Client: Pyrenees Shire Council
Timeframe: May 2026 to September 2026

LARCAN was engaged by Pyrenees Shire Council to undertake a Swimming Pool Service Delivery Options Review for the Beaufort, Avoca and Landsborough swimming pools. The project involved a comprehensive assessment of the performance, sustainability and future management of Council’s seasonal aquatic network to inform service delivery and investment decisions. The review combined strategic and demographic analysis, detailed operational and financial assessment, asset condition and compliance considerations, community and stakeholder engagement, industry benchmarking and management model analysis. LARCAN developed evidence-based recommendations addressing future service delivery, management arrangements, facility improvements, asset priorities and contract requirements, supported by a practical implementation pathway for Council’s three-pool network. 

Key services included:

• Review of Council strategies, asset plans, recreation planning documents and relevant policies to establish the strategic context for future aquatic service provision.
• Demographic, catchment and regional aquatic network analysis to understand community characteristics, accessibility and the role of each pool within the wider regional network.
• Detailed operational review of the Beaufort, Avoca and Landsborough swimming pools, including operating hours, programs, utilisation, visitation, fees, catchments and service performance.
• Financial analysis and industry benchmarking to assess operating costs, cost per visit, subsidy requirements and comparative facility performance.
• Review of existing asset condition information, maintenance requirements, accessibility and aquatic safety and compliance considerations to identify immediate and longer-term priorities.
• Community and stakeholder engagement to understand satisfaction, usage patterns, community expectations, service priorities and opportunities for future programming and facility improvements.
• Assessment of the existing outsourced management arrangement, including contract performance, responsibilities, service standards and opportunities to strengthen future contract requirements.
• Evaluation of alternative aquatic facility management models, considering operational capability, workforce, financial sustainability, governance, risk, community outcomes and implementation requirements.
• Identification of site-specific service and programming opportunities, including learn-to-swim, older adult activities, community events, operating hours, accessibility and community partnerships.
• Development of recommendations for future asset investment and renewal, including immediate remediation priorities and longer-term planning requirements for the Beaufort, Avoca and Landsborough pools.
• Preparation of a comprehensive Swimming Pool Service Delivery Options Review, including key findings, recommended future management direction, contract improvements and a prioritised implementation plan.