Local children enjoying cooling off at Paraburdoo Swimming Pool

Grant boosts water safety in Paraburdoo

We’re honoured to share that Paraburdoo’s Little Lappers Swim School, a Royal Life Saving WA Endorsed Swim School, has received a $5,000 grant from Rio Tinto to support their swimming and water safety programs in the community. This funding will go towards essential equipment like goggles, kickboards, and lifejackets, ensuring local children have access to the tools they need to develop life-saving aquatic skills.  

Regional and remote areas of Western Australia face a drowning rate 1.7 times higher than the Perth metropolitan area. The challenges of distance, limited resources, and access to qualified instructors often make it harder for these communities to receive proper swimming education.  

The Little Lappers Swim School helps to address this gap. As an Endorsed Swim School, they’ve committed to delivering top-notch aquatic education through small class sizes, qualified instructors, and the trusted Royal Life Saving programs such as Swim and Survive, Infant Aquatics, and Bronze Rescue. This endorsement isn’t just a badge—it’s a promise of quality and dedication to water safety.  

The Swim and Survive program itself is designed to equip children with critical skills at every stage of their development, from basic water confidence to advanced safety, survival, and rescue techniques. These skills aren’t just about swimming—they’re about empowering kids to stay safe in, on, and around water.  

Thanks to Rio Tinto’s support, Little Lappers Swim School can continue to make a lasting impact in Paraburdoo, ensuring more children in regional WA have the opportunity to learn vital swimming and water safety skills. Together, we’re building stronger, safer communities—one lap at a time!