1 October 2026
Dianne’s lasting impact on water safety across regional communities
For more than two decades, Dianne Crisp has been helping people build confidence in the water and supporting new teachers to do the same.
Di first trained as a swim teacher following a move to the Sunshine Coast after her children joined a local Surf Lifesaving club. Their interest encouraged her to get involved herself and swimming and water safety soon became a major part of her life, taking her to pools across regional Australia, including Wyndham, Alice Springs, Kalgoorlie and Kintore.
She has even taken on a few challenges of her own along the way, competing in Ironman events and completing the Lake Argyle Swim three times while managing the Wyndham pool!
Di’s two years in Kintore, a remote Aboriginal community 530 kilometres west of Alice Springs, remain especially close to her heart. She quickly became a familiar face in the small community and worked hard to make sure local children could join swimming lessons. That sometimes meant driving around the community to pick them up them and bring them to the pool. Her efforts paid off and she says many of the children she once taught still greet her with big smiles and warm hugs whenever they see her.
Now based in Kalgoorlie, Di continues to share her love of swimming as an ambassador and supervisor for Royal Life Saving WA’s Multicultural swimming programs. Supported by the City of Kalgoorlie-Boulder, these subsidised programs help children and adults from multicultural backgrounds access affordable swimming and water safety lessons.
Di has been closely involved in establishing and growing the Multicultural children’s swimming program in Kalgoorlie since 2024 . Her enthusiasm has encouraged more families to get involved and has helped the program become well known across the community.
She especially enjoys getting in the pool during Friday’s classes, helping nervous beginners gradually become more comfortable in the water. Watching a child move past their fear and feel proud of what they can do is one of the most rewarding parts of the role.
As the program has grown, Di has helped make sure there are skilled local teachers ready to support it. Over the past two years, she has dedicated many hours to mentoring newly qualified Talent Pool swim teachers, sharing practical advice and helping them feel more confident leading their own classes.
Her contribution to the aquatic industry was recently recognised at the 2024–25 End of Financial Year celebration, where she received the Royal Life Saving WA Long Service Order. The award acknowledged the years she has dedicated to improving water safety education and supporting regional communities.
You can always find Di where she is needed most, encouraging a new swimmer in the pool or standing beside a new teacher as they build their confidence. After more than two decades, she still brings the same energy and care to every class. Her support continues to strengthen Multicultural swimming in Kalgoorlie-Boulder and give more people the chance to feel safe and confident in the water.
Thank you to the City of Kalgoorlie-Boulder for their continued support of Royal Life Saving WA’s Multicultural Swimming Programs in the Goldfields community.
