Statutory Requirements

• Do not commence construction of a pool without the necessary approvals.
• A Building Licence is required for all above and below ground swimming pools.
• All new swimming pools must be fenced in accordance with Part 10 of the Building Regulations and the Australian Standards – this means the installation of isolation barriers.

Upgrading safety barriers

• Amendments to the swimming pool requirements of the Building Regulations were gazetted on 14 December 2001 and commenced their operation on 18 March 2002.
• The legislation requires the owners of pools constructed or installed before July 1992 to upgrade their safety barriers to the standard that applied for pools built between July 1992 and 5 November 2001.
• The new regulations also affect the sale of all properties where the swimming pool was built before July 1992 in that swimming pool safety barriers have to be upgraded within 30 days from the date of settlement.
• This means that, as a minimum, all pre July 1992 private swimming pools will require complying boundary fences and gates; as well as self-closing and self-latching doors where doors provide access to the pool and where windows to the house provide access to the pool area, they will have to be restricted to opening to 100mm only or be fitted with approved barriers.
• The legislation also requires that any gates which opened towards the pool will have to be altered so they open in a direction that is not towards the pool.

Guidelines on pool fencing are available from the Administration Office of the Town.

Click here to view the Pools and Spas Information Sheet