Residents raise money to upgrade community-owned Pemberton Pool by 2028

Nearly a century ago, Pemberton residents bundled their shillings together eager to build a natural pool close to home. In 1928, the idea to build the Pemberton Pool seeded when parents realised it would be cheaper to build their own watering hole, rather than travelling to Bunbury for a seaside holiday. Made by the community and run by the community ever since, the legacy of the natural pool surrounded by forest lives on, but it is in need of some care and maintenance. The community is once again banding together like generations before to upgrade the pool — and they have the backing of Warren-Blackwood Liberal candidate Wade De Campo. With a personal connection to the facility, Mr De Campo committed $500,000 to help fund the upgrades if his party wins government come March. “I’ve had six generations of (pool-using) people in my family — my grandparents, my parents, myself, my kids and my grandkids now,” he said. “It’s important to invest in these things from time to time. We’ve committed half a million dollars to upgrade the facilities and ensure that the Pemberton Pool serves people for however many generations.” The community is getting behind calls for funding, organised by the Pemberton Caravan Park which supports the visitor centre with funding and helps with the costs of the pool which is free for all to use. Manager Jason Wallinger said the community had an “ambitious target” to raise $100,000 before 2028. “We would really like to see when 100 years rolls around, the pool is well cared for and well maintained and still providing a valuable experience to the community and visitors alike,” he said. “The pool used to be utilised a lot more. There was swimming lessons and swimming carnivals, there was log chopping competitions, there were memorials and community days and community picnics. “It’s something that families of Pemberton have a lot of memories of. It’s also important to visitors. It is one of the attractions on our map that everybody loves to visit, especially in summer, and it is tied with all the mountain bike trails. The structural integrity of the pool is among the proposed works, as well as additional toilets including accessible facilities. Holding a cold dip event to raise funds — called Freezin for a Reason — on September 22, Mr Wallinger said about 150 people showed up to support the cause. Mr Wallinger said the Caravan Park donated $10,000 to “kick-start” the fundraiser, with the community raising about $5000. “One of the things we’re trying to do is raise awareness of our situation given that this pool was built by the community at the cost of the community all those years ago,” he said. “We had the Polar Plunge — the cold plunge. The idea was people were getting their mates to sponsor them. A bunch of locals decided to do it.”