Have no idea about shark nets, we just hope the for the best! As for flagged beaches you may find an unflagged beach but there is usually a marker advising you where the nearest flag beach is. The furthest flagged beach I can think of is Two Rocks as they have a surf club, this is about an hour from Perth probably You'll get more around the larger towns as well.

Hi NKSK

I think you replied to me originally but seeing as I am currently living in the UK, I thought someone else could answer you better than me!

anyway I grew up in the southern suburbs of Perth and there were lots of places to go swimming. Most "main" councils have at least one outdoor swimming pool - usually with an Olympic "laned" pool, a smaller 25 m or so shallower pool (depth up to 1 metre or so) and a paddling pool for kids (no deepr than say 30cms).

Most of the more modern "swimming pools" also have water playgrounds of some sort with various waterslides, obstacle courses etc for kids to play on, as well as lawned/grass areas for picnics. In the school holidays we often had our "vac swim" (swimming lessons) in the morning and then spent the rest of the day at the pool playing around etc.

Not sure where you are looking, but Melville, Fremantle, Kelmscott, Armadale, Gosnells, Rockingham, Thornlie all had public outdoor pools when I was a kid (Fremantle and Armadale and Rockingham also had "Aqua Tubes" but pulled them down a long time ago now... ). There are also indoor pools but they are a bit less common - I remember there was one in North Lake I swam in fairly regularly as well as Melville but there might be more than that now.

as for flagged beaches - the "popular" beaches are all flagged and most have a surf club as well. In terms of more southern beaches - Secret Harbour is flagged with a surfclub and I know some of Mandurah is too. any further south than that is pretty hit and miss. My parents live in Preston Beach which is about 50ks south of Mandurah and there are no flags or surfclubs there...But Bunbury and Bussleton do have flagged beaches too (as do most main coastal towns - Albany, Denmark etc.

Hope this helps a bit

Michelle

Oh and Re:sharks - there is a "shark plane" that goes up and down the coast in summer "spotting" spotting sharks and I think some of the "city beaches" (like Cottesloe?) have shark nets again but I have to say i've never felt shark attack to be a huge risk - as others have said you're much better off worrying about the rips which are much more dangerous! You're statisically far more likely to get killed in a car crash on the way to the beach than be attacked by a shark when you get there!

Michelle

Thanks for taking the time to write all of this. It will make me sound more plausable when I'm in my next 'promise' conversation!

I fancy a job in the spotter plane. I wonder how often they actually spot one?

Not all that often, and even then a lot of sharks are pretty timid and not really interested in humans. Learn to scuba dive and you will soon realise most of the fears people have around sharks are unfounded.

There are no shark nets at WA beaches.

RE: Pollution, the Swan River is pretty clean actually, don't let the post earlier give you the wrong impression. There are algal bloom problems in summer from time to time, but not in areas you'd normally swim anyway. I have been waterskiing on the Canning River for nearly 30 years and I've never had a problem. The jellyfish are pretty thick around summer time, but they are harmless ... and actually make good missiles The Swan is one of the cleanest rivers flowing through a major poulation centre you will find. It looks brown and crappy in places but that's due to the muddy bottom. It has its issues but it isn't bad really.

Perth beaches are patrolled but remember the WA coast is pretty much all beach and there's thousands of kilometres of it. Most popular metro beaches are patrolled and will have flags to designate swimming areas if there are dangers around. I find that the days when swimming between the flags is really necessary are the days you'd rather not be at the beach anyway, but use caution at all times. The beach on a still summer morning is heaven, the clear water and white sand are as good as you'll find anywhere. Unlike the beaches in the part of the world I live in now, the water is refreshing, the beaches usually empty and the sand clean. CAUTION: The beach is the last place you want to be in the middle of a hot summer's day. Strange but true.

I fancied a trip down memory lane, so looked up some of the aquatic centres for you to give you an idea of opening times, what facilities are on offer etc. seems like the aqua Tubes in Armadale at least are still there!! Honestly - they best fun I ever had as a kid was spending a day running up the stairs, queuing up and sliding down those blooming tubes! :scared:

http://www.armadale.wa.gov.au/govern...e%20update.pdf

I think most of the Aquatic centres (I was trying to find the word earlier and it seems they are called "aquatic centres" seeing as there is usually more than just a pool there) are broadly similar.

Michelle

THATS IT 'BAYSWATER' WOW THANKS, ITS BEEN DRIVING ME MAD ALL DAY TRYING TO REMEMBER THE PLACE.

I really fancy having a go at this. I've done the kneeling bit on boards at tow rope centres but always fancied water skiing.

What kind of prices for lessons?

Thanks - just a virtual trip through various swiming pools with the kids!

I was going to ask you all a simular question we are coming over to Perth for a reccie on the 14th August staying with my mum in Rockingham. What with us wanting to do the usual, look round houses, schools etc etc. What swimming pools are around then what with it still being winter. The kids will soon get bored and at least we can put them in swimming pool while we go elsewhere.
And what other places are around that area to keep them amused we will be there for 17days.

Have also just looked at the Armadale site yes brings back memories I used to go there as well love it...

Thanks Pauline

Sharks are nothing to worry about and should not put you off swimming at Perth beaches, around 2 people a year are killed by sharks in OZ compared to 500 drowning in the ocean. Shark attacks are rare freak events. l much prefer swimming in the ocean then some small overcrowded swimming pool with no surf, don't let a non existant danger put you off enjoying the beach.

There are great pools all over - and they're not crowded. We used to go to the Triangle in Burgess Hill - nice pool but packed out and you got a coloured ribbon to wear which meant you had to get out after an hour when they changed the "active" colour on the tannoy. And to top it off it used to cost us the equivalent of $45.00 - rip off Britain...

Just bumping this one up on the off chance somebody might reply...

Get friendly with some locals and they'll teach you for free :-)

You can hire a boat and instructor by the hour - Try http://www.bonneyswaterskipark.com.au/frameset.html.

Thanks