Bellingen Diggers Swimming Club, also known as the “Bellingen Bats,” is an adult swimming club located in Bellingen Shire Council, New South Wales. The club welcomes swimmers of all abilities and ages, from 18 to 100 years old, and provides a social and fun atmosphere for its members.
The club operates under a handicap system, which means that swimmers compete against their own times rather than directly against each other. Each event starts with the slowest swimmers and ends with the fastest swimmers, creating exciting finishes as all swimmers potentially finish at the same time. Visiting swimmers are also encouraged to join in on the fun.
The club swims at the Bellingen Shire Swim Centre, located at 9 Prince Street, Bellingen. The public pool is open from September through April each year. The centre is managed by YMCA, and the contact number is 02 6655 1688. The swim season for the club starts on the 3rd of October 2021, with the first two swims taking place on Sunday mornings at 9:00 am.
The main season then moves to Monday nights at 6:00 pm, and towards the end of the season, it reverts to Sunday mornings.
Membership for the 2021-2022 season is open to anyone 18 years or over. Non-service personnel are encouraged to join, and membership fees for the season are $45 for non-service personnel, $20 for service and ex-service personnel, and $20 for non-swimming members. Life members or members aged 80 and over enjoy free membership. Weekly costs for members are $3 per swim, while temporary or visiting swimmers pay $5 per swim.
New members joining after Christmas only need to pay half of the annual membership fee, excluding temporary memberships. New members are required to complete a full Membership Application Form or a Temporary Membership Form. The club also encourages all members to join the Bellingen RSL Golf Club, which is the major sponsor of the swimming club.
For more information about the club, including club results, training programmes, club rules, and upcoming AIF swimming carnivals, please visit our website or contact us directly. We are always happy to welcome new swimmers to the Bellingen Diggers Swimming Club and encourage everyone to swim for their own pace or simply for fun and fitness.