AQUATIC & LEISURE MANAGEMENT
AN NSC25 STREAM

Aquatic and Leisure Management – Shaping the Future of Inclusive, Impact-Driven Community Facilities

In Partnership with Royal Life Saving Society – Australia

As community expectations continue to evolve, aquatic and leisure centres must go beyond traditional service delivery. Today’s facilities are expected to be inclusive, innovative, multi-functional hubs for health, wellbeing, and social connection. NSC25 Stream 3 explores how to lead, manage, and transform community leisure and aquatic facilities to meet these growing demands.

This stream is designed for leisure facility operators, local and state government leaders, industry peak bodies, recreation professionals, and urban planners looking to unlock the full social, economic, and health value of aquatic and recreation infrastructure.

Keynote Session: The Future of Community Sport & Leisure Facilities Management

What does the next decade look like for aquatic and leisure centre operations?
Senior executives from Clublinks and BlueFit – two of Australia’s most innovative facility operators – will showcase their future-focused investment strategies, design innovations, and operational models. Their vision will be tested in a panel session featuring government leaders from Queensland, Victoria, and South Australia, to align public and private sector ambitions in the development of resilient, sustainable, and community-centric facilities.

Workshop 1: Embedding Inclusion in Facility Operations and the Workforce

Inclusive facilities start with an inclusive workforce and service model. This session addresses how the sector can better serve diverse communities by understanding demographic trends and barriers to participation:

Workshop 2: Supporting the Workforce Through Community Complexity

As leisure and aquatic staff face increasingly complex community challenges, this workshop explores how to create safe, supportive work environments that reduce psychological risk and improve staff wellbeing:

PitchFEST: Unlocking the Social Value of Aquatic & Leisure Facilities

A fast-paced session showcasing data-driven and evidence-based solutions to maximize the community impact of aquatic and recreation centres. Facilitators will guide attendees through:

Ian Boorman (The Y): Impact Reporting for Grassroots Community Outcomes
Jeff Walkley (Belgravia Leisure): Equity and Inclusion Measurement Tools
Dr. Carleigh Yeomans (Swinburne University): Inclusive Program Design and Rigorous Evaluation
Alex Burrows (ActiveXchange): Leveraging Data to Demonstrate Value and Influence Policy

Joint Workshop with Stream 2: Future-Proofing Aquatic and Leisure Facilities for the Next 100 Years

This collaborative session brings together CEOs and thought leaders to reimagine the design, functionality, and longevity of community leisure infrastructure:

This stream will arm attendees with practical frameworks, strategic insights, and future-ready tools to enhance aquatic centre operations, drive inclusive participation, and deliver long-term impact across sport, recreation, and public health sectors.