Deadly Little Dolphins is our national call to action to ensure Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children have access to learn to swim to improve their swimming and water safety skills.
Swimming Australia will partner with schools, swim schools, swimming pool operators, councils, and community groups to deliver Deadly Little Dolphins across Australia.
Our first Deadly Little Dolphins learn to swim pilot program is being developed with the Thursday Island community, local schools and community members.
“Our community is water loving and a structured sustainable in-school learn to swim program for our children, along with opportunities to develop swimming stroke competency amongst our local children and youth is exciting and is very welcome”. – Danny Morseu, Olympian, Deputy Chairperson of the AOC Indigenous Committee, and Thursday Island resident.
Do you want to be a part of Deadly Little Dolphins?
We are consulting with delivery partners in South-East Queensland and regional New South Wales, and plan to have Deadly Little Dolphins programs ready in a range of locations for the start of Term 4 in schools.
How can you support the Deadly Little Dolphins initiative?
Swimming Australia will be exploring partnership opportunities with Government and corporate Australia to ensure sustainable long-term delivery of the Deadly Little Dolphins initiative across the nation.
Deadly Little Dolphins is a key project of the overarching Swimming Australia Deadly Dolphins initiative which aims to strengthen the swimming pathway for young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander athletes, harnessing developing talent across the swimming system, and ultimately, deliver an Olympic and/or Paralympic medal by an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander swimmer at Brisbane 2032.
“We would love a Thursday Island community member to be on the Australian Olympic/Paralympic Team in Brisbane 32” – Danny Morseu, Olympian, Deputy Chairperson of the AOC Indigenous Committee, and Thursday Island resident.
The Australian Water Safety Council (AWSC), which Swimming Australia is a member of alongside Royal Life Saving Australia, Surf Life Saving Australia and a number of key industry voices, identifies in its “Australian Water Safety Strategy 2030 – towards a nation free from drowning” – that Aboriginal and Torres Strat Islander peoples are a key community of focus with First Nations Australians representing 3% of the Australian population, but accounting for 5% of all drownings.
Crucial to the success of Deadly Little Dolphins is that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are identifying the best possible model of delivery for their individual communities.
“What I’m hoping to see is that right throughout Australia, we’re creating these beautiful little pods of First Nation People, and have these pod squads working together to drive forward to have an Olympic champion that is a First Nations person for Australia, our great Country.” – Cameron Costello, Quandamooka man and BNE32 Legacy Committee Panellist
The Deadly Little Dolphins logo which represents both freshwater and saltwater swimming in Australia was created by Ayla Costello.
“I’m a 15-year-old aspiring Indigenous artist. I’m a Nughie, Noonuccal and Gorenpul woman from the Quandamooka country and I’m really excited to be working so closely with Deadly Little Dolphins for their launch of their new program.”
For program delivery enquiries, please contact:
Matthew Simpson
E: matthew.simpson@swimming.org.au
