South West Water pollution - Bernie's story

Bernie Rhodes is a lifelong Exmouth resident whose family are dedicated to a range of water activities including sailing, open water swimming, and the surf lifesaving club. She is also a swim coach and co- founder of The Sideshore Project and relies on the sea for conducting lessons.  

As a coach, Bernie says that the pollution has had a serious impact on her work. She and her colleagues have been forced to cancel lessons and events on multiple occasions, leading to a loss in income. 

Bernie says that she feels less confident in the cleanliness of the water and is not able to open water swim as often as she would like.  

Bernie said: 

"Since mid-December 2025, we haven't been able to run a Sunday swim club due to sewage alerts. Our swim coaches are losing their income. 

"We also can't run things like swimming training camps, and a lot of our regular swimmers have gone to swim at indoor pools. 

"Our regular swimmers have told us that the pollution has taken away an integral way of connecting with their family and the community. 

"I am also a coach for the local Surf Life Saving club and some other clubs don't feel comfortable coming to Exmouth because of the sewage, despite the situation being the same on many other beaches. 

“I’m worried about the decline of the beach, but also the impact that it has had on our local economy environment, and community. This is our livelihood and also our playground. We need to protect it for future generations."