service technicians have had their trades recognised with their own distinct codes under new national classifications.

The Occupation Standard Classification for Australia (OSCA), formerly known as Australian and New Zealand Standard Classification of Occupations (ANZSCO), now includes these essential roles. Pool builders have been assigned their own distinct classification under OSCA Code 369932, Swimming Pool and Spa Builder; while pool and spa service technicians have the OSCA Code 899937, Swimming Pool or Spa Technician. SPASA, who was instrumental in advocating for and achieving this milestone, will next look to replicate this success and ensure similar recognition for pool builders and service technicians in the New Zealand market.

Tragically, the number of people drowning in swimming pools this summer grew to 11. Royal Life Saving is alarmed by the increase in drowning deaths in waterways and beaches as well as pools, and emphasises the need for long-term investments into drowning prevention measures. “This summer was tragic in so many ways. Too many families and communities have been affected by drowning. The figures reinforce long held concerns that many Australians lack the swimming skills to enjoy the water safely,” says CEO, Dr Justin Scarr.

SPLASH! magazine has been featured in the list of top ten global pool magazines. The list is compiled by global magazine database magazine. feedspot.com, rating reader numbers, reach, followers and engagement, as well as relevancy, authority and freshness.

Trade supply

Reece opens new Bundaberg super branch

Reece has opened a new multisite branch in Bundaberg, Queensland. The purpose-built “super branch” is home to four distinct Reece businesses, including a pools outlet.

The site will also include a state-of-the art bathroom showroom – catering to the unique needs of various commercial and residential trades in the area.

Reece Irrigation & Pools, Actrol Bundaberg and Reece Plumbing Bundaberg, will relocate to the new location and will be joined by two new Reece branches and Reece Civil.

Before the opening of the Bundaberg location, the nearest Irrigation & Pools and Civil branches were approximately 300km away in South East Queensland.

“The Wide Bay Burnett region is continuing to grow in importance to the Queensland economy, with increasing investment in infrastructure and services to support the growing population,” says operations general manager Ben Counsel.

“We are committed to being where our customers need us to be, and it made sense to build a large multisite to appropriately service the region’s growing needs,” he says.

“From large-scale infrastructure projects, grocery refrigeration to irrigation systems and more, Reece Bundaberg is looking forward to supporting the development of the community and surrounds.”

Located at 16 Lillian Crescent, Kensington, this new site will provide the region with increased access to a wide variety of quality products,

Industry moves

convenient delivery to site, and a dedicated team of experts across multiple industries, all at one location.

Reece Irrigation & Pools offers dedicated industry expertise for the pool builder, pool service tech markets as well as the landscaper and horticulture markets. Additionally, Reece Irrigation & Pools Bundaberg will offer Queensland customers access to a range of leading brands, such as Rain Bird, ENKi, VADA, Henden and Theralux.

Reece Civil brings a comprehensive offering, from civil infrastructure through to commercial plumbing and an unparalleled support and supply chain network. The team supports customers from planning through to the installation of projects. With deep sector expertise, Reece Civil is a specialised distributor primarily supporting major water, sewer, gas, telecommunications and electrical piping projects.

Reece Bundaberg Plumbing, Irrigation & Pools and Civil branches are open Monday to Friday from 6 am to 4.30 pm, Actrol open 7 am to 4.30 pm weekdays, with Plumbing also available on Saturdays from 7.30 am to 12 pm.

Daisy Pool Covers appoints new commercial and technical manager

Shannon Prince will be transitioning into a new role at Daisy Pool Covers, stepping in to take over Mark Godard’s commercial and technical sales responsibilities, as Godard prepares for retirement.

Shannon has been with Daisy for eight years and has worked across various departments giving him a wealth of experience.

From factory production to installation, then to NSW/Vic area manager before moving back to Perth as the WA/SA area manager,

managing director Derek Prince says Shannon has met every challenge put in front of him.

“Over the next three months, Shannon will work closely with Mark and the administration team to ensure a seamless handover of knowledge and operations, with the transition set to complete by the end of April,” he says.

“Mark’s dedication to Daisy Pool Covers over the past 38 years has been integral to our success, and his expertise in technical and commercial sales, as well

as warranty and escalation management, will be greatly missed.

“We are deeply thankful for Mark’s service and wish him well in his retirement.”

The big footprint of the new super branch

Shannon Prince

THE NEXT LEVEL OF SWIMMING POOL PROTECTION

The PuraShield® range of ultra-violet sanitisers from Pentair takes pool protection to the next level.

Harnessing the power of ultraviolet UV light and the optional ozone’s proven oxidation & sanitation capabilities, the new PuraShield PuraShield® UV +Ozone sanitisers are the best complementary solution to your swimming pool’s sanitation system with the ability to neutralise up to 99.9% of bacteria in swimming pools.

Canadian sauna manufacturer seeks dealers in Australian move

Canadian premium outdoor sauna kit company, Leisurecraft, is expanding into the Australian market.

Leisurecraft VP of marketing and growth, Mark Boulding, says that as part of the expansion, they are actively seeking motivated and successful dealers in Australia.

“This is a remarkable opportunity for dealers to join a globally recognised brand and be part of the growing demand for high-quality outdoor sauna solutions,” he says.

“We are thrilled to bring Leisurecraft to Australia and continue our mission of delivering exceptional outdoor sauna experiences worldwide. This expansion marks an exciting milestone, and we look forward to partnering with dedicated local dealers to share our passion for premium craftsmanship and wellness. We invite interested dealers to join us in this exciting journey and help establish Leisurecraft as the go-to brand for outdoor saunas in Australia.”

Leisurecraft’s premium saunas are crafted from Canadian cedar and incorporate all Canadian-made components.

The move into Australia follows a recent successful launch in Brazil.

Contact: www leisurecraft com

Communication

Pool Systems launches industry education video series

Australian swimming pool and spa industry distributor Pool Systems has launched Tech Talk, an innovative video series aimed at educating pool professionals and customers alike.

Hosted by business development representative Regan Cutts, Tech Talk features in-depth discussions with industry experts, providing valuable insights into the products that power the pool industry.

In the debut episode, Tech Talk welcomes Todd Power from Hayward Pool Products Australia to explore the cutting-edge features of the SuperFit II and EcoStar pool pumps.

Josh Clinen, Pool Systems marketing manager, says Tech Talk is designed for both seasoned pool professionals and end users, and the debut episode offers a deep dive into the efficiency, performance and benefits of these industry-leading pumps, helping viewers have the knowledge they need to make informed purchasing decisions.

“Our goal with Tech Talk is to create a

lasting educational resource for the pool industry,” he says.

“We want to build an ever-expanding video library that professionals can reference for years to come, giving them the tools to confidently recommend and install the best products on the market.”

To see the videos go to https://www.facebook.com/poolsystems

Leisurecraft’s Neptune Clear Cube

Regan Cutts and Todd Power on Tech Talk

Saunas

High Precision Cleaning

Underwater Lighting Specialists

Aqua-Quip designs and manufactures in Australia, innovative underwater LED lighting systems for use in concrete and fibreglass swimming pools, spas, water features and catch tanks for the Australian and international pool markets.

Lights are compatible with all popular pool controllers and home automation systems. The innovative InstaTouch™ Smart Lighting Controller provides instantaneous control via a water-resistant handset to enhance the evening atmosphere in your pool and spa.

SMART LIGHTING CONTROLLER

SPASA National Award – Pool of the Year built

Big Lap back to help industry mental health

Mates in Construction is back for the Mates Big Lap in 2025 – building on the inspiring momentum of previous years.

Running for the month of April, this year’s theme is Move for your Mates, calling on Australians to come together, get active, and raise vital awareness for suicide prevention and mental health across the Construction, Mining, Energy, and Manufacturing sectors.

Physical activity and movement are powerful tools for mental health and overall well-being. Regular exercise helps reduce stress, boost mood, and foster a sense of connection and purpose—key factors in maintaining mental resilience. Research has shown that as little as 10 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise can contribute to the prevention of mental ill-health, including depression and anxiety. Furthermore, 16 weeks of regular exercise has been found to be equally as effective as antidepressant medication for mild to moderate depression (ESSA, 2021).

Whether it’s swimming, walking, running, wheeling or rowing, every activity is not just a

move towards better physical health but a stride towards breaking the stigma around mental health and supporting our mates.

The inaugural MATES Big Lap in 2023 saw participants cover more than 80,000 kilometres – the equivalent of five laps around Australia –raising more than $120,000 through generous donations. In 2025, they aim to complete nine big laps around Australia, representing the average number of lives lost to suicide every day in Australia.

This goal is more than a number; it’s a powerful reminder of what the event is all about.

Mates Australia also extended its gratitude to the Australian Government for its ongoing commitment to improving mental health and preventing suicide within the sector. Through the Department of Health and Aged Care funding, the Mates program has been able to support thousands of workers and industry leaders, ensuring critical mental health services are accessible in high-risk industries.

Contact: www.mates.org.au; Mates Helpline 1300 642 111 Manufacturing

Data

Swimming pool sales and services up 13 per cent last year

Household spending on swimming pool sales and services rose 13 per cent over the year to December, Commonwealth Bank Australia (CBA) research shows.

SPLASH! confirmed with CBA comments from senior economist Belinda Allen to Domain that the rise in swimming pool spend is stronger than the rise in both total spending and spending on household services. Allen said consumers are deliberately choosing what they spend their money on.

“Consumers who own their home outright and those with a mortgage have generally lifted spending more than renters, and while older cohorts have increased their spending, younger consumers are reducing theirs,” she says.

“It would be safe to estimate that those who are lifting money on swimming pools would not be those that are feeling the most pinch with cost-of-living pressures,” Allen says.

Domain also noted that “Pool” was the most-searched keyword by home hunters on their listings website in 2024, beating other property features such as “waterfront” and “study”.

Sunlover’s new pool cover robot provides greater precision and easier installation

Sunlover Heating has added a new robotic pool blanket cutting table to their operation.

This state-of-the-art addition is designed for unparalleled precision and efficiency in the production of their pool blankets.

Sunlover says this will make the production faster, meaning customers get their orders more quickly. Not only does it reduce the production time, but as the blankets are already cut to size and shape, installation time will also be quicker.

It can handle custom cuts for all pool shells whether round, oval or custom-shaped.

Pool shells include Aqua Technics, Barrier Reef, Compass Pools, Conquest, Freedom Pools, Harvest Pools, Leisure Pools, Masterbuilt, Narellan Pools, Nexus Pools, Quantum and Summertime Pools.

Impacts of hot climate conditions on work, health and safety in Australia

HR Anywhere offers some advice for working in Australia’s demanding climate.

In Australia, workers in many outdoor industries are frequently exposed to hot ambient conditions, as most parts of the country experience hot summers and frequent heatwaves that can last for a week or longer. Exposure to hot temperatures leads to a reduction in physical capacity, impaired mental alertness, and altered behaviour among workers, which compromises work, health and safety (WHS), labour productivity and economical yield in occupational settings.

Australian studies focusing on heat-related health impacts have found a significant association between the rate of occupational injury claims and higher ambient temperatures and heatwaves. The risk of occupational heat illnesses increases by 12.7 per cent with each one-degree increase in maximum temperature above 35.5C.

Loss of productivity is also a major consequence of heat stress. Productivity loss in Australia due to climate-related heat stress is in the billions of dollars each year. Australians working outdoors lose hundreds of thousands of potential work hours due to heat stress.

Among vulnerable working populations, those working outside are the most susceptible to heat impacts because of the dynamic and informal nature of the work they do. Exposure to heat varies greatly with the geographic location and nature of work, as well as humidity and air movement.

Outside work can also involve heavy physical labour work and the use of personal protective equipment (PPE). PPE such as safety helmets, reflective vests and hard boots, often increases workers’ heat strain. A study found that when the environmental temperature was 32.2C, the air temperature inside the workers’ helmets can be as high as 43.7C.

In these circumstances, workers will naturally get rid of PPE from time to time to reduce thermal discomfort but will be exposed to other workplace hazards as a result such as increased exposure to the sun and put themselves at risk of injury from plant and machinery.

Furthermore, personal risk factors such as underlying medical conditions, lack of acclimatisation, age, body weight, socio-economic

“The risk of occupational heat illnesses increases by 12.7 per cent with each one-degree increase in maximum temperature above 35.5C.”

status, use of alcohol and recreational drugs, and restricted fluid intake may also increase heat risk.

Various strategies are recommended for workplace heat risk management include engineering and administrative controls. Some of the most effective strategies include mandatory work-rest arrangements and self-pacing, increased fluid intake, enhancing heat tolerance (acclimatisation), ensuring regular screening of workers, setting up heat alerts, and supervision and training.

Safe Work Australia (SWA) has developed guidelines for managing the risks associated with working in heat, based on the framework for managing WHS risks. All state and territory regulators also provide detailed guidelines and resources regarding the hazard of working in the heat on their websites.

SWA suggests that the most effective control measures that are reasonably practicable in the circumstances should be implemented. Examples of control measures include eliminating the risk by stopping the work or by removing workers from the hot environment based on preliminary risk assessment, and using mechanical equipment and automation of processes to reduce the need for strenuous physical work.

Engineering controls such as the provision of fans or air misters, where possible; airconditioned sheds or rest areas for outdoor workers; maintaining thermal comfort in an indoor office environment where practicable; and provision of cool drinking water can be adapted. Administrative controls can be established further to minimise remaining risks. Examples include reorganising work, rotating jobs and relocating work to cooler areas, with adequate supervision, awareness and training, encouraging safe work behaviour, and the use of PPE. n

Championing standards, advocacy and growth

By Veda Dante

As

“When we are consulted as a peak industry body, we actively seek and incorporate member feedback, ensuring our responses drive the best possible outcomes.”

SPASA plays a vital role in shaping the future of the pool and spa industry in Australia and New Zealand through its active involvement in Standards Australia and broader regulatory initiatives.

By ensuring that guidelines, principles and policies align with global best practices, SPASA fosters an environment that supports innovation, enhances safety and drives long-term sustainability. The association’s work benefits not only its members, but also the broader community, by maintaining high industry benchmarks and advocating for responsible business practices.

Shaping industry standards and best practices

Chief policy officer Spiros Dassakis is well known in the industry for working tirelessly in committees and working groups to advocate for the swimming pool and spa industry’s interests. He has contributed to dozens of standards used by members of the industry.

“For businesses operating in the pool and spa industry, standards help prevent red tape and reduce interpretational issues by providing clarity and a consistent language,” he explains.

“This provides multiple benefits that streamline operations, reduce risk and enhance customer satisfaction.”

Standards provide a structured framework for design, materials and installation methods, eliminating the need for excessive interpretation. This ensures that all trades involved – such as construction, plumbing, electrical and landscaping – work with consistent expectations, reducing errors and rework.

“Consumers are more likely to select a builder who adheres to recognised standards, as it ensures quality and safety,” says Dassakis.

“A solid reputation for compliance can result in more referrals and repeat business, while also minimising regulatory scrutiny by meeting compliance requirements.”

Business growth and industry sustainability

Dassakis describes how SPASA champions regulations and policies that foster a thriving business environment for its members. By engaging with government agencies, regulatory authorities

and industry stakeholders, the association works to remove barriers to growth, streamline compliance processes, and ensure that businesses within the sector can operate efficiently and competitively.

For example, SPASA launched its Climate Care Certified program in 2018 to help set new efficiency and sustainability benchmarks for products, services and installations across the entire industry.

“Our continuing mandate is to grow, promote and future-proof the industry,” he says. “And we do that by fostering innovation and embedding ourselves in policy relating to energy and water efficiency, through initiatives like Climate Care Certified. Participants in this program are pioneers of sustainability for their business and by default the industry.”

Promoting industry interests and long-term competitiveness

Ensuring the long-term sustainability of the pool and spa industry is central to SPASA’s mission. The association actively represents industry interests in public forums, government consultations, and policy discussions to influence legislation and regulations that impact the sector.

Through strategic lobbying and advocacy, SPASA protects the interests of its members while promoting the industry’s positive contributions to the economy and community.

“Mapping out the life cycle of the industry for the next 50 years helps us to identify trends, challenges and opportunities,” says Dassakis.

“Whether it’s encouraging new entrants, building business diversity or catering to industry disruptors, we need a forward-thinking approach that fosters innovation, adapts to evolving consumer demands, and maintains industry sustainability for generations to come.”

Equipping members for compliance and success

Dassakis points out that, with a constantly evolving regulatory landscape, businesses in the pool and spa industry must stay informed and compliant.

SPASA provides members with access to essential resources, training and guidance to help them navigate new standards and codes of practice. Through workshops, technical advisories, and ongoing professional development opportunities, the association ensures that its members have the knowledge and tools necessary to succeed.

part of an ongoing series on advocacy and Australian Standards, Veda Dante spoke with Spiros Dassakis, chief policy officer of SPASA.

“We listen, we hear, we act,” he says.

“When we are consulted as a peak industry body, we actively seek and incorporate member feedback, ensuring our responses drive the best possible outcomes. This approach allows SPASA to not only educate and provide technical support but also help members truly understand the intent behind compliance, rather than just following regulations blindly.

“Instead of compliance being viewed as a box-ticking exercise, it becomes an integral part of delivering quality, safety and professionalism, ultimately strengthening the entire industry,” he says.

Investing in workforce development and training

A skilled workforce is crucial for the continued success of the industry.

Dassakis says SPASA is committed to fostering professional growth by ensuring that current and future industry professionals have access to high-quality training programs and certifications, and through its training division, the Institute of Research and Learning (IRLearning). By working with IRLearning, SPASA helps shape a workforce that meets industry demands and maintains high standards of service and expertise.

“We’re proud to have championed the Occupation Standard Classification for Australia (OSCA), where pool builders and service technicians are now recognised trades which have their own distinct codes under new classifications,” he says.

“This is a major milestone for the industry as it highlights the distinct expertise of swimming pool and spa builders and service technicians, ensuring these roles are classified as specialised trades for the first time.”

A commitment to industry leadership

SPASA’s advocacy efforts extend beyond regulatory engagement. The association actively contributes to industry forums, special-purpose committees and collaborative initiatives to enhance the sector’s credibility, sustainability and growth.

Key aspects of SPASA’s advocacy strategy include:

• Building resilient relationships – engaging with policymakers, industry bodies and regulators to create meaningful dialogue and influence decision-making.

• Contributing to policy development – providing expert input in consultations and regulatory processes to shape policies that benefit the industry.

• Influencing public perception – promoting the value of the pool and spa industry to consumers, government agencies, and the broader community through strategic communications and public engagement.

SPASA’s active participation in Standards Australia, regulatory discussions, and advocacy initiatives delivers substantial value to its members and the broader industry.

Dassakis says that by leading efforts to shape standards, streamline regulations and support workforce development, SPASA not only safeguards the industry’s future but also enhances consumer safety and confidence.

He says that through its ongoing commitment to advocacy, compliance and innovation, SPASA remains at the forefront of industry advancements – ensuring a strong, sustainable and prosperous future for the swimming pool and spa sector.

“We are the governor and protectors of the industry,” says Dassakis. “We have an obligation to ensure that industry is educated, red tape is reduced and together our united voice resonates more than ever before.”n

Contact: spiros@spasa.com.au

and global innovation in Lyon Australian influence

Declan Gillard-Martin travelled to the Lyon’s Piscine Expo in November, meeting international leaders and Australians forging a path overseas, while checking out the latest innovations from around the world.

By Declan Gillard-Martin

November’s Piscine Global expo, held at Eurexpo Lyon in France, is considered by many as the premier international event for the swimming pool and spa industry. Organised by GL Events’ GreenTech+ division in collaboration with the Fédération des Professionnels de la Piscine et du Spa (FPP), the biennial exhibition showcased more than 2000 exhibitors and attracted thousands of visitors, including from international markets.

The event’s Start-Up Village provided emerging companies the opportunity to present their innovations, while the central Pool Arena hosted live demonstrations and interactive sessions. Key themes included sustainable development, digitalisation and industry training.

The exhibition floor was a testament to the industry’s innovative spirit. Robotic pool cleaners were prominently featured, reflecting advancements in automation and efficiency. Exhibitors emphasised holistic backyard solutions, integrating pools with landscaping and outdoor living spaces. Noteworthy innovations included stainless steel pools, modern enclosures and state-of-the-art saunas, catering to evolving consumer preferences for luxury and sustainability.

One highlight was the meeting of the World Alliance of Pool and Spa Associations (WAPSA), convened by the FPP on the eve of the exhibition. This international congress brought together

professional associations to discuss critical topics such as training, economic data, environmental concerns and safety standards.

For the first time, WAPSA representatives addressed attendees during the FPP press conference and led three conferences focusing on environmental issues, economic trends and professional training.

Australia’s global contribution

The Swimming Pool and Spa Association of Australia and New Zealand (SPASA) played a pivotal role in WAPSA’s inaugural training and education survey. The survey aimed at benchmarking global training and education initiatives, representing a collaborative effort to improve workforce development across the global industry. It featured participation from 13 organisations, covering topics such as digital training platforms, workshops, and qualifications in areas like water chemistry, safety standards and business management.

Survey insights revealed a shared global focus on advancing skills to meet industry challenges such as sustainability, safety and technological innovation. For instance, initiatives like France’s integration of advanced calculators for compliance and the UK’s development of domestic pool maintenance qualifications underscore the global effort to raise industry standards.

ABOVE: Robots were a feature of the iGarden

Derived from the survey, common global challenges include attracting skilled labour, maintaining competitive wages, and offering flexible working conditions to match evolving industry needs. Similarly, the need for education around business ethics and management was identified as critical to elevating service quality.

Most organisations expressed willingness to share training materials with non-competing WAPSA members to build a collective repository of knowledge and resources. Learning from mistakes and discussing them anonymously at workshops is seen as a powerful tool for improvement.

As part of its ongoing commitment, SPASA has prioritised continuing professional development (CPD), mentoring and the development of formal qualifications. The organisation is also actively sharing its training materials with other WAPSA members, promoting a culture of open collaboration.

“By collaborating with global discussions, Australia is not only elevating its own standards but also contributing to the industry’s worldwide growth.”

The WAPSA congress and its ongoing initiatives emphasise that the future of the pool and spa industry lies in collaboration and innovation. By collaborating with global discussions on training, environmental sustainability and safety, Australia is not only elevating its own standards but also contributing to the industry’s worldwide growth.

The next step involves building on the survey’s findings to implement strategies that address workforce shortages and advance professional standards. With its commitment to knowledge sharing and education, Australia is poised to remain a leader in this ever-evolving field.

Key findings from the survey highlighted Australia’s robust framework for training, including mandatory qualifications for licensing in some regions. These efforts place Australia at the forefront of workforce development in the pool and spa sector.

Australian presence and contributions

The Australian and New Zealand pool and spa sectors were well-represented. Exhibitors from the region included AIS Water, Davey Water Products, Freedom Pools and Waterco.

Additionally, global brands with significant market presence in Australia, such as Fluidra, Maytronics, Pentair, Hayward, BWT, Pool Systems (SCP, Pool Corp) and Aiper showcased their latest offerings.

The event attracted a variety of Australian visitors, including representatives from Clark

Rubber, Sterns Group, TPEC, Bunnings and more, highlighting the region’s active engagement in global industry developments.

Australian fiberglass manufacturer Freedom Pools has a massive presences with a large, wellconstructed stand in Hall 4. Davey and Waterco held two stands in Hall 5, with Davey’s stand paying homage to its Australian heritage with its yellow and black signage accompanied by an iconic kangaroo.

Concluding their international tour, Piscine was the final stop for AIS Water following their exhibition in the International Pool, Spa, Patio Expo in Dallas Texas, USA.

AIS Water CEO Elena Gosse says that for Australian manufacturers, Piscine is a must attend showcase of Australian technology.

“If you’re not present, people just don’t know what you’re capable of. Australia has a great reputation of being innovators and having quality technology; for Australian companies, it’s a must to attend the expo and showcase our beautiful technology.

“Presence is also critical to see what’s available, and see what other companies globally are making. I believe it’s very important.”

Gosse believes the European and American markets are quite distinct, with the European market currently being in front.

“I believe the US market is a little behind,” she says. “The technology is quite outdated.

TOP: The BWT stand

ABOVE: Visitors could experience the Inverjet through a VR headset

“Survey insights revealed a shared global focus on advancing skills to meet industry challenges such as sustainability, safety and technological innovation.”

To promote Australian technology to the US market is very important – but the US is great in protecting their own market – they have benchmarks forcing global companies to have appropriate certification: UL, NSF, Electrical Safety.

“I believe that’s what we need in Australia, so we won’t be flooded with inferior products that will finish in our landfill.”

Gosse advises Australian manufacturers interested in entering the European market to do their homework.

“First, do research on what is already available –compare your product to the competition. Europe has very different expectations of products – of course they are price sensitive, but they also look at the product presentation, so appearance and aesthetics play a big role.”

Innovation

It would have been hard to imagine just a year ago that AI and robotics would boom so quickly in this market. Yet, Elon Musk has predicted a future where robots outnumber humans – by as much at two robots for every person. That would be 10 billion robots in use by 2040.

Outdoor robots brought the iGarden and iSpace to life, driven by the innovative IEW (Intelligence, Energy and Water management partnership). Beyond pool cleaning robots and robotic lawnmowers, there were also robot dogs, all-terrain robots, and robots serving as

photographers, companions and even tapas trays.

The forecast of R290’s rapid adoption within the next two years created much interest.

Fairland said in their media release that great improvements could be made in energy efficiency by combining R290 with inverter technology. At Piscine there were exhibitions showing how inverter technology has overcome technical challenges to unlock the full potential of R290.

Fairland said that with negligible GWP and ODP, the optimal pairing of R290 refrigerant with inverter pool heat pumps can bring outdoor living closer to an All-Green iGarden.

The team from Aquagem showcased perhaps the industry’s most compact swim machine, representing a swimming experience upgrade from a mini spa pool to an all-level arena where you can even experience the thrill of surfing.

According to industry insiders at the event, the average size of private pools has decreased by over 10 cubic metres since the 1990s, with eight metre pools being quite common. The trend towards smaller, more personalised and multifunctional pools reflects a desire for upgraded swimming experiences.

Even if the pool is less than five-metres long, Aquagem say their InverJet will provide the experience of swimming in a 25-metre pool, generating a flow rate of up to 230CM/s through 12V inverter control.

At the Aquagem booth, visitors experienced the thrill of InverJet through a panoramic VR video. n

ABOVE: The Piscine Global expo was held at Eurexpo Lyon in France last November

TOP RIGHT: A few of the members of the Australian industry at Lyon: Bryan Goh from Waterco, Joel Stern from Sterns Pools and Bipin Menon from Pentair

BOTTOM RIGHT: Fairland’s launch at Lyon

POOL SITE SAFETY, DONE.

Build pools? Pool Projects by HazardCo makes it easy to stay on top of your site health and safety. One simple app with:

Quick and easy SWMS

Tools and templates

24/7 incident advice

Onboarding assistance

Pay using your Reece trade account

Reece. Works for you. Visit your nearest branch or go online to reece.com.au/pools to ﬁnd out more.

Try a little kindness, says Business of the Year winner

Multitasking teamwork combined with a respectful workplace is the bedrock of successful pool and spa business Everclear Pools SA, winner of the 2024 Business of the Year award.

If you asked Mick and Tam Dean what the most important element is in making their business a success, kindness would place high on the list.

“We don’t just hire people based on their skills,” says Tam.

“We hire people based on their personality and make sure they fit in with our culture. We can teach people anything, but we can’t teach them to be nice people.

“Our culture is massive in making sure everyone is happy, especially involving wellbeing and kindness and respect and integrity into our everyday lives.”

“Those core values are documented,” says Mick. “In fact, they’re on the wall right next to me.”

Tam, who has a background in business management and marketing as well as clinical nursing, is the operations manager, while husband Mick is the CEO who “dives in and does everything that has to be done”.

They started in the swimming pool and spa industry when Mick, whose background was in air conditioning, called on a mate to help put in their swimming pool. Mick decided he liked the work, and the two of them put in another five pools together, until his mate’s wife jokingly suggested they open a pool shop.

“We did a bit of research and ended up opening a pool shop here in Angle Vale,” says Mick.

After four years, Mick and Tam bought their partners out; three more years on, their multifaceted pool concern is still based out of Angle Vale on the northern outskirts of Adelaide, and has undergone considerable transformation. They now have 14 staff members and each year install between 80 and 100 pools from Aquatic Leisure Technologies’ Quantum range.

“We really wanted to sell their pools because we believe they’re the best pools, the strongest pool shells, and they have a good reputation,” says Tam. “So we wanted to go with them, but we couldn’t use the Aqua Technic range, because someone else in South Australia already had that range, so went with their other range, the Quantum range. I think there’s only us in South Australia and a couple of other states who have the Quantum range.”

“The quality is exactly the same,” says Mick. “It’s just a different range of pool shells. So basically, we’ve just got different shapes from the same factory.”

Three arms as one

Everclear Pools SA installs pools, but also has a pool shop and a service arm, and staff are trained across all aspects of the business.

“It all intertwines together,” says Tam. “We’re all one big team. So the shop staff, they might serve in the shop, they might book a servicing, they might organise handovers for the pool – and that’s just the shop staff. And then you’ve got accounts. She’s in the shop as well, does accounts, serves, answers the phone. So everyone has to be able to do every role.”

“Even the installers come in on weekends and serve in the shops,” says Mick. “And they’ll swing into the service team as well if needed. During winter, the service staff jump in and help the boys install when it gets muddy and boggy. So everyone meshes together and works really well as a team.”

This process begins immediately after recruitment, with new staff gaining experience across the whole business.

“If they work in the shop, we send them out to do pool servicing, so they understand how the pool actually works. There’s no point in them working in the shop and just talking the talk and not actually walking the walk. So we make sure they know how to do everything on site as well as in the shop,” says Tam.

Everclear Pools SA is a very process-driven business, and all their standard operating procedures are written down. This not only enable people to move across different parts of the business with ease, but also means if there is a failure, it is easier to identify where things have broken down, and how they can be remediated to prevent them happening again.

“If something goes wrong, we go, well, what can we learn from it? Let’s just not put up with this and be reactive. Let’s be proactive and fix the problems, so it doesn’t happen next time,” says Tam.

Getting a coach on board

“When we bought out our business partners, we had all these dreams to grow, and we could see that there were a lot of systems and processes that needed changing and updating and improving on,” says Tam.

They hired business coach, Kerwin Rae, and travelled to Sydney for almost three years to undertake his “no BS” business training.

“We walked in there and we had no processes, nothing. And now we’ve got over 200 standard operating procedures (SOPs). We’ve got an intranet, so everyone can see everything to do with the business in one place. We’ve just completely changed the business in the last four years.”

Sadly, Kerwin Rae passed away in 2024, but his business is still operating.

As well as established concrete SOPs, they also became much more rigorous with their financing, putting money aside in a war chest and also in separate tax accounts.

“When all that is in place, that’s when you can grow.”

“We can teach people anything, but we can’t teach them to be nice people.”

Spreading happiness

Retaining staff is an issue across Australia and no less so in the pool and spa industry.

Staff retention is something that Everclear Pools SA excels at, and they put that success down to the workplace culture.

“When you’re a leader, it starts at the top,” say Tam. “So if you’re a relaxed leader, who’s not autocratic, your staff automatically feel more relaxed.”

Mick clarifies that “relaxed” doesn’t mean lazy.

“They’re coming to work happy – but they’re 100 per cent the hardest workers in the whole industry, and they love their jobs.

“For me, a happy worker is a good worker. So we keep people happy, and we give them freedom to make choices. And when things go wrong, there’s no point going nuts at them. We ask, what have we learned from it? How do we make sure it doesn’t happen again?

“That sort of leadership, where you can get people to grow and learn rather than bark at them and say that’s wrong,” he says.

Tam adds that they have a management system in place with separate managers of installs, service and retail, with each manager empowered to in turn empower their staff.

Since commencing the business seven years ago, they have had very little turnover of staff, with most of them having been there for five years.

ABOVE: The happy Everclear Pools SA team

INTRODUCING OUR NEW SUSTAINABLE POOL RESIN Paving the way for more sustainable composites applications

allnex, the global leader in sustainable and innovative resins for industrial coatings, is excited to announce the latest launch in the extensive Composites product line, Polyplex 200E.

allnex Composites in Australia is a leading producer of Unsaturated Polyesters, Gelcoats and Vinyl Esters for a wide range of Composite applications.

PET RESIN OBJECTIVE

rPET (Recycled PET) flake is sourced from a local recycled plastics supplier in Australia aligning this project with the allnex sustainability objectives.

There is potential for a significant increase in the volume of PET conversion in the manufacture of these resins in Au stralia. Polyplex® 200E resin will contain the equivalent of 750 recycled plastic bottles per drum, or 3.3 bottles per kg of resin, reducing waste and promoting environmental sustainability.

RENEWABLE SWIMMING POOL RESINS

Polyplex® 200E is a white pigmented structural laminating resin produced by using recycled PET as a starting raw material for Composite Swimming Pool constructions.

In addition, Polyplex® 200E shows higher mechanic al properties and improved water resistance over standard Orthophthalic polyester resins for better reverse-osmosis resistance of real structural pool laminate potentially in contact with ground water.

For more product information, please contact your allnex Sales Representative, call our Customer Service Team on 1800 789 607 or visit www.allnex.com

RIGHT: Winner of the South Australian Fibreglass Lap Pool 2024. This family 11-metre lap pool boasts a Hamptons Blue finish and seamless integration with the home’s architecture

BOTTOM RIGHT: Winning the 2024 National Business of the Year Award. Image: RixRyan Photography

“They just say, ‘we’re never leaving’. They’re really happy here,” says Tam. “And I like coming to work here as well. It’s such a happy workplace where there’s kindness and teamwork. So it’s a lot easier to come to work here than it is for me to go do my nursing.”

Mick says that it is a very rewarding industry in terms of seeing the faces of happy customers and getting praise from them for doing such a great job.

“When the guys clean the pool and it goes from green to clean, and the customers love it – that just drives them to keep doing excellent work.”

Everclear Pools SA’ slogan is Proud to Bring Joy to SA Families.

“We are absolutely proud to make families smile and have happy memories,” says Tam.

“When I see the leads coming in, they’re mainly referrals from our customers’ neighbours, from people they know. Like every person who walks in here, they’re all referrals. So that makes us feel good as well.”

Mick knows some new pool owners out there have had bad experiences with their installs, but he wants to make sure that doesn’t happen with his customers. His motto is Fun, Easy, Simple.

“At the end of the process they go, it was fun, easy and simple. And if we can get more and more people on board with that, it’s going to be easier for everyone in every state, because getting a pool is amazing. The more people we can have walking around saying that was an amazing experience, the more pools we’re going to sell, industry-wide.”

Recognition

Not only did Everclear Pools SA win the National Business of the Year in 2024, their staff members Emily Donegan won the Pool Sales Representative Award and Maddy Bell won the Retail Service Technician Award.

“Maddie won the instore service tech award. She’s the shop manager, but she also fixes all the robots and stuff that comes in. I call her the Parts Queen. She is amazing!,” says Tam.

“And Emily got the sales award for the best sales person,” says Mick. “We had award nominations across the board. I figured that’s why we won the Business of the Year award. It was because we have the best team.”

As well as the National Awards triumphs, they won a whole swag of South Australian awards, including Construction Tradesperson Award, Courtyard/Small Pool up to $40,000, Enclosed/ Indoor Pool, Fibreglass Lap Pool, Fibreglass Pool up to $40,000, In-Field Service Technician

Award, Operational Excellence Award, Pool Sales Representative Award, Retail Service Technician Award, Rising Star Award and Single Location Pool Store Award.

Mick and Tam took the whole team to the South Australian awards gala, so everyone could enjoy the company’s big moment on two full tables.

“When we won Business of the Year, it was like a dream come true. It means so much to us – I was actually crying. Everyone was so proud. It was so good for the culture and for team building. Everyone was just having such a great night.”

Encouragement

Now that Everclear Pools SA has graduated to be officially declared industry leaders, SPLASH! asked them what advice they have for other industry members to help them become more successful.

“I’d say, get your structures in place, your SOPs, your alignment. Know who’s at the top, who are the managers, who they report to. Have your purpose, have your mission, do your values,” says Tam.

She says you can’t really do anything until you have your structures in place.

“And then grow your team based on nice people, on their personalities. You do need some experience, but we say no to so many people. The people that we love is when someone walks in with their resume and goes, I want to see your manager – I want a job here, this is where I want

“If you’re a relaxed leader, who’s not autocratic, your staff automatically feel more relaxed.”

to work. And we do get that, and we take it really seriously, because that is an awesome thing, because they’ve obviously heard that we’re doing something right.”

Mick adds that you have to look after your customers.

“Treat them with respect. You know, they’re spending a lot of money on a product, so make them feel special about it.

“I think a lot of businesses forget the fact that we are looking after people. It’s not all about money. You’re putting a premium product in someone’s yard, so make sure it’s done right, and don’t take shortcuts.” n

Contact: www.everclearpools.com.au

ABOVE:

TOP: The Everclear Pools SA team with their swag of awards at the South Australian gala evening. Maddy Bell is sixth from the left, and Emily Donegan is seventh from the right

Time to celebrate: Mick and Tam Dean

35 Years of Excellence

Trusted experience and proven success in the industry.

Centralised Support Hub

Receive quick, reliable assistance from our dedicated team.

Continuous Improvement

Program

Comprehensive internal training that enables us to train and support our trade customers.

Award-Winning Team

Recognised with multiple industry staff awards.

In-Field Service Technicians

Hands-on support for installations and troubleshooting.

Unmatched Industry Knowledge

Expertise that goes beyond our products to encompass the entire industry.

Robotic disruption as a new entrants shake up the pool cleaner market

ABOVE: Waterco’s Climate Care Certified Dolphin Liberty is a new batterypowered model that excels in irregularly shaped pools or those with interior obstacles, such as a sundeck or a central water feature. IMAGE: Waterco

Over the past decade, robotic pool cleaners have gone from a luxury item to a mainstay of swimming pool maintenance. Now, new entrants predominantly from China and often using a direct online sales model have stirred up the market. We discuss with the experts in supply and retail to see how disruptive this incursion is, and what the future holds.

For this article we spoke with three of the major robotic pool cleaner manufacturers who supply into the Australian market, as well as two retail chains that sell to consumers. We contacted one of the new entrants, Aiper, for comment but had not received a reply at the time of writing. However, we did speak with them at their launch in Australia at the end of last year, and have included comments from that interview.

We wanted to learn what impact these new entrants were having on the Australian market in particular, and the degree to which the online direct-to-consumer model (also known as DTC, D2C and B2C) was disrupting traditional sales channels.

Clark Rubber stocks robots from traditional manufacturers Maytronics and Fluidra, as well as from new entrant Aiper. CEO Anthony Grice says the robotic pool cleaner market has been experiencing significant change, particularly over the past three years.

“There’s been a reshuffling of the world order,” he says.

“If we look at the innovators in the robot space, the innovator over many, many years for the last decade plus, has been Maytronics. They’ve been at the forefront of really reinventing how

consumers with pools clean their pools and care for their pools, and they’ve done a brilliant job in bringing to the market truly innovative products that have achieved what consumers want – and that is, ease of looking after their pool.”

Grice says that some of the product coming out of China is having a significant effect on the traditional manufacturers, particularly Maytronics as the global leader.

However, he points out that this current movement in the market is not restricted to the pool robot segment – it affects many industries in Australia and abroad.

“Look at what’s happening with electric vehicles,” he says. “The globe is shrinking in terms of the ability of manufacturers to go DTC through various channels, whether that be Amazon, whether that be through Temu, whether that be through Shein. There are a number of platforms. And robots are no different to that.”

He says there has been an explosion of different options into the Australian market, with some hitting the mark, and others not.

“For us here at Clark Rubber, we’ve made sure we’re comfortable with quality first and foremost. Some of the Chinese product has proven to be not as reliable as we would expect it to be, and our customers would expect it to be.

“But we could say that about some of the first Chinese-built motor vehicles that hit our shore many years ago. And we’ve seen the same with robots – we’re seeing some very competent, quality and innovative technology come through.”

Grice visited Piscine Global Pool Show in Lyon and the IPSPE show in Las Vegas, as well as the SPLASH! Trade Show on the Gold Coast, and says there were a number of Chinese robot manufacturers presenting products at the shows.

He was particularly impressed by the Aiper stand at Piscine.

“Looking at the size of the stand that they had, and the hundreds of thousands of marketing dollars they put behind that, you can really see they have a laser focus on growing their brand with quality, innovative products in the market,” he says.

“Now, I’m not a cheerleader for any brand, but what I’m doing as a retailer is saying, Okay, how do I give my customers what they want? How do I give quality products that are going to last the test of time, and do that in an environment where I can grow my share of robot sales in the Australian market?”

Quoting the old saying, “innovate or die”, Grice recalls some of the items he saw at Piscine, including a robot presented by Beatbot that docks itself to recharge.

“Now, I’m not vouching for its functionality or anything like that. But that concept makes sense. Aiper’s new top of the range model will be released later this calendar year in the Australian market, and in time for summer in North

American market. It does the floor, walls, steps and scum line. And then when it’s completed its cycle, it blows ballast into its tanks, floats to the surface, and then does the surface.

“That just demonstrates that, you know, we’re going to continue to see innovation.

“I think we will still see significant change into the future. I attended Maytronics’ presentations at Piscine, and the really exciting thing for the industry is that we’re not going to be starved of innovation, and we’re not going to be starved of choice. And whether that be products coming from Maytronics, Fluidra, Beatbot, Aiper or BWT, there’s a lot coming down the pipeline to help Aussies care for their pools a little easier.”

Market segmentation

The influx of Chinese DTC robots doesn’t affect all segments of the pool cleaner market, but is largely restricted to the lower and lowermiddle portions.

Grice says they understand all segments of the market including – as one of the largest retailers of portable pools – the lower portion.

“We’ve always been keen to find a cost effective solution for a customer buying a $2000 portable pool to have a robotic cleaning solution. Are they going to go to the top end? No, they’re not, but they will want a solution.”

He says the answer for them is to focus on quality, reliability, functionality and effectiveness, regardless of whether their customers are buying for a $2000 portable pool or $150,000 inground pool.

“The globe is shrinking in terms of the ability for manufacturers to go DTC.”

Additionally, serviceability and warranty is important.

“They’re wanting brands that they can trust and rely on, and our ranging decision is reflective of that, in terms of us being comfortable with the quality of the product, the functionality of the product, and its longevity – particularly when you’re looking at a cordless product with lithium ion batteries.

“The other thing people are keen on – and it’s certainly a focus for Clark Rubber – is the environmental factors – we want cleaners that are going to stack up, not become a disposal issue that last only a season or two.”

He says one of their metrics is return rate, and the industry standard for the robot cleaner market leaders is very, very low single digit.

“And we’ve seen with some of the Chinese product coming in – and I’m referring to only the product Clark Rubber ranges – that the return rates are in line with that, if not a little bit lower than that. And we’ve sold a lot of cleaners this season, significantly more than usual – and we’ve seen very low return rates on our robots, both cordless and corded.”

Grice says they test extensively – including him testing the products in his own pool.

“Of course, you can’t test something for two years before you put it on the range. But you can see things like battery issues, charging issues, functionality issues – you get to sort of

Daisy Pool Covers™ has been Australia’s favourite brand for pool covers and rollers since 1983. Daisy Pool Covers™ provides the largest and best range of pool cover and roller designs in Australia, manufactured using the highest quality materials, specially formulated to protect swimming pools all year round.

The experienced team at Daisy Pool Covers™ can provide cover and roller solutions for any pool type or shape.

Reduce the cost of maintaining a warm, sustainable swimming pool with the original and best Daisy Pool Covers™.

see that pretty quickly. Our return rate has been incredibly low – but we’ve been very selective in what we’ve ranged.”

Additionally, they have invested heavily into online functionality – search engine marketing, digital marketing and socials.

“In fact, our online channel has seen a significant increase in sales last year, and it’s particularly good in areas such as robots.

“Our point of difference at Clark Rubber compared to an online retailer is that we’ve got 64 stores around the country, in every state and territory. We’ve got all of the robots set up. We’ve got the expertise. We’ve got the advice, you can touch and feel them. And a consumer then has that peace of mind of having a local representative, should something go wrong, should you need someone to call out to your home, should you need advice, should you need spare parts, or potentially, thankfully at a very low level, a warranty claim.

“We feel that with the value that we provide, we can compete with DTC, and we’ve done that very well.”

Growing, but more slowly

For 42-year-old pool retail chain Swimart, robotic pool cleaners is an important category, but just one part of the home pool maintenance ecosystem, along with pumps, filters, chlorinators and chemicals.

Their major partners are Maytronics and Fluidra, and they’ve more recently added the BWT range of robotics into the stable.

Executive officer Rick Graham agrees that the robotics market is changing and the speed of innovation is getting faster. However, he says that is no different to any other consumer related good.

“Certainly the segment in which the innovation is coming is below that $1200 cordless robot market, and it is probably the most competitive market at the moment.

“Although I’ve only been in the industry for seven years, I’ve been told that in the past, the quality of a robotic pool cleaner needs to be sustained for a prolonged period of time to cement itself as a quality product,” he says.

“That’s why we have partnered at Swimart with Maytronics for many, many years – because they have invested heavily in making sure they produce a good quality product.”

He says that with the advent of Chinese cleaners coming into the Australian market at a low price point, the pattern of established manufacturers such as Maytronics and Fluidra has been disrupted.

“The consumer sees something with a low price that looks like a quality product, but how it actually performs in the long term may or may not fulfill their needs.”

Graham says that their robotic cleaner volumes remain strong, although they’re not growing as fast as they were.

“What’s changing I think in my business with robotics cleaners, has more to do with the consumer pressures around disposable income.

“Before they’d buy the top end cleaners quite easily and readily – they’re still buying cleaners, but they’re probably not buying the dear ones as much as they used to.

“One of the things we do know is that it’s not just the initial cleaner – it’s actually dealing with a trusted person who can repair them and provide backup service, which you can’t get through an online retailer.”

He says that nonetheless, they are looking at it closely and it is certainly a segment of the market their brand could play in.

“But we won’t do that until such a point in time that we are confident the products we go to market with can be provided with the backup service in case something does go wrong.”

Graham says that he understands that the sub-$1200 online retail price point is attractive to consumers, and is selling at high volumes.

“But at the end of the day, if the product doesn’t have the longevity that the consumer expects, then unfortunately, the consumer could be at risk. I don’t want our brand associated with that, until I’ve got confidence that we can actually provide a good quality product to the market.”

TOP: Maytronics’ Dolphin S300i robotic pool cleaner

ABOVE: Beatbot’s Olive Ou (centre) at the SPLASH! Trade Show. Beatbot launched into the US in January 2024 selling 20,000 units direct to consumers

Founded in 1983, Swimart is a long established brand that trades on a strategy of great range, service and advice.

“People come to us because they trust us,” says Graham. “They come to us because they know the products we sell work, and if they have a problem, then we’ll back it up with the required service.

“That’s our brand proposition and we’ll remain true to that. We’ll try to play in as many segments as possible, but we’re not going to move away from our core proposition for the sake of a few robots.”

Both Anthony Grice and Rick Graham makes comparisons to the changing robotic pool cleaner market with the evolution of the motor vehicle industry last century.

“The quality will improve, just like it did it in the motor vehicle industry from the 1970s through to the 1990s, from cheap imported cars to those today whose quality is very, very good,” says Graham.

“The robotics category will be very similar in the future – the manufacturers need to adjust, and so do the retailers.

“Robotic pool cleaners have come a long way from where they were just in the past three to five years, and that’s only going to continue. I’m sure that the major global manufacturers are all lining up new pipelines to compete – and the winner out of it will be the consumer.

“They’ll have more choice and it’s just a matter of making sure that they back the right product.”

He says that while they partner with the three major vendors in the category and have confidence in the products they offer, they regularly test and assess other products.

But the majors also have new products in their pipeline as well.

“When they’re ready to go to market, they’ll certainly show Swimart and I’m sure they’ll show other retail chains as well.”

Demand validation and brand strength

Marketing and customer experience manager at Maytronics Australia, David Dean, says that the growth of the new entrants validates the demand for robotic pool cleaners.

“We’re seeing a number of lower end budget customers convert over to robotic from suction and more traditional methods,” he says.

“At Maytronics, we focus on differentiation through our strong brand reputation, superior technology, and extensive dealer network. While new brands may compete on price, our longterm success comes from product performance, reliability, and post-purchase support, which continue to set us apart.”

Dean says they are hearing stories of “buy cheap, but twice”, which he says usually costs more in dollars to the consumer, and also creates frustration for both consumer and customer.

“Selling online has changed the landscape, but it also presents opportunities,” he says.

“While some competitors bypass traditional channels, we see massive value in a hybrid

From batteries to pool cleaners

Some of the new entrants in the robotic pool cleaner market come from outside the pool and spa industry.

Aiper for example, began life as a battery producer in 2012, specialising in outdoor battery applications including lawn mowers, speaker systems and outdoor power stations. The need for them to be weather-resistant led to the development of waterproof batteries and, six years ago, pool cleaner technologies where the batteries are totally submerged.

Aiper’s general manager for Europe, Australia and Asia Pacific, Andres Gomez, spoke to SPLASH! in September last year at their Australian launch.

“We started with the battery, and then built the robot around it. Which is different to a lot of the other robot brands. They take a corded robot, and put a battery in it,” he said.

“But you need to redesign the waterflow, and you don’t have an unlimited power source, so you have to redesign the motor.”

He said they are treating the robots more like an appliance than a tool, and have focussed on a stylish look to appeal to consumers. North America was their first market and is their biggest market, with Europe following. Gomez said they have 70 per cent of the global market, in the cordless category.

In the six months since they arrived in Australia, they have had considerable growth, with anecdotal evidence of very high turnover. Gomez said they are aiming for more than 40 per cent of the Australian market.

They are being stocked in pool industry retailers Clark Rubber and Pool & Spa Warehouse, but also consumer electronics retailers like JB Hi Fi, as well as D2C online.

Their campaign has been backed by a big marketing splash, including extensive online advertising and even the sponsorship of Big Bash League’s popular Sydney Sixers.

Andres Gomez (left) with Dave Franklin at Aiper’s Australian launch

BELOW: Aiper are backing their arrival in Australia with a huge consumer marketing campaign, including sponsoring the Sydney Sixers

approach – offering online accessibility while strengthening relationships with our dealer network.”

He says their local dealers provide expert advice, hands-on service and product demonstrations, all of which enhance customer confidence and satisfaction.

“The dealer model offers benefits that online-only sales cannot replicate,” he says. “Professional guidance, hands-on troubleshooting, and ongoing maintenance support. Pool ownership is a long term investment, and having knowledgeable professionals available ensures a better experience for customers.”

Maytronics has always been known for innovating, monitoring new technologies and investing in R&D.

“While new entrants bring fresh ideas, we integrate the best advancements while ensuring they meet our high standards for performance and durability,” he says.

“With 40 years in the industry we know what the Aussie market needs, we have tried and tested every component to ensure it hits the mark for quality and longevity.”

Clark Rubber stores stock the traditional robotic pool cleaners, along with new entrant Aiper

The value equation

Dean admits some Chinese manufacturers have improved – something they themselves are taking advantage of with new entry level products – but insists maintaining premium quality is Maytronics’ top priority.

“Our global manufacturing strategy prioritises rigorous quality control, whether production occurs in-house or through partners,” he says.

“This season we will be bringing the Maytronics Niya brand to the market which will offer the exceptional build and performance you expect, with a more cost effective price ticket. Any expansion is always carefully evaluated to ensure our standards are upheld. There’s a reason why we are the leader in the industry on pool cleaning!”

He says they have their own specific team from Maytronics working at the Chinese plant to ensure they offer the Maytronics “Exceptional Experience”. This enables them to tap into the economies of scale while also maintaining Maytronics’ standard, safety and quality control.

Consumers are always looking for value in a product, but value differs for different end-users.

“Value extends beyond price,” says Dean. “It’s about performance, reliability, energy efficiency, and after-sales support.

The new Dolphin Liberty range, being released later this year, has a completely cordless design and features Maytronics proprietary MagneticConnect charging

“Consumers who invest in quality products with strong warranties and service networks ultimately benefit from a better ownership experience and lower lifetime costs.”

Dean says the market is evolving, and the shift towards automation, connectivity and smarter pool solutions is here to stay.

“While some trends may fluctuate, the demand for convenience, energy efficiency and reduced maintenance will continue to drive long term industry growth,” he says.

Relationships are paramount

Fluidra’s managing director ANZ, Clinton Alley, says they are managing the influx of new entrants in the local robotic pool cleaner market by continuing to focus on innovation and relationships.

The innovation includes introducing new cordless cleaner derivatives, enhancing their product features and improving customer service to differentiate themselves from these new entrants. Building strong brand loyalty and further investment in marketing will be key as well.

And while the new entrants pose a threat at the lower end of the market, Fluidra is focussing on

“Certainly the segment in which the innovation is coming is below that $1200 cordless robot market, and it is probably the most competitive market at the moment.”

the traditional strengths of a strong brand and trusted relationships.

“In the lower end of the market, where price sensitivity is key, they do pose a threat, so we may see some erosion of market share,” he says.

“The key for us is customer retention through brand reputation and reliability, which we have managed to grow with our Zodiac range of product.”

There are obvious strengths in the traditional sales models, which Fluidra views as a considerable advantage.

“For us, the personal relationship with the pool store owner, builder or service agent is paramount – this builds trust in our product and builds on our reputation of providing a quality product to the market.

“As mentioned before, in-field service and repair options provide reassurance to end consumers, which can be a significant advantage over online cleaner models.”

Regardless of the benefits of the traditional models, Fluidra is not ignoring the power of online.

“Our focus is to invest further into e-commerce, and leverage enhanced social media marketing to directly reach consumers,” Alley says.

Boost Your Pool Store Success with a

“We will continue to offer in-field warranty service on all our units, which many of these new entrants are not able to do, due to their direct-to-consumer distribution model.”

When asked if he thinks the new entrants are growing the market, Alley says yes, but not growing the whole cleaner market, rather cannibalising other segments of it.

“These new entrants are certainly stimulating market growth by attracting customers who may not have considered robotic cleaners,” he says. “This growth however will come at the expense of other cleaner categories, as suggested in the suction cleaner space. Primarily driven by price point.”

However, he agrees that the new technology they are demonstrating will spark continued improvements across the market.

“As we continue to see new entrants coming into the market, this will drive further innovation from established players such as us. Technology improvements will continue to drive

innovation as will consumer awareness and demand.

“There is no doubt that the landscape is shifting, online sales will drive greater consumer awareness, which we need to embrace. This however does not mean the end of the traditional sales channel, if anything it will enhance the reputation, when seeking advice and support for what is still a significant spend for consumers.”

Price point pressure

Craig Buchanan, managing director of Lincoln Pool Equipment/BWT, says it’s clear the new entrants have substantially affected the market.

“It’s definitely had an effect on the market, obviously, when all of a sudden you’ve got players going B2C, as opposed to the traditional B2B that we do and some of our fellow OEMs do.

“So from my perspective, that then opens up potential pricing reduction, which is what has happened in the market.

“I see that the market price points have probably shifted down. At the moment

we’ve resisted moving our recommended retail prices and purchase prices, largely because we see the value in our product. And I also see that if you’re buying a $2000 robotic cleaner, or a $2500 or $3000 cleaner or whatever it might be, consumers on the whole want to touch and feel it, and get some sort of advice on the product.”

Buchanan says that while buying online is faceless and often comes without the technical answers consumers would like, it becomes less of an issue when you go to the lower end of the market.

“When you’re down at various price points in and around that $1000 mark, maybe upwards to $1500, I think that becomes an attractive option for a consumer, because it’s not quite such a considered purchase as the dollar value drops.”

He has seen a shift across to B2C, and that is obviously putting pressure on the traditional marketplace as well, especially in the sub $1000, sub $1500 and potentially the sub $2000 market.

“It’s certainly not affected, in my opinion, the $3000 market as much, the premium end of the market.”

He agrees that one effect of these new entrants is that the robot market itself will grow.

“There’s the potential of that, especially at the lower end, in and around that $1000 price point. Because of the bombardment online, from a consumer’s perspective it suddenly becomes a discussion point for pool owners that maybe they will try and give one of these a go – and you know what? It’s only $900.”

He agrees with other commentators that, at that price point, one segment that may suffer is the suction cleaner market, which they also sell.

The need for specialist advice

The strengths of the bricks and mortar stores – in all markets, not just the swimming pool and spa industry – is that a consumer can walk in and touch and feel the product, and hopefully get some good advice.

“The majority of pool equipment that we sell does need specialist advice to make sure that the consumer gets the right product that fits their needs, fits their pool, their lifestyle and so on. And robots fit into that category as well.”

The other thing is the after-sales service, which is easier to access when the seller has a physical location. The problem might even just be an end-user fault, or an incorrect expectation of what

BWT’s F1RXT robotic pool cleaner

Zodiac FreeRider cordless robotic pool cleaner has a 2.5hr runtime, iAquaLink connectivity, cyclonic suction and is Climate Care Certified

the robot is capable of. These things can often be quite easily explained face to face.

“Also, the pool may be green and the robot may be struggling – robots are designed to keep a clean pool clean, not to make a green pool clean.”

Lincoln has found that Australian BWT robot sales have grown well this year – and BWT sales are also growing globally.

“We play in the $1500 to $2800 sort of category,” Buchanan says, adding that at the lower end, around $1500, the degree of growth may have been affected by the new players, potentially affecting their entry level models.

“One of the things we do know is that it’s not just the initial cleaner – it’s actually dealing with a trusted person who can repair them and provide backup service, which you can’t get through an online retailer.”

Improving Chinese product

As with other commentators, Buchanan draws parallels with the Japanese motor vehicle manufacturers in the 1960s and 1970s, which were at first ridiculed before finally conquering the world with ubiquitous low cost, dependable vehicles such as the Toyota Corolla.

“I think if you look at the Chinese market in general, you can see that they are improving in their technology – you’ve only got to look at their cars. When I’m driving on the road now, I’m starting to see more and more Chinese vehicles in the marketplace.

“Definitely the Chinese technology and engineering is well and truly on the improve, and there’s no reason why they can’t produce products, in general, that are the equivalent of any other product built anywhere else in the world,” he says.

In fact, like Maytronics, BWT has formed a relationship with a Chinese company to produce product under supervision for the lowermid market.

Robotic pool cleaners have been gaining more and more traction in the Australian and global markets.

IMAGE: Maytronics

“We’re about to launch a range of products that we’ve got testing at the moment with one or two of our customers, and we’ve done full testing down here just for the Australian marketplace,” says Buchanan.

“We have had phenomenal results so far. They haven’t missed a beat.

“So, based on what I’m seeing from our range, I can’t criticise what we’ve done at all. The product stands up exceptionally well.”

While not wanting to give away his pricing strategy, Buchanan says the products will not be in the $1000 segment.

“They’ll be more expensive than that, but they won’t be $3000 robots either. They’ll be in that tier that we tend to play in.”

Bell and whistle redundancy

Buchanan says that value for the consumer really comes down to their expectations of what the robotic pool cleaner can do for their given pool and its location.

“I sometimes wonder if the consumers use some of the bells and whistles. They’re sold on them, but once they get them home, they’ll use them once or twice.

“At the end of the day, a robot pool cleaner is there to clean your pool – that’s its sole purpose in life: to clean the debris, the leaves off the pool floor and make it look clean.”

Sometimes the store can raise the expectation of the consumer, pushing them into the premium end with better filtration, while others are more comfortable selling a unit that’s in the lower end of the price points with good filtration, but maybe not quite as fine filtration as at the top.

He says that some of the cleaners that skim the water surface as well as clean the pool surface are quite innovative, but he’ll be interested to see how they actually go over the coming 12 to 18 months, and whether that reshapes the market again, from what consumer expectations are.

A levelling off

Buchanan says that while the Chinese brands coming into the market have had quite an impact, he believes there’ll be a leveling off.

“Any marketplace can only withstand a certain number of brands, otherwise it becomes too diluted: no-one has any market share, and it becomes not a category to potentially play in if there’s 50 different robot brands out there.”

He says that university marketing research has shown that consumers get confused if there are too many brands in a given market.

“There’s been a lot of psychological testing on how many brands consumers can actually digest and be comfortable with looking at. So I think there’ll be an equalising of the number of brands.”

Another factor potentially influencing the future of the market is tariffs.

“Will other markets be viable for various countries moving forward, if all these tariffs start to come into place? And Australia, with a decent sized pool and spa market, might become more attractive for some of them. So that would be a little bit of a wait and see.

“My gut feel is that over the next couple of years, they’ll equal out and maybe some of the brands won’t survive. And there’ll be a smoothing out of the

“Manufacturers need to adjust, and so do the retailers.”

number of brands that are sitting in the marketplace.

“But there’ll always be new brands coming in, startups as other ones exit the market. That’s just market forces.

“I think it’s a little bit of a wait and see over the next two years. There’s no doubt that the likes of Aiper have reshaped the robot market in the past six months, and the B2C program has definitely changed it.

“We are growing our market share and our sales nationally. It just really depends on how many sales that B2C market has taken away from us. It also depends on how the new entrants with aggressive price points and B2C, how their service is going and how that’s affecting consumers.

“Younger people are much happier to buy things on the internet, but the market space for robots isn’t 20-yearolds, it’s more of the 30-year-olds upwards. And it comes down to what the service is, because if something breaks down, how long are you waiting online

to be serviced? Do you have to do to pack the product up to then get it picked up by someone to get it shipped off. Because that’s all a drain.

“Whereas, when you buy it from a local store, you can go down there, even if you drive down there without the product, and say, hey, my robot’s broken down, how do I do this? Or you can pick up the phone and ring them because they’ve got a local number. And if you’re buying your salt and your other consumables in the pool shop, you’ve probably got a relationship with them anyway.

“That’s why I see the bricks and mortar stores will always be there and will always have product going through them.” n

au.aiper.com

au.beatbot.com

www.bwtaustralia.com.au

www.clarkrubber.com.au

www.maytronics.com.au

www.swimart.com.au

www.zodiac.com.au

The most important thing for a family is that the robot cleans the pool water. IMAGE: Maytronics

The hot, hard and dusty life in the Alice Springs pool industry

SPLASH! often features interviews with pool builders, service professionals and retailers from various points around the country. But never in the Red Centre. After visiting the Northern Territory, we thought it was time to see just what life was like in the Alice Springs pool industry.

Alice Springs (Mparntwe in the local Arrernte language, which is spoken frequently around town) is a thriving centre with an official population of about 34,000 according to the latest figures, and 13,600 households.

There are estimated to be more than 5000 pools in town – by some accounts as many as 9000! If the larger number is correct, it equates to it one pool for every 1.5 households. Or, in other words, 66 per cent of Alice Springs’ households have a swimming pool – four times the rate of the rest of the country. Even the smaller estimate is still more than double the national average.

It’s no wonder. As beautiful as Alice is – and it is a stunningly beautiful town, with the towering red MacDonnell Ranges visible from all vantage points –it can be baking hot, with temperature breaching 40C for extended periods.

Having your own pool is not a luxury –it’s close to a necessity.

But installing and looking after the pools does not always go swimmingly –there’s not just the heat to contend with, but the dust, the hard water, and the long distances.

Darren Burton is owner of awardwinning pool builder Alice Pooltech, installing about 20 Compass pools per year.

He says it’s a different way of doing business out in the Centre; but he would

never swap the unique set of challenges for life in the city.

There are also advantages, such as fewer complications from council, meaning pools get in the ground more quickly.

“The pool I’m doing now, I quoted on Saturday, the pool arrived on Monday – one of my stock pools – and we’re installing that pool right now. So within 10 days from quoting it, I’ve got the pool in the ground, and they’re swimming in it,” he says.

Some challenges are daunting, however. Take distance for example, in a region where “down the road” can mean a quick 1000 kilometre round trip.

“I put a pool in at Marqua Station,” Burton says. “That’s 10 ks from the Queensland border and includes 400 kilometres of the worst dirt road out there. I’ve looked after pools at Yulara and Kings Canyon, did work out at the Aboriginal communities at Kintore – which is 620 kilometres out on the Tanami by the West Australian border, done pools in Tenant Creek, Katherine and Darwin, which is 1500 kilometres away!

“And I have a client that wants to put one in across from Port Pierie in South Australia, which is 1300k.”

The tyranny of distance applies not only to installing the pools, but to receiving them.

For a start, no one is doing concrete pools in Alice Springs, considering

it costs at least $500 per cubic metre, compared to maybe $200 on the coast.

“And if you want pump mix, if you’re doing concrete pools, it’s probably $650 or $700 a tube,” he says.

Additionally, there is a shortage of plastering trades, and the hard water creates problems for pebble and tiles, dissolving grout by taking the lime out of it.

Fibreglass and composite shells are the best solution – but they too have to be shipped to the red centre.

“The big killer for us is freight,” he says.

In order to make it economical, Burton orders a load of ten pools from Compass in Newcastle to Alice Springs, which he has to pay for before he sells most of them.

“So I order 10 pools – and if I’ve sold three, I have seven stock pools. So, you know, I might have a $200,000 order of swimming pools sitting in the yard. And I’ve got to pay for them.”

So he has to choose the shapes and colours wisely, so he can on-sell them to customers. He also has a few of the more expensive out-of-the-ground MaxiRib pools with infloor cleaning.

“So it’s worthwhile for me, but I have to order the colours and the shapes and sizes, and hope people want to order the ones I’ve brought in.”

The other thing to deal with is sandy soils.

The Central Australian heat is relentless in the summer

“We stabilise around our pools with cement – there is no clay soil here in Central Australia. It’s sandy soil, which is great.

“I used to put all my swimming pools in without a hydrostatic valve – because there’s no chance you’re ever getting the water table coming up and then popping the pools out. But now –for insurance and with Compass we have hydrostatic valves in all the pools – every pool has a hydrostatic valve.”

Burton’s relationship with Compass also took a mutually positive turn when he showed owner Ian Mewitt a design for a plunge pool he did on a napkin.

“He said if you buy five off me I’ll build it. It was 1.7 metre deep in the deep end, with a shallow end with a seat right across the other end and five metres by 2.4m. He went away and did the plunge and it ended up being their biggest selling pool! Now we’ve got the Sanctuary with a seat right down one side.”

It was designed for adults with a small yard who still wanted to get wet, hence the extra depth.

“You can fit ten blokes in there standing having a beer on New Years Eve. It was great that he listened to a guy who lives in Alice Springs – it was fantastic that he was interested in what I was telling him.”

Victims of hard water

Unlike in the cities with softer dam and rainwater, the water supply in Alice comes from aquifers –and the water is very hard. This affects the colours of the shells, so whereas in the city popular choices may be deep blues and bright blues, in the Centre, they are greys.

“Our pools here are pools here are greys – dark grey and light greys – but great colours: Evolution, Viridian, Pearl. They’re the sort of colours we use here, because our hardness is about 450 out of the tap.

“It’s bore water. It’s millions of years old, and it’s been pulled from probably two kilometres underground – it’s very, very hard water. We have a high calcium content.”

Burton says major equipment suppliers send products to Alice Springs for testing, to see how they stand up to the pressures of hard water, scorching temperatures and fine red dust.

One pool robot manufacturer ended up designing an alternative, finer filter for their cleaner after finding it was unable to cope with the very fine dust.

“All the dust was just puffing out of it, coming back down into the pool. It wasn’t fine enough for our dust out of here.”

Another time a representative from a swimming pool chemical company showed Darren a new product that would take the hardness out of swimming pool water.

“There’s a pool out the front of the shop, and he goes, I want to try it on that. I said, mate, I’d rather you don’t. I asked what happens in the process? He said it’ll go milky then clear up. I said it won’t clear up. Anyway, he threw three litres in this pool, next day he comes back and it was worse than milk and never cleared. We had to drain the pool.

“He said, your hardness is too high. It won’t work.

“To give you an idea, in an Alice Springs 40,000 litre pool, you would put a litre and a half of acid in nearly every week, because our pH is 7.8 or 7.9 out of the tap.

“You end up with scale on the insides the pool like sharkskin on the wall of the pool. A bit like a shower screen where it goes white, it starts to build calcium in the pool. And when your pH gets too high, your chlorine won’t work.”

ABOVE: Darren Burton with one of pink shelled pools ready to go in, supporting breast cancer research as part of a Compass Pools initiative

He also says that some of the automated disinfection systems do not work as intended in the harsh water, especially when they require perfect pH.

“We run our chlorinators 10 hours a day to produce enough chlorine. The poor little pump can’t feed enough acid into the pool to keep up. So we used to melt the pumps – they’d just melt. So I learned, and we never sell chlorinators with acid feeders on them.”

Cartridge filters are another victim of the hard water.

“You can’t put a cartridge filter on a pool in Central Australia. The water ends up turning it to stone. It’s dry, and when you pick it up it weighs about 10 kilos.”

Burton says on spas the only way to use cartridge filters was to have two filters: taking one out to dry it, replacing it with a fresh one.

“When they finally dry, tap them on the concrete and you see all the calcium fall out. Every six months you’ve got to change them.”

Get used to the heat

The heat has multiple effects on both the swimming pools and the effort in getting them in the ground.

TOP: A plunge pool from Alice Pooltech with the stunning MacDonnell Ranges in the background

PHOTO CREDIT: Joyce van Dijk

“I order 10 pools – and if I’ve already sold three, I have seven stock pools.”

Working in the burning sun is not for everyone, and there are multiple issues with the heat that employers and workers need to adhere to. Additionally, some people just find it too unpleasant.

Burton – who was born in Alice Springs hospital – tends to employ locals. This includes Indigenous staff, three of whom have worked with him for the past 18 months helping install the pools: two qualified carpenters and a trade assistant.

“Locals know the climate, and the money goes back into the local economy,” he says.

While there is somewhat of a skills shortage in Alice Springs, Burton is relatively unaffected by it.

“I look after my staff so I tend to keep them,” he says. “You’ve got to pay more for staff. Here in town, I’m paying my labourer $40 an hour on wages, plus super plus sick pay and all that. You’ll pay $80 here for a carpenter. I’m the lowest paid bloke in my business.”

The other big concern with the heat is excessive evaporation.

“Our evaporation rate is nearly three metres a year,” says Burton. “It’s at 2.7 or 2.8 metres each year. People ring me all the time saying their pool is leaking because they’re losing an inch and a half a week, or two inches a week. But it’s just evaporation.”

A pool cover would normally help reduce evaporation, but there’s another issue to consider – in the summer at least.

“The problem with putting a cover on in the summer here is that the water will go to 42 degrees.”

But as evaporation rates are still very high in winter, including from the evening breezes, a cover is useful in those months to manage water loss.

Burton says heating is needed for the cooler months; and cooling is sometimes used in the hotter months.

“We have people getting cooling systems on their pools,” he says. “I run Davey products, and Davey’s new heat pumps are cooling as well as heating, and we’re selling a few of them.”

However, he does not install solar pool hot water in Alice for a number of reasons.

“We’ve got a lot of cockies and galahs and parrots – and they eat it. But the other thing is, because we’ve got an ambient temperature of 40 to 44 degrees on a corrugated roof – all the roofs here are corrugated iron – the heat on the roof will be 65 to 70 degrees.

“It just destroys it. The heating on the roof won’t last any longer than probably five or six years. And once they start deteriorating they start leaking salt water all over the metal roof.”

But he says they do need heating because it gets to minus six in winter, down to minus 10 at night.

“In winter during the day, it’s 20 degrees of blue sky. We get the best of both worlds, but realistically, most people won’t go into a swimming pool if it’s not 30 in Alice, which it is from September to April.”

Previously Burton had owned the pool shop side of the business, and also the Darwin installation business. But now he largely sticks to installing pool in and around Alice Springs.

He says most of his work comes through referrals and word of mouth.

ABOVE: James Swan outside the CDM premises

ABOVE RIGHT: Deanne is CDM’s longest serving staff member

A fantastic lifestyle

Burton is enthusiastic about living in Alice Springs.

“It’s a fantastic place. Alice Springs gets in your blood, you can’t go.”

But he suggests if you live in town, you need to get out into the natural environment regularly to take advantage of the special place.

“You get away and when you come back and drive back through the MacDonnell ranges – you just know you’re home.”

He reels off a long list of potential activities including mountain bike riding, motorbike riding, camping, hiking the Larapinta Trail and visiting the waterholes.

“You could go to a new waterhole or somewhere of interest every two weeks throughout the whole year, and you wouldn’t go to the same place twice. We’ve got Ormiston Gorge, the Valley of the Eagles, Ross River, Serpentine Gorge, Glen Helen, Kings Canyon, Uluru – it just goes on and on.”

On top of that, Alice is home to desert races, Centre Nats, the Masters Games, Henley on Todd, the Bangtail Muster, light shows at Mount Gillan wildlife park – and much more.

The pool shop and service story

The other side of the Alice Springs pool and spa industry is retail and service.

CDM Pools and Spas, a busy little pool shop located in the light industrial suburb of Ciccone, is managed by James Swan, who is also the lead technician, overseeing day-to-day operations and leading the technical team in providing pool and spa services. He has 10 years’ experience in the industry, and is passionate about customer satisfaction and high standards of service.

“CDM pools and spas was started by a local carpenter a few years ago,” says Swan.

“He found there was a gap in the market for pool maintenance due to the number of pools in Alice Springs –approximately 9000 – versus the number of pool technicians and maintenance teams that were currently operating in town.”

When original owner Matt moved on after 15 years, another local family invested to keep the doors open.

“I arrived in Alice Springs in March of 2023 with my wife and our labrador. My partner has family ties in Alice Springs, and I had come to visit many times over the past 10 years. Finally we decided to make the move,” he says.

Swan got involved in the industry when, after finishing school and wanting to save for a trip to Byron Bay, he found himself doing pool maintenance. Later, after travelling extensively at home and overseas, he worked as a pool technician in Melbourne for six years; becoming lead technician managing a six-member service team.

The longest standing staff member of CDM is Deanne, who is often holding down the fort in the pool shop. She started with Matt not long after he started the business, doing pool cleans and basic maintenance, and is still with the business today.

Swan says the pool service and maintenance business in Alice Springs presents unique challenges due to the desert climate.

“It’s a change from working in Melbourne, where it’s often rainy, but here I’ve traded one extreme for another—brutally hot summers and cold winter mornings.

“The climate is good for pools, provided they’re properly maintained. However, the water here is much harder than what I was used to – which presents its own set of challenges.

“Our hardness is about 450 out of the tap.”

“Additionally, the harsh conditions mean that pool equipment needs to be carefully selected and protected from the elements to ensure longevity. It’s something that took some adjustment, but it’s all part of the job,” he says.

He is keeping the team small at the moment.

“Since I took over the management of CDM Pools and Spas, the business has been relatively small, and our focus has been building a positive reputation based on strong communication, transparency, and expert advice for our clients.

“We’ve been focused on growing our regular maintenance schedule and expanding our client base. While we’re getting closer to reaching full capacity, we’ve intentionally kept the team small for now, with just two of us—me handling all technical work and Deanne focusing on cleans.”

Currently they have approximately 100 clients on regular maintenance, evenly spread between weekly, fortnightly and monthly.

“One-off clients and callouts/equipment work is also very steady now, and fills out most of my time within the week,” he says.

At this stage, they’re not actively looking to hire, but are exploring plans for this year that could potentially include bringing on an additional technician to help balance the workload.

“We’re also working on reopening our retail pool shop full-time, which is a key part of our

growth strategy. As for staffing challenges, it’s a broader issue across Alice Springs, not just specific to our business, and it does impact our ability to scale quickly.”

Promotion

Although Swan has tried using social media to promote the business, he has found that in the Alice Springs community, it’s not as effective as in other areas.

His experience mirrors Burton’s: word-ofmouth is the main way he gains business.

“People in Alice Springs value trust and honesty, and I’ve focused on building that through high-quality work and strong relationships with our clients. While social media hasn’t been a key driver for us, we continue to rely on personal connections and our reputation for doing great work to attract new business.”

While Burton says there are virtually no concrete pools being built at the moment, Swan says about half of his customers have legacy concrete pools. There are few aboveground pools or spas, in his experience.

Robotic pool cleaners are their biggest sellers at the moment, while Swan is looking to start stocking and promoting heat pumps, to allow his clients to extend their swimming season.

Like Burton, Swan is well aware of the tyranny of distance, with slow arrival of supplies par for the course.

“There are delays in deliveries compared to my experience in Melbourne, where orders would often arrive within 48 hours, or sometimes the same day.

“In Alice Springs, I’ve had to adjust to longer lead times, with many items taking two to three weeks to arrive. While freight is generally reliable, this longer delivery window requires careful planning to ensure we have enough stock without overordering.

“It’s become essential to anticipate demand and manage inventory efficiently to minimise disruptions in service.”

Like Burton, Swan says Alice Springs has a lot to recommend it.

“I’ve really enjoyed living in Alice Springs –more than I initially expected.

“The town offers a unique sense of community that’s hard to find elsewhere, and there are great opportunities for career growth and upskilling. The welcoming atmosphere here has made it easy to settle in, and I would recommend it to others looking for a place with a strong community vibe and room for personal and professional development.” n

www.alicepooltech.com.au

www.facebook.com/cdmpoolsandspas

ABOVE: Alice Pooltech installing another pool in the sandy Central Australian soil

Commercial & Aquatics

In brief 54

Fluidra Commercial strengthens team with key appointments 54

Millions of Australians missing out on public pools 54

Reviving the ancient bathhouse lifestyle 56

Crisis of violence in Melbourne public pools

Two high profile cases of violence in Melbourne aquatic centres has sparked industry and public outrage.

The first incident at Casey Aquatic Recreation Centre in Narre Warren resulted in five arrests by Casey Crime Investigation Unit detectives. It is alleged a 19-year-old male lifeguard on duty was approached and assaulted by a group of youths around 5.50pm at the Park Road premises on January 19.

He sustained non-life-threatening injuries and was taken to hospital for treatment.

Victoria Police say the group reportedly began bashing, kicking and headbutting the lifeguard, leaving his uniform covered in blood. According to reports from 9News, the lifeguard previously spoke to the group about performing dangerous stunts, including flips, near other swimmers.

The lifeguard was transported to Dandenong Hospital with minor injuries, including cuts and bruises, and was discharged. Security was increased at the centre in response to the incident. Police released security footage of the alleged offenders and sought assistance in identifying and locating them.

In February, detectives executed search warrants at properties in Cranbourne North and Narre Warren South.

A 19-year-old man and an 18-year-old man, both from Cranbourne North, were arrested at the scene, an 18-year-old Cranbourne North man later self-presented to Narre Warren police station. They were charged with affray and assault and bailed to appear at Dandenong Magistrates’ Court on May 23.

Three teenagers were also arrested during the search warrants. Two 17-year-old boys from the Casey area have been charged with affray and assault. Both were bailed and appeared at a Children’s Court in March. A 15-year-old boy from the Casey area was released pending further enquiries.

Second Casey aquatic centre

incident

In early February, police were again called to an aquatic centre in the Melbourne municipality of Casey following a violent incident.

The latest incident was at Casey recreation and aquatic centre (RACE) in Cranbourne East, and allegedly involved approximately10 young men or teenagers brawling poolside on Sunday February 2.

The pool had to be evacuated on what turned out to be a 40C+ stinker of a day. When police arrived, the offenders had left the scene and there were no reported injuries.

Royal Life Saving Australia general manager of capability and industry, RJ Houston, says that while lifeguards do a fantastic job of keeping people safe, they are not experts in security or enforcing normal decent behaviour.

City of Casey mayor Stefan Koomen spoke to the Berwick Star News, saying they were immediately increasing security to all aquatic centres.

A caller to Tom Elliot on 3AW mornings to say the alleged offenders were initially spraying patrons with hoses and generally causing trouble before the fight broke out. The caller grabbed his daughter and left immediately.

of the alleged offenders

RACE patrons spoke to 7 News saying that people in the aquatic centre were visibly frightened, especially children, and that the situation had been getting worse over time. They implored council to increase security to protect patrons and staff.

In both incidents the offenders were described as young men or male teenagers of middle eastern appearance, and Victoria police is urging anyone who witnessed the incident or with footage of the Casey RACE brawl to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or submit a confidential report online at www.crimestoppersvic.com.au.

Tackling physical abuse

At a national level, there are understood to be approximately 2000 acts of violence and/or anti-social behaviour at Australian aquatic facilities each year, averaging five incidents per day.

This can include physical altercations, verbal abuse, and inappropriate behaviour from patrons, which threaten the safety of staff and visitors. The impact of these incidents extends beyond just immediate harm – as it can have significant impact on affected staff as well as other patrons exposed to the violence.

To support the safety and wellbeing of staff working in aquatic facilities, Royal Life Saving Australia (RLSSA) launched the Keep Your Cool at the Pool campaign in December, which sets clear behavioural expectations for patrons and calls for users of aquatic facilities to treat each other and staff respectfully.

Additionally, a comprehensive plan to address this challenge has been initiated by key organisations in the Victorian aquatic industry.

Led in partnership by Aligned Leisure, Life Saving Victoria (LSV) and RLSSA, the plan aims to take a risk-based approach to identify new (or enhance existing) mitigants that can be taken to reduce the likelihood or consequence of this type of behaviour.

While this type of behaviour has been condemned by the industry as well as the Victorian community more broadly, LSV notes “disappointingly there appears to be an escalation of the frequency and severity of these types of incidents, requiring a collaborative and cohesive all-of-industry response.”

The plan will consider all available treatment options including (but not limited) to training, education, advocacy, policies/ process, technology, supervision, security/surveillance, reporting, expectations, partnerships, research and the broader legal framework.

Pictures

the police were searching for in relation to the incident at Casey Aquatic Recreation Centre. Supplied by Victoria Police

Casey

Inaugural Fluidra Australia Cup hailed a resounding success

The inaugural Fluidra Australia Cup for water polo made waves at the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) in January, bringing together eight clubs from four Australian states, as well as representation from New Zealand and Singapore.

The landmark event was designed to provide up-and-coming players with the opportunity to experience high-level, international competition which is critical for their ongoing development.

The competition provided emerging talent with a professional and high-intensity competition environment, exceeding expectations and drawing attention both nationally and internationally.

Livestreams were broadcast to multiple countries, showcasing the event to a global audience.

In the men’s final, the New Zealand U20s national team edged out the Canberra Krakens 9 to 7 in a tight contest. On the women’s side, Sydney University claimed victory over the Singapore women’s national team. Imogen Hicks (Sydney University) and Cole Phillips (New Zealand) were named MVPs of the tournament.

The tournament was not only praised for its high-level competition but also for the professionalism of its organisation, including top-tier refereeing and seamless event management, setting up the Fluidra Australia Cup as a new benchmark for water polo tournaments in the region.

“It was a great event,” says organiser Matt Turnball. “We were very happy with how it panned out and are grateful to our sponsors, such as Fluidra, for making this event happen.”

As well as sponsoring the event, Fluidra supplied the lane ropes and goals through subsidiary Anti Wave.

Jeremy Smith from Fluidra emphasises the company’s commitment to the sport.

“Fluidra is honoured to support local water polo clubs and players, providing them with a structured pathway and a fun experience while helping to build our future athletes,” he says.

The Fluidra Australia Cup is poised to become a major fixture in the global water polo calendar, with the next edition set for December 2025, once again in Canberra at the AIS.

With growing international interest, teams from South Africa, Kazakhstan, and other nations are keen to join the action. Plans are also underway to introduce additional elements to enhance the tournament experience.

Fluidra Commercial strengthens team with key appointments

Fluidra Commercial has made four new appointments, including a new ANZ marketing manager, two new state business development managers, and an expanded technical sales role.

Yvette Audet has been officially appointed commercial marketing manager for Australia and New Zealand.

Fluidra Commercial general manager Jeremy Smith says that Audet’s leadership will enhance brand awareness, sponsorship initiatives and market reach, while highlighting the company’s extensive manufacturing capabilities across various Australian states.

Meanwhile, Bernard Schenk has been appointed WA/SA business development manager and Danny Valk has been appointed NSW/ACT business development manager.

“With extensive experience in the aquatic industry, both Bernard and Danny bring valuable expertise to support Fluidra Commercial’s continued expansion across Australia,” says Smith.

Bernard Schenk, formerly of Elite Pool Covers, and Danny Valk, formerly of Hayward,

will play integral roles in driving business development efforts in the various states across Australia. Smith says their combined knowledge of pool covers and plant equipment will enhance Fluidra’s ability to deliver innovative and highquality commercial pool solutions.

Additionally, Brad Hampton has expanded his role to the newly appointed position of Technical Sales, bringing his expertise from Chadson to the whole of Fluidra Commercial. This role reinforces Fluidra’s commitment to the company’s renewed focus on local manufacturing of commercial filtration systems.

“Fluidra Commercial remains committed to supporting the Australian economy by delivering high-quality, locally manufactured products. The company offers a broad range of solutions,

including filters, pumps, pool covers, starting blocks, lane ropes, and programmable systems that optimise the functionality of both new and existing multipurpose pools,” says Smith.

“As we continue to grow, we are proud to invest in experienced professionals and local manufacturing to better serve our customers.

“With Bernard and Danny adding to our business development initiatives, Brad’s technical knowledge and Yvette driving our marketing efforts, we are confident in our ability to expand our reach and provide innovative aquatic solutions.”

Smith also thanked Greg Jones for his unwavering support, expertise and guidance for Chadson during the integration of the company into the Fluidra Group.

Too many Aussie families missing out on access to public pools

Research from Royal Life Saving Australia (RLSS) shows millions of Australians are missing out on public pools.

The State of Australian Aquatic Facilities 2025 has specifically identified 50 communities across the nation that are most disadvantaged by a clear lack of access to swimming pools.

The communities are particularly in outer metropolitan and low cost housing areas, and RLSS says this lack of access to pools means fewer opportunities for children to learn to swim, and there are now excessive waiting lists for swimming lessons.

The 50 communities highlighted can be found at www.royallifesaving.com.au.

RLSS says the nation’s 2103 public pools are buckling under too much pressure with far too few facilities in growing areas as well as reports that there have been 2400 reports of violence towards lifeguards.

The State of Australian Aquatic Facilities 2025 also highlights how public pools contribute to healthier, safer and happier communities, while exposing major gaps that leave many Australians without these essential facilities. With more than 421 million visits annually, public pools deliver an estimated $12.84 billion in social value each year, supporting drowning prevention, physical activity, mental wellbeing, and community cohesion. Yet, access is far from equal.

Despite their immense social, health and economic value, nearly 500 public pools are approaching the end of their operational lifespan, placing additional pressure on local governments and facility operators to secure

funding for maintenance and redevelopment. Without strategic intervention, the gap between those who have access to public pools and those who do not will continue to grow, exacerbating health and safety inequities.

“Public pools are much loved essential community infrastructure that support community wellbeing and the Australian approach to drowning prevention,” says Dr Justin Scarr, RLSS CEO.

“But for one in four Australians, particularly those in growing communities, there are simply no local options for safe access to swimming, aquatic exercise and water safety education.”

The report establishes several key metrics that can assist planners and policy makers in ensuring equitable access to the right pools in the right communities, such as average population to pool ratios and the types and features of pools appropriate for different community profiles.

“Research shows the planning approach to public pools is often ad hoc and politicised which can result in inappropriate facilities that do not align with the local community capacity, burdening councils with expensive assets that they cannot maintain,” says RJ Houston, general manager of capability and industry at RLSS.

“By developing a national framework for public pool planning and provisioning we can support better pool planning policies and grant programs which prioritise long-term community outcomes, which will ultimately support our goal that all Australians have a fair go when it comes to having safe places to swim.”

Contact: www.royallifesaving.com.au

Brad Hampton

Yvette Audet Bernard Schenk Danny Valk

In Brief

The 2025 Country Pool Managers Conference will be held at Cessnock on Wednesday May 14 and Thursday May 15 at East Cessnock Bowling Club. Conference registration is Wednesday morning commencing at 7:00am to 8:15am. The Tradies and Delegates networking afternoon will be at the Rydges Hunter Valley Resort (Golf) and East Cessnock Bowling Club. Agenda includes: Operational Tips & Tricks from Gary Johnson (Tamworth City Council); Navigating the Complexities of Aquatic and Leisure Centre Developments from Michelle Nolland (LARCAN Consulting); Work Health & Safety Requirements from Patrick Quinn (SafeWork NSW); a presentation from NSW Health Water Unit & Public Health Unit; Ageing Infrastructure & Workforce Development from Jason Phillips (Royal Life Saving NSW); Importance of Risk Management & Benchmarking Results from Robert Humphries (Statewide Mutual); as well as presentations on being sun safe, the benefits of providing quality in-service training, mental health strategies in delivering quality customer service, the Glenbrook fatal drowning incident and key learnings, and assessing your pool’s structure by consulting engineer Neil Davey.

Royal Life Saving Australia (RLSSA) has released a statement welcoming recent Commonwealth Government support which recognises the urgent need for funding to support the electrification renewal and construction of new and existing community pools. The statement points to recent announcements funding energy efficiency upgrades at 31 local aquatic centres, noting it as “a significant contribution to the sustainability of much loved community facilities across Australia”. RLSSA says that local governments, particularly in regional and remote areas, have struggled to find the funding to keep up with increasing energy costs and facility upgrades.

Three-time world surfing champion Mick Fanning recently unveiled Palm Valley, Australia’s first surf and golf resort, located seven kilometres from Main Beach at Parkwood International Golf Club. This project, powered by Endless Surf’s wave technology, will be a staple for outdoor and leisure tourism in Australia by blending a championship golf course, a luxury hospitality resort, and a high-performance surf lagoon. The Endless Surf lagoon at Palm Valley will cater to all skill levels with customisable wave settings, creating an inclusive surf experience for beginners and professionals alike. Set to open in mid-2027, Palm Valley is positioned as a premier training venue for elite surfers preparing for Brisbane 2032, with the potential to even host Olympic events. “Surfing has given me everything,” says Mick Fanning. “Palm Valley is my way of giving back, creating an inclusive space that showcases the future of surf parks.”

Efficient conveying of filter mater ial with Körting liquid jet solids

A

Ancient bathhouse lifestyle experiencing a modern boom

By Veda Dante

The spa and wellness industry in Australia is experiencing significant growth, driven by burgeoning international trends and positive research results, such as the recently released Future of Wellness: 2025 Trends report (see box on page 59), which shows an increasing desire for a slower pace of life and more face-to-face interactions.

In the aquatic space, a notable development is the resurgence of urban bathhouses which cater to the increasing consumer demand for communal, pre-digital experiences. Blending traditional bathing practices with modern wellness trends, this concept presents unique opportunities for businesses in the pool and spa market.

Unlike exclusive retreats, bathhouses offer a more accessible option for customers. This affordability appeals to a broader demographic and can also attract visitors by creating vibrant wellness hubs. Businesses offering these

amenities are tapping into wellness tourism by marketing the facilities as must-see destinations.

The burgeoning bathhouse culture

Europe has long been celebrated for its rich thermal and sauna traditions, while Japan’s iconic onsen culture has enchanted visitors for centuries. Now, a new wave of modern bathhouses is making a splash in urban hotspots like London, New York, Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane.

Judy Chapman, a pioneer in the spa and wellness sector who has written countless magazine articles and books on the subject, says the modern bathhouse is evolving.

“Traditionally in most cultures including in Japan and Europe, a bathhouse refers to a public bathing facility,” she explains.

“These days, as with ‘spa’, a bathhouse can embrace a range of experiences including wild swimming, cold plunge, ice baths, infrared and

traditional sauna, mud rituals, steam, sweat lodge and hammam – along with treatment rooms, biohacking therapies and even workout spaces.”

Chapman believes the trend is primarily driven by our need for social connection, bringing people together in a space free from alcohol, to experience an affordable wellness experience.

Urban bathhouses provide communal spaces where people can relax, interact and build relationships, addressing the isolation amplified by urban living and fast-paced lifestyles.

“A notch up from meeting at the pub, the trend is ‘let’s meet for a bathhouse and sauna on Friday eve’,” Chapman says.

“Health-wise, the art of bathing ups our dopamine, endorphins and serotonin – even if only temporarily. It makes us feel so good!”

From an operational perspective, she notes that bathhouses are highly profitable, fuelling the rapid growth of bathhouse culture. As demand grows, so does the need for careful planning and expertise to ensure these spaces are both functional and compliant.

“To successfully introduce thermal and bathhouse experiences, it’s essential to assemble a skilled team including a hydrotherapy design specialist; an MEP consultant with specific skills in mechanical, electrical and plumbing building systems; engineers; and a spa/wellness consultant like me to curate exceptional guest journeys,” says Chapman.

“These amenities are highly technical, requiring careful navigation of regulations, safety, drainage and health and hygiene standards.”

Additionally, operational planning is critical. Some architects and owners overlook the need for adequate back-of-house spaces, plant rooms and infrastructure, which can lead to challenges down the line.

“Every square metre matters and should be thoughtfully utilised to enhance the guest experience, ensuring privacy, functionality and sensory engagement,” she adds.

“All bodies of water, irrespective of temperature, require a level of residual disinfection.”

Outdoor bathing sessions

Located in Queensland’s Currumbin Valley, Bathhouse at Ground is part of a “local living economy”, supporting small businesses and keeping money within the Currumbin community. The focus is on building a thriving, interconnected marketplace that benefits residents and aligns with the values and needs of the area.

Manager Kylie Cook says its popular bathing sessions, which are set among remnant rainforest, offer residents and visitors the opportunity to reconnect with nature and the local community.

“Under the outdoor canopy of our majestic fig tree, guests float between three hot tubs, two plunge pools – one is a chilly 10C – and a wood fire sauna,” she says.

Cook emphasises that maintaining high quality water quality is critical to ensuring a healthy and hygienic environment for customers. To achieve this, the bathhouse relies on a sophisticated system of filtration and sanitisation products. These systems work together to remove impurities, control bacteria and maintain optimal water conditions, providing guests with a safe and enjoyable experience.

“Our cartridge filter systems are serviced daily as we’ve found that helps them provide ultimate water clarity,” she explains.

ABOVE: Relaxing in and out of the water at Sense of Self

ABOVE: The Currumbin Bathhouse features popular bathing sessions set among remnant rainforest

TOP RIGHT: Total relaxation in the City Cave

OPOSITE PAGE LEFT: Waterco’s commercial range has been installed in luxury health sanctuary Third Space in London.

OPOSITE PAGE LEFT: City Cave pools are roughly the size of a double bed and filled with so much magnesium salt bather can float effortlessly

“Sanitisation is a mix of Maytronics’ Mineral Swim salt water chlorination on our larger plunge pool, and direct chlorine injection for our spas, which our staff manage dynamically throughout the day. It gives us infinite control in maintaining sanitisation levels regardless of bather load. This system is complemented with automatic pH dosers to ensure chlorination has maximum effect. We also use UV and ozone secondary sanitisers.”

For Cook, water quality isn’t just about hygiene – it’s about creating a space where customers feel reassured and relaxed.

“Our advanced filtration and sanitisation solutions are essential for achieving that standard, ensuring every visitor enjoys the highest level of cleanliness and comfort,” she adds.

Balancing creativity with compliance

Growing up near the Daintree Rainforest in Far North Queensland, Freya Berwick moved to another remote part of the world, Norway, where she immersed herself in local rituals such as cold dipping – a cornerstone of Scandinavian wellness culture – after a big hike. Returning to Australia, Berwick opened Sense of Self bathhouse in Melbourne in 2020 with a second location spanning 1000 square metres slated to open in Sydney later this year.

“I think Australians are now waking up to the power of rest, self-care and taking a digital detox, which is what we offer as we’re proudly a digitaldevice-free zone,” she says.

Describing the process of opening a bathhouse as “a lot!”, Berwick emphasises the complexities involved in balancing creativity with compliance.

“Beyond ticking all the regulatory boxes, installing pools and wet facilities into old buildings requires significant engineering and design, especially if you want to maintain a strong design intent while ensuring you build something that is up to code and not too onerous to maintain,” she says.

With roughly 100 people using its bathhouse on a typical day, Berwick employs rigorous

health and safety procedures to ensure a hygienic environment for all visitors.

“We take health and safety very seriously. We have everything from automatic dosing systems to different daily, weekly, monthly and quarterly routine checks and service schedules.”

Pushing back on hustle culture

Inspired by Wabi-sabi, the Japanese philosophy that “embraces imperfection and transience”, Shae Raven and husband Russel’s upcoming launch of SOL Elements in the Gold Coast hinterland is designed to be an antidote to “hustle culture”.

“Although hard work is still very much a part of our daily lives, we noticed the positive impact that self-care, ancient bathing practices and holistic rituals have had on our wellbeing and overall quality of life,” Raven explains.

“Through in-depth conversations, market research, and extensive international travels, we noticed we were not alone in this discovery.”

More than four years in the making, the couple engaged experts in their field to ensure “an uncompromising commitment to water quality”.

“We use state-of-the-art intelligent water treatment technology from one of the leading manufacturers who specialise in water purification and safe disinfection technologies ensuring a relaxing experience for all our guests,” Raven says.

“We have also partnered with an organic cleaning company that works with natural ingredients and essential oils, ensuring that everyone can enjoy the healing powers of nature at every touch point of their SOL journey.”

Mineral-enriched water enhances customer experience

With bathhouses and shared aquatic spaces often under heavy loads and prolonged operations, providing a safe and hygienic environment for all patrons is only part of the picture.

“Consumers are increasingly looking for premium experiences that offer health

benefits beyond basic functionality,” says Chris Smith, Waterco’s chemical division business development manager.

Smith says that Waterco is seeing its commercial range installed in training, rehabilitation, recovery and wellness facilities all over the world – from Essendon Football Club to luxury health sanctuary Third Space in London –and is also seeing increasing interest in its Vitale Mineral Salts and Mineral Crystals ranges.

“The presence of minerals such as magnesium, potassium and calcium can help soften the water, reducing skin irritation and promoting relaxation –features that wellness-conscious customers value.”

Mineral-enriched water not only enhance the bathing experience but also contributes to cleaner, clearer water.

“They help improve water balance, reduce algae growth, and limit the need for additional chemicals like clarifiers and algaecides,” he says.

Wellness goes old-school

The Global Wellness Summit released The Future of Wellness: 2025 Trends report in January, offering a comprehensive 130-page forecast on the key health and wellness trends set to shape the year ahead.

Included in the list are the Analog Wellness and Sauna Reimagined trends, which are driven by the demand for slower, low-tech lives along with the boom and reinvention of “one of the most lo-fi, ancient and social types of wellness”.

Then there’s the Watershed Wellness trend, which foresees the spa and wellness industries – traditionally associated with high water usage —will see more destinations preserving and renewing precious water resources.

For manufacturers and suppliers of Climate Care Certified equipment, this presents a valuable opportunity as businesses are increasingly willing to invest in these features while supporting broader sustainability initiatives.

Researchers predict 2025 is the year more people turn to retro, pre-digital hobbies and experiences to counteract an increasingly divisive, overwhelming online world.

IMAGE CREDIT: Third Space/Jamie McGregor Smith

IMAGE

CREDIT: Third Space/Jamie McGregor Smith

Third Space’s spa pool with waterfalls.

“The art of bathing ups our dopamine, endorphins and serotonin. It makes us feels good!”

Public health and safety guidelines

Because bathhouses are enjoyed in a similar way to public swimming pools and spas, adherence to Australian health and safety regulations is not just a legal necessity but a vital aspect of public health protection.

“Bodies of water that are used by unrelated persons should be considered ‘public’ and, as such, the Health Act in each state and territory applies,” explains Paul Stevenson, a highly respected aquatics engineer with more than 1000 public pools under his belt, including the Sydney and Beijing Olympic pools.

“For example,” he says. “Under the NSW Health Act, a ‘public swimming pool or spa pool’ is defined as ‘a swimming pool or spa pool to which the public is admitted, whether free of charge, on payment of a fee, or otherwise.’

“This definition aligns closely with the operation of modern bathhouses, cementing their classification as public facilities subject to stringent regulatory oversight.”

Pompeii’s enormous private bathhouse

Buried beneath metres of volcanic ash for nearly 2000 years, a “once-in-acentury” discovery has emerged from the ancient Roman city of Pompeii.

Archaeologists have unveiled a lavish private bathhouse – possibly the largest ever unearthed in the city – at the heart of a grand residence uncovered over the past two years during a major excavation. Only a few other baths of similar size have come to light in Pompeii, such as the baths of the Praedia of Julia Felix, and the bathhouses in the House of the Labyrinth and Villa di Diomede.

This extraordinary find features hot, warm, and cold rooms; intricate artwork; and a sprawling plunge pool, offering a rare glimpse into the opulent lifestyle of Pompeii’s elite.

The spa includes a caldarium (hot bath), a tepidarium (warm bath), a frigidarium (cold bath) and an apodyterium (changing room). The frigidarium is particularly striking and consists of a peristyle, a porticoed courtyard measuring 10 metres by 10 metres, in the centre of which is a large pool.

First reported to BBC News on January 17, 2025, by Dr Gabriel Zuchtriegel, director of the Archaeological Park of Pompeii, it is thought to be the biggest bath complex in a Pompeiian private home.

The apodyterium

Jars in the frigidarium

The frigidarium

Healthy heat at the Sense of Self sauna

The purpose of the Health Act in relation to public pools is clear: to safeguard the public from the transmission of diseases in shared aquatic environments. Stevenson highlights that the cornerstone of this legislation involves maintaining appropriate water quality through effective disinfection.

“This is done by ensuring that there is a suitable residual level of either chlorine or bromine in the water along with an appropriate level of pH,” he says. “All bodies of water, irrespective of temperature, require a level of residual disinfection.”

Advanced water treatment is also recommended, such as medium pressure UV, to deal with chloramines and provide additional bacteria control.

“It could be argued that the advanced water treatment is not necessary for ice baths as the risk of cross contamination is lower. However, I prefer to err on the safe side and provide it anyway,” says Stevenson.

Compliance with these regulations is not optional; it is a critical responsibility for bathhouse operators. Proper water treatment and monitoring ensures that harmful microorganisms – such as bacteria, viruses and protozoa – are effectively controlled, reducing the risk of waterborne illnesses. Inadequate sanitisation not only endangers the health of patrons but also exposes operators to significant legal liabilities, including fines, closures and reputational damage.

“The Health Act is a legal requirement with penalties for non-compliance,” explains Stevenson. “It has the power to impose orders and even close facilities that do not comply.”

Health Department Guidelines, however, are just that: recommendations that have no legal status.

“However, they can and have been used in legal proceedings,” he says. “It is generally accepted that compliance with Health Department Guidelines provides a

Discover upcoming construction projects in your area with Cordell Connect to help you secure your next opportunity. 1300 734 318 corelogic.com.au/cordell

A classy soothing experience at Soak

good level of defence against an offence against the Health Act.”

Stevenson says Western Australia and New South Wales Health Acts have similar guidelines and are probably the most onerous.

“Western Australia mandates that the Health Department approves the facilities water treatment design,” he explains. “This requirement is unique to WA, as no other state or territory imposes such a measure. In comparison, Victoria and Queensland have less stringent guidelines/ regulations, with South Australia having the least rigid guidelines/regulations.”

Stevenson says bathhouses should be registered according to the Health Act but suggests many are not.

“These amenities are highly technical, requiring careful navigation of regulations, safety, drainage, and health and hygiene standards.”

“The health authorities need to act.”

While pool and spa operators are familiar with water safety regulations, business owners from other industries should carefully research their responsibilities before opening a bathhouse. From obtaining council permits and learning about water treatment to maintaining essential filtration and sanitation equipment, meeting these requirements is crucial. Not only do they ensure a safe and hygienic experience for customers, but they also help prevent legal, financial and civic risks.

While glossy product brochures and manufacturers’ “plug-and-play” specs promise to simplify the process, engaging experts from the outset ensures a seamless and compliant installation.

Professionals can help navigate regulatory requirements, optimise system performance, and prevent costly mistakes – ultimately creating a safer, more efficient successful bathhouse facility. n

www.citycave.com.au

www.engineers.stevenson.net

www.globalwellnessummit.com

www.goldcoast.qld.gov.au

www.groundcurrumbin.com.au

www.judychapman.com.au

www.soleelements.com.au

www.sos-senseofself.com

www.waterco.com.au

TOP: Roughly 100 people using the Sense of Self bathhouse in Melbourne on a typical day

ABOVE: The large pool at the Third Space.

IMAGE CREDIT: Third Space/Jamie McGregor Smith

Soundproof Pump & Filter Enclosures

Reduce noise by 80%

Assemble in as little as 15 minutes

More internal space for easier access

Save money on design, equipment and running costs

Child safety features 100% Australian Made

Heating and cooling with the new AquaTherm Pro

Davey says their new AquaTherm Pro heat pump’s Turbofan technology delivers optimal year-round temperature control with efficient, ultra-quiet operation and exceptional cost savings. It is available in five models ranging from 11.5kW to 26.5kW capacities, all built to operate down to -15C, making them ideal to extend the swim season.

Designed with both heating and cooling capabilities, the system’s twin rotary compressor and DC inverter fan technology automatically adjusts speed to hold the desired water temperature year-round.

Notable features include a twisted titanium heat exchanger for enhanced heat transfer, three-layer acoustic soundproofing, and inbuilt wifi connectivity for remote temperature control via the Davey heat pump app. Additionally, side-venting allows for compact installation in tight spaces.

Contact: www.daveywater.com

Wifi heat pump with centrifugal fan design

Waterco has launched the Electroheat Eco-VS wifi heat pump into the Australian market, available in 11kW, 14kW, 19kW, 27kW, 32kW and 41kW heating capacities.

Key features include a centrifugal fan that reduces ventilation clearance needs; quiet operation; triple layer evaporator; excellent energy efficiency; robust construction with a durable titanium heat exchanger and corrosion-resistant aluminium alloy cladding; inverter technology enabling the heat pump to adjust its power output to the pool’s needs; superior heating capacity; and an intuitive control panel.

It also includes the InverGO app, a convenient remote control solution that allows consumers to manage their pool heating effortlessly, eliminating the need to visit the pool pad.

Contact: www.waterco.com.au

Waterco’s first commercial inverter pool heat pump

Waterco has released its first commercial-grade inverter pool heat pump into the Australian market.

Adam Shelley, Zane solar and heating manager says the Electroheat Pro 60kW inverter heat pump is a high-performance, energy-efficient solution engineered for commercial applications.

“It boasts exceptional heating power combined with advanced inverter technology, delivering precise temperature regulation and significant energy savings. It is an ideal solution for commercial pool operators and aquatic centres, offering a host of operational benefits tailored to their unique needs.”

Contact: www.waterco.com.au

No matter what shape, or how old the pool - if it’s got a few years left in it, we can make a new liner for it.

With industr y leading technology and almost 50 years experience, there’s no pool we can’t line - swim out steps are no problem either

And because most modular pools are sold in the DIY market, you don’t need to be a professional liner installer to work with them!

If you’ve got the time, you can offer an install ser vice as well, and make even more profit!

Cutting-edge submersible pumps

Pentair has launched the Jung Pumpen Simer 6 and Simer 6S, an upgraded line of flat suction pumps designed for a wide range of water removal applications, including pools, spas and construction pits.

Pentair says the Simer 6 and Simer 6S represent a significant enhancement over the previous Simer 5 model, with the ability to efficiently eliminate water down to just 2mm. These powerful pumps are perfect for professionals in need of high-performance, mobile and easy-to-use water removal solutions.

The Simer 6S, an automated version, comes equipped with an integrated electronic water level sensor. This innovative feature activates the pump automatically once the water level reaches 7mm, reducing the need for manual intervention and improving convenience for businesses managing complex water control tasks.

Whisper-quiet Aqua X20 heat pump

Fairland is introducing their new Aqua X20 to the Australian market. Fairland says they have a reputation for advanced engineering and eco-friendly designs, and their heat pumps are setting a benchmark for pool heating solutions worldwide.

They say the Aqua X20 delivers whisper-quiet performance with a powerful heating capacity tailored for Australian pool owners. Its intelligent inverter technology ensures year-round comfort with up to 20 per cent energy savings compared to traditional on/off systems.

It has been built to handle Australia’s diverse climates, suiting families who want effortless, sustainable swimming comfort.

Contact: www.fairland.com.cn

Vinyl liner leak detection kit

LeakTronics is a leading manufacturer of leak detection equipment for the pool and plumbing industries. They say their equipment, built entirely inhouse, is known for accuracy and ease of use.

The new Vilo V2 enhances the user experience with advanced technology that increases accuracy and efficiency in detecting leaks, as its refined electronic components are capable of scanning and locating a leak in any vinyl liner.

Leaktronics ships worldwide and has many Australian customers, and are keen to have many more.

Contact: www.leaktronics.com

Subscribe to

Tax invoice

Please find enclosed my cheque/money order for $_________ payable to The Intermedia Group Pty. Ltd. OR please charge my:

Mastercard Visa Amex

Cardholder Name:

Expiry Date: __ __ / __ __ Signature:

Name:

Job Title:

Company:

Address:

Suburb/Town: Postcode:

Ph: Fax:

Email:

Yes! I wish to receive SPLASH! magazine

Within Australia *

$AUD65.00 – 1 year, 6 issues

$AUD104.00 – 2 years, 12 issues – Save 20%

$AUD136.50 – 3 years, 18 issues – Save 30% * Prices quoted include GST

Overseas Rates

New Zealand

$AUD75.00 – 1 year, 6 issues

Asia Pacific

$AUD80.00 – 1 year, 6 issues

All Other Countries

$AUD90.00 – 1 year, 6 issues

We are committed to handling your personal information in accordance with the privacy act. Please Select one of the following: Yes No - Please send me information about special offers and or events from SPLASH!

The Intermedia Group Pty Ltd ABN 94002583682 PO Box 161 Hornsby NSW 2163. www.shop.splashmagazine.com.au or call +61 8227 6486

Simplifying Pool Life

Building a new swimming pool is an exciting journey to a better lifestyle.

Pool-Water Products specialise in innovative, eco-friendly and high-quality products that are designed to simplify pool life.

•In-floor cleaning systems

•Control Systems

•Lighting

•Pumps

•Filters

•Spa Equipment

•Water features

•Water treatments

Laguna Pools – Donvale VIC

SPLASH 158 February-March 2025

Bathhouses

Reviving the ancient lifestyle

Size does matter

AutoChlor® Pixie

AutoChlor® Classic MkII

AutoChlor® MIDI

AutoChlor® Commercial

AWARD WINNING TECHNOLOGY,

SOLAR SMART MODE

NEW CABINET DESIGN

INTUITIVE CONTROLLERS

editorial

Hot weather, hard water, fine dust

The cover

EVERY DAY IS A

POOL DAY

Strong engagement a feature of 2025 expo season

Comments from exhibitors

Lindsay McGrath to move on from SPASA after a decade of leadership

Annual rate of decline grows to minus 11 per cent

Passings

MBA executive director, Brian Seidler passes away

Denis Baxter passes away

Passings

Mick Toohey passes away

Top five online news stories

Upcoming events

In Brief

Reece opens new Bundaberg super branch

Industry moves

Daisy Pool Covers appoints new commercial and technical manager

THE NEXT LEVEL OF SWIMMING POOL PROTECTION

Canadian sauna manufacturer seeks dealers in Australian move

Communication

Pool Systems launches industry education video series

High Precision Cleaning

Underwater Lighting Specialists

Big Lap back to help industry mental health

Sunlover’s new pool cover robot provides greater precision and easier installation

Impacts of hot climate conditions on work, health and safety in Australia

Championing standards, advocacy and growth

Shaping industry standards and best practices

Business growth and industry sustainability

Promoting industry interests and long-term competitiveness

Equipping members for compliance and success

Investing in workforce development and training

A commitment to industry leadership

and global innovation in Lyon Australian influence

Australia’s global contribution

Australian presence and contributions

Innovation

POOL SITE SAFETY, DONE.

Try a little kindness, says Business of the Year winner

Getting a coach on board

Spreading happiness

INTRODUCING OUR NEW SUSTAINABLE POOL RESIN Paving the way for more sustainable composites applications

PET RESIN OBJECTIVE

RENEWABLE SWIMMING POOL RESINS

Recognition

Encouragement

35 Years of Excellence

Centralised Support Hub

Program

Award-Winning Team

In-Field Service Technicians

Unmatched Industry Knowledge

Robotic disruption as a new entrants shake up the pool cleaner market

Market segmentation

Growing, but more slowly

Demand validation and brand strength

From batteries to pool cleaners

Relationships are paramount

Boost Your Pool Store Success with a

Price point pressure

The need for specialist advice

Improving Chinese product

Bell and whistle redundancy

A levelling off

The hot, hard and dusty life in the Alice Springs pool industry