Council Backs Mayoral Minute To Secure Future Of Sarina Swim Centre Mayoral Minute Sarina Pool

By Amanda Wright

Mackay Regional Council has thrown its full support behind a campaign to secure the future of the Sarina Swim Centre, voting unanimously at last week's ordinary meeting to petition the Queensland Minister for Education for more secure tenure over the facility.

Mayor Greg Williamson presented a Mayoral Minute to council, highlighting the history of the pool and the long-standing community sentiment that the centre should be a public asset, not one constrained by State Government control.

“The Sarina Swim Centre was opened in 1979 and paid for by about 70 per cent from the Sarina community and only 30 per cent from the State Government, yet it’s on State Government land and owned by the State Government through the Department of Education,” Mayor Williamson said.

“We want to petition the Department of Education now to give us more secure tenure over that Sarina Swim Centre. We don't own the asset, so we can't do anything with it. What we want to do is actually enhance the asset and really give the asset back to the people of Sarina.”

Council heard that when the pool was built, it was initially known as the “High School Pool” but was always intended as a public facility. The Sarina High School P&C Association, Apex Club of Sarina, Sarina Shire Council and local businesses all contributed significantly towards the construction, with the community raising almost 70 per cent of the $197,483.84 total cost.

Contributions included $55,000 from the P&C and Apex Club, $20,000 each from CSR Sugar, Utah Development Co., and Pioneer Building Society, alongside $20,000 from the Sarina Shire Council. The Queensland Government contributed $62,600, demonstrating that although the pool was built on school grounds, it was a true community effort.

Despite that strong foundation, ownership remained with the Department of Education, a situation which became problematic in 2017 when State Government policy changes restricted public access during school hours. This move prompted strong community backlash and fears that the pool could be closed to the public permanently.

Council was able to negotiate a five-year lease with a five-year option, but the lease heavily favours the Department of Education as the Lessor, limiting council’s ability to invest meaningfully in the site.

Mayor Williamson said the current arrangement was untenable in the long term.

“Council can do very little to beautify or install extra community enhancements because the facility is not our asset,” he said.

He said securing more permanent tenure — either through a 50-year lease or preferably freehold ownership — would allow council to upgrade and improve the pool for the Sarina community, just as it has with the Mackay Aquatic and Recreation Complex (MARC).
“This is an important issue for Mackay Regional Council,” Mayor Williamson said.

“Sarina deserves a swim centre that the whole community can enjoy year-round, with facilities that match their expectations.”

Under the current lease, council is responsible for operating and maintaining the pool but cannot invest heavily in infrastructure improvements, such as expanded facilities, new amenities, or landscaping enhancements.

The Mayoral Minute noted that council was committed to delivering enhanced recreational opportunities across the region, but that required ownership or secure, long-term control over key assets like the Sarina Swim Centre.

Councillors spoke in support of the motion, highlighting the strong community connection to the pool and backing the need to fight for a better outcome for Sarina.

Cr George Christensen said that this motion addresses a big need in the Sarina community.

“It is crazy that we have this facility that we manage and operate, yet we are not fully in charge of it,” Cr Christensen said.

“ The result is detrimental to the Sarina public.

“The school, which owns it through the Department of Education, says they need it for student use, and no one is complaining about that. Many students use all of our region’s pools. However, when students use this pool in Sarina, it is shut to the rest of the public, and that is something that cannot continue.

“Well done to his Worship for putting forward this motion. I fully support it and hope the State Government gifts the pool to us as freehold.

“It is a liability that would move off their books and onto ours; it is not really a gift, it is one of those ‘gifts that will keep giving’ in the form of depreciation, which will impact our budget, but it is something the Sarina community deserves.”

Deputy Mayor Karen May said it’s a great idea to have the pool on Council’s books.

“We know from the history of the Sarina pool that there have been ongoing disputes with the Department of Education over usage,” Deputy Mayor May said.

“Hopefully, we can get formal tenure over it.

“It is not just about usage, it is also about the facilities themselves.

“We currently have a situation where the Department of Education upgraded the disabled toilets, but they are solely for the school’s use and not accessible to the general public.

“These are the sorts of things that need to be sorted out, and hopefully we can secure a great outcome for the Sarina community.”

Council will now formally petition the Minister for Education and the Arts, John-Paul Langbroek MP, requesting that Mackay Regional Council be granted either freehold ownership or a secure long-term lease of the land and facility.

Council believes achieving more secure tenure is vital to preserving the Sarina Swim Centre's legacy and ensuring it remains a thriving hub for recreation, learning, and community connection for generations to come.

The Sarina Swim Centre has been at the heart of the community since 1979, but Mackay Regional Council is now seeking secure tenure to deliver long-overdue upgrades. Photo source: Sarina Swim Centre (Facebook)

Mayor Greg Williamson is leading the call for the Queensland Government to grant Mackay Regional Council secure tenure over the Sarina Swim Centre, ensuring it can remain a true community facility. Photo supplied: Mackay Regional Council