Published on Wednesday, 3 December 2025 at 10:08:39 AM
Adele Caporn has been recognised by the Leisure Institute of Western Australia (Aquatics), also known as LIWA, for her 20 years of service working in pools.
Adele’s journey began when she was swimming laps at her local pool in Pannawonica in 1996, and the pool manager commented that she should become a swimming teacher. With a love of the water and two young children at home, she was intrigued by the flexibility and lifestyle such a career could offer. Adele set about gaining her AUSTSWIM, VacSwim and Pool Supervisor certifications over the next few years.
When speaking with Adele, she reminisced about the many people she has helped gain confidence and enjoyment in the water. She has taught young children who were once hesitant even to put their heads under, and adults who discovered the freedom of swimming a full lap for the first time. Adele still teaches toddler swimming classes today, saying, “It is my dream to get people to enjoy the water as much as I do.”
Adele’s career progressed when she began working at the Waroona Aquatic Centre, often jumping between different swim programs in a single day, including Department of Education school swimming lessons. In 2003 she also started working at the Dr Peter Topham Memorial Swimming Pool in Harvey. Adele has always loved outdoor pools, and Harvey’s 50-metre pool was her dream work environment. She worked there as a swimming teacher and centre supervisor, completing her Pool Operations qualification to become a pool manager.
This period of her life was not without challenges. Going through a divorce and raising two young children, Adele often woke at 6am for the long commute to Harvey, while friends and neighbours helped get the children to and from school. She described this as one of the hardest times in her life, though happiness was just around the corner.
Adele met Trevor in 2007, when he was still working as a truck driver, and the two fell in love. With four children between them and Adele still commuting between Waroona and Harvey, she suddenly had a lot on her plate. When new job opportunities opened up at both pools, Adele found herself torn between a role closer to home or accepting a full-time position at her dream pool in Harvey. Trevor encouraged her to pursue the Pool Manager role, reminding her that Harvey was where she was happiest, and that they would make it work. In 2009, Adele and Trevor were married.
Adele loved working in Harvey, but eventually the workload became too much, and she began searching for an assistant. After struggling to find someone to take on the position, Trevor stepped up, deciding to pursue the qualifications needed to become an Assistant Pool Manager. Adele supported him through his training, and on the day he was finally certified and able to be left on site alone, she handed him the key and headed home for a well-earned rest.
Once their children had left home, Adele and Trevor began looking for a new opportunity. When they discovered a two-person team was needed to run the pool in Fitzroy Crossing, they packed up their lives and headed north. This move gave Adele the chance to return to swim teaching, something she had dearly missed. Both Adele and Trevor loved the remote lifestyle and consider their time in Fitzroy Crossing a very special chapter in their lives.
The pool there catered for the entire Fitzroy Valley. In Term 1 they delivered swim programs to schools on one side of the river, and in Term 4 to schools on the other, with some children travelling more than 100 kilometres to attend lessons. The Garnduwa Festival was another major part of their work, bringing more than 700 people to the pool in a single day. It often took weeks to return the pool to normal afterwards.
Adele still remembers one particularly touching moment from her final season in Fitzroy. A young boy saved his cousin from the river during a flood and received a bravery medal. When interviewed, he said he was able to do what he did because of the swimming lessons Adele had given him. She still thinks fondly of her time in Fitzroy and remains close to many friends there.
Eventually, with grandchildren calling them back south, Adele and Trevor bought a house in Mandurah and worked across several different pools. But with pride in their work and a dream of running their own pool together, they had yet to find the right fit. That changed when they came across an advertisement for positions in Wongan Hills. They applied, attended an interview, and before they had even reached home, they received a phone call offering them the job.
Here in Wongan Hills, Adele is once again working at a 50-metre outdoor pool. She and Trevor take great pride in providing the community with a pool, changerooms and toilets that are clean, welcoming and pleasant to use. Adele enjoys being able to offer swimming lessons that build confidence in the water, and she works hard to ensure the Wongan Hills Memorial Swimming Pool is a safe and enjoyable place for everyone.
The Shire of Wongan-Ballidu congratulates Adele Caporn on her 20 years of service with LIWA Aquatics and thanks her for being part of our community. Adele and Trevor do an amazing job at the Wongan Hills Memorial Swimming Pool, and we are truly grateful to have them here.
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