Residents across the Central Darling Shire in far-western New South Wales are being offered a new way to access local swimming pools this season, with the council beginning a trial of unsupervised pool access across all four of its facilities.

Under the trial, the pools will operate without lifeguards present during the relevant unsupervised-access periods. People who want to use the facilities will first need to complete safety training and obtain an access card. The arrangement is being introduced because of difficulties recruiting enough qualified lifeguards for the region.

Central Darling Shire covers a large and remote area of western NSW, including communities such as Wilcannia, Menindee, White Cliffs and Ivanhoe. Maintaining access to swimming facilities can be particularly important during the warmer months, when residents use public pools for recreation and cooling off.

Council general manager John Sevil said the trial had been developed with safety measures intended to reduce risks associated with the absence of lifeguards. The pools will be monitored using CCTV, council staff will conduct visits, and emergency procedures will be displayed at the facilities.

The requirement for users to undertake safety training is a central part of the new arrangement. Residents must demonstrate that they understand the conditions of unsupervised pool use before receiving an access card.

The change comes as regional councils across Australia continue to face challenges recruiting and retaining qualified staff, including seasonal lifeguards. In smaller and remote communities, the available workforce can be limited, making it difficult to maintain conventional staffed operating models throughout an entire swimming season.

The Central Darling trial is therefore designed to keep community pools accessible while responding to the shortage of available lifeguards. It also places greater responsibility on pool users to follow safety procedures and act appropriately while using the facilities.

The council says monitoring and emergency arrangements have been put in place as part of the trial. However, users will not have a lifeguard physically present at the pool during unsupervised periods, making adherence to the safety requirements particularly important.

Swimming pools are an important community facility in the region, providing residents with opportunities for exercise, recreation and water-based activities during the warmer months. For children and families, swimming facilities also provide opportunities to practise water skills and build familiarity with safe behaviour around water.

The trial is being reported as part of the 30 September 2026 Broken Hill and far-western NSW regional news update, making it a current local development.

Residents wanting to use one of the participating pools should check the relevant council requirements before visiting, particularly the training and access-card conditions.