Olympic gold medallist Shayne Reese has announced the expansion of her swim school business in Ballarat, opening a second learn-to-swim centre as part of her mission to ensure every child has access to water safety education.
The new facility is aimed at addressing growing demand for swimming lessons across the region, where lengthy waiting lists have left many families unable to enrol their children. Reese said no child should miss out on learning lifesaving swimming skills because of limited class availability, and she hopes the expansion will significantly reduce those waiting times.
A former Australian representative swimmer and Olympic gold medallist, Reese has become a passionate advocate for water safety since retiring from elite competition. Through her swim schools, she has focused on teaching children not only how to swim but also how to stay safe in and around water.
Central to the expansion is Reese's ambitious "No Drown Town" pledge, an initiative designed to make Ballarat a community where every child has the opportunity to develop the swimming and survival skills needed to reduce the risk of drowning. She believes that increasing access to affordable, high-quality swimming lessons is one of the most effective ways to improve community safety.
Australia continues to experience preventable drowning incidents each year, with children among the most vulnerable groups. Water safety experts consistently stress that formal swimming instruction, combined with active adult supervision and awareness of water hazards, plays a critical role in reducing these tragedies.
Reese said demand for swimming lessons has continued to grow since the COVID-19 pandemic, with many families struggling to find available places as swim schools work through extensive waiting lists. The second Ballarat centre is expected to allow hundreds of additional children to enrol each week, easing pressure on existing programs.
Beyond teaching swimming techniques, the programs will focus on confidence-building, water awareness, rescue skills and safe behaviour around pools, rivers, lakes and beaches. Reese said these practical skills can have lifelong benefits, giving children the confidence to enjoy aquatic activities safely.
The expansion is also expected to create new employment opportunities for qualified swimming instructors and support staff while strengthening Ballarat's sporting and recreational infrastructure. Reese hopes the additional centre will become a community hub where families can access quality swimming education close to home.
Parents have welcomed the announcement, saying shorter waiting lists will make it easier for children to begin lessons at an early age, when water safety education is considered most effective. Community leaders have also praised the initiative, recognising the long-term public health benefits of improving swimming participation across the region.
As construction and preparations continue, Reese remains committed to her vision of ensuring every child in Ballarat has the chance to learn to swim. She says the expansion is about far more than business growth—it is about protecting lives, building confidence and creating a safer community for future generations through universal access to swimming education.
