AT SUNRISE ON THE SHORTEST DAY OF THE YEAR, BRAVE SOULS CAN DROP THEIR TOWELS, AND REFRESH THEIR SPIRITS, IN THE CHILLING WATERS OF LAKE BURLEY GRIFFIN, CANBERRA. ALL FOR CHARITY.

date: 21 June 2025

EVENT INFORMATION

Entry donation

A $35 non-refundable donation is to be paid at the time of online registration.

Where

Yarralumla Beach, Corner Alexandrina Dr and Hopetoun Circuit, Yarralumla ACT.

Yarralumla Beach has a generous beach, designated swimming enclosure with swimming platforms, ample free parking, toilets and barbeques and is a 7 minute drive from Canberra’s city centre.

When

Saturday 21 June 2025.

Check-in 06:20-06:50.

Safety brief at 07:05 and actual swim at 07:12.

Registration

All participants MUST pre-register online. Due to insurance difficulties, you will not be allowed to participate if you have not completed the online registration form and waiver. On the day, there will be no facility for any ‘walk-up’ registration.

All those who have registered must ‘check in’ at the check in tables between 06:20 and 06:50.

Order of the event

• 06:20 Check in begins. Returnable swim caps allocated.

• 06:45 Bagpiper begins - finishes 07:00

• 06:50 Check in closes

• 07:00 Welcome address

• 07:05 Safety brief

• 07:09 Bagpiper begins – finishes 07:11 exactly

• 07:11 Whistle blown for 1-minute warning

• 07:12 (exactly) air horn sounded for participants to enter the water

• 07:15 Once out of the water, warm yourselves near an ‘open pit’ fire, but OH&S conditions apply.

• 07:15 Free sausage sizzle (sausages provided courtesy of Lindbeck’s Butchery) and coffee for participants.

• 07:45 Off to work

• 17:00 Celebration at the Dickson Tap House, Wooley St, Dickson

OH&S

Life savers will be on skis patrolling the swimming zone. If you encounter any difficulty please raise your arm.

Please be conscious of the dangers in relation to the fire pits.

St John First Aid Volunteers will also be in attendance and will be found near the check in desks.

If you are not 100% fit, have health issues or are sick, then please do not participate in the swim.

Spectators

In consultation with the ACT Government and the National Capital Authority, we have a ‘No Spectators – No Exceptions’ policy. We repeat, SPECTATORS ARE NOT WELCOME which will be policed by security personnel.

Swimming kit

You will be provided with a returnable swimming cap when ‘checking in’. We recommend you bring a towel and/or blanket that you can wrap around yourself before/after the swim and some participants bring hot water bottles. The beach is not exactly a sandy beach, so be careful, as it is more of a pebble/rocky beach.

Clothing

We recommend you wear ‘tracky dacks’ or similar, warm top, beanie and Ugg boots as a minimum. Your feet get the coldest. Don’t forget the boots and the blanket…they help a lot!

Changing facilities / toilets

A small temporary male and female change room will be erected close to the beach. At previous events, use of the change rooms has been minimal so they will be small, but practical.

There is a toilet block in the parking area.

These facilities are basic and we ask for your understanding.

Parking

There is parking available but we suggest you arrive early as event numbers grow every year. Volunteers will assist with parking and marshalling participants to the check in desks.

Post swim event

Post swim deliberations / celebrations will commence at 17:00 at the Dickson Tap House, Wooley St, Dickson.

Participants understand they

• Must be over the age of 18 years.

• Participate at their own risk and acknowledge there is a high element of risk, particularly due to the low water temperature.

• Are physically fit and are not suffering from heart, respiratory conditions etc. or illness that may affect their safe ability to participate.

• Not have a blood alcohol level exceeding 0.05%.

• Accept the organisers’ disclaimer of all liability (including negligence) for any personal injury, loss, damage and or theft.

• Be mindful of the dangers associated with fire pits.

• Note that the organisers will discourage spectators, but as a public domain, there can be no guarantee they will not be present. However, the charity swim has a ‘No Spectators - No Exceptions’ policy.

• Give permission for the organisers and media to photograph the event for promotional purposes and that every effort will be made to protect the identity of participants.

Water quality

We obtained a Blue Green Algae water test on 11 June 2024, which is available here. A further test was conducted on 17 June 2024 and is available here.

The Winter Solstice Swim committee is NOT providing advice or recommendations to participants regarding water quality and blue-green algae and we strongly recommend that individuals make a considered, sensible decision about taking part in the event.

 We encourage participants to review the National Capital Authority’s Lake Burley Griffin water quality page along with the ACT Guidelines for Recreational Water Quality prior to participating.