In a community where life revolves around the water, a programme is helping Manly’s youngest residents learn to swim by providing their families with $150 vouchers for lessons at local swim centres.
Relief for Rising Family Costs
As local families continue to manage rising living expenses, a Queensland government initiative is providing direct financial support to help cover a key childhood activity. The SwimStart programme offers vouchers of up to $150 per child to pay for swimming lessons, aimed at youngsters aged four and under.
This financial assistance is designed to ensure that cost is not a barrier for children to learn critical survival skills in the water, a fundamental part of the Queensland lifestyle. The support allows parents to invest in their child’s safety without adding another strain to their budget.
A Smart Time for Safety
The programme’s latest round of applications comes at a strategic time for parents. Learning to swim during the cooler months is an ideal way to prepare children for the beaches, pools, and waterways that are central to community life in the Moreton Bay region come summertime.
State officials, including Minister for Sport Tim Mander, have highlighted that swimming is one of Queensland’s most popular activities for children and that lessons from a young age are a crucial introduction to physical activity and water safety.
The programme works with a diverse range of organisations across Queensland, including community-based groups like the Moreton Bay Colleges Swimming Association and specialised businesses such as Just Sports N Fitness and Millumby Pty Ltd. To find a specific swim school in the Manly community that accepts the vouchers, parents are advised to use the provider directory on the government’s official programme page.
How to Access the Programme
The third round of the SwimStart programme is now active, having commenced on 28 July 2025. Parents and carers of eligible children are encouraged to apply for the vouchers as soon as possible to secure a spot with their preferred local swim school.
Once received, families will have plenty of time to use the support, with the vouchers remaining valid for redemption until June 2026. The programme is part of a wider government investment in grassroots sport, intended to build a foundation of healthy and safe activity for the state’s youngest residents.
Published Date 04-August-2025
