AFTER 27 years watching over Queanbeyan’s swimmers, lifeguard Julie Lewis is hanging up her whistle.

With sunblock on her nose and a whistle between her lips, Lewis has clocked up almost three decades on patrol at the Queanbeyan pool.

But the longtime lifeguard has decided to retire, leaving with “good memories” and stories of some close calls.

“I have had to jump in a couple of times to rescue people,” said Lewis.

“They weren’t desperate rescues where the swimmers had really gone down, but they were struggling so I had to get in and bring them to the side.”

Lewis, 66, will call it a day in March, swapping the pool deck for a well-deserved break.

Born in Bangalow and raised in Byron Bay, Lewis has always loved the water and, for a time, was a competitive swimmer.

“Backstroke and butterfly were my thing,” said Lewis, who still swims most days. 

“My parents were swimmers, too, they were heavily involved in our local surf club because we lived across the road from the beach at Byron Bay.” 

Lewis would later come to the Canberra region when she joined the Navy, serving at HMAS Harman as a leading seaman for eight years.

“I used to swim in Queanbeyan and play water polo for the local side,” she said.

“When I left the Navy and had my kids, they started swimming at Queanbeyan, too.”

Few know the Queanbeyan pool better than Lewis, who has held various  roles at the facility over many years.

“I started in 1995 as a seasonal lifeguard, then I became a duty manager, and when the indoor pool was built in 2004 I became a senior pool attendant,” Lewis said.

Also a swim teacher and swim-club coach, Lewis has watched the council-owned facility change a lot over the years.

“Once upon a time, everyone came to the pool,” said Lewis.

“When it was just the outdoor pool, we had trampolines here, half a basketball court, and lots of grass.

“Families would come to have barbecues and play cricket, it was a lot of fun. The pool has always been a happy place, and it still is.”

While Lewis has many fond memories, two things stand out for her.

She recalls the time that swimmers got more than they bargained for when a group of male strippers descended on the pool, and held a female audience captive.

“They’d been doing a show at the Kangaroos Rugby League Club and came for a swim,” she said.

“We wondered why all the young girls were suddenly down one end of the pool. Then we saw the strippers rubbing oil over their bodies and jumping in the pool. 

“All the female staff were peering out the office window having a good look,  too.” 

She also recalls the regular trout-fishing competitions held at the pool during the off-season.

“Trout were released into the pool and all the kids would come and fish them out,” Lewis said.

“It was a great idea, but it was a dirty job to clean up afterwards. 

“We had to empty the pool and get out all the slush… it was horrible.”

Like any job it’s had its downsides.

“Some patrons abuse you,” she said. “But most people are pretty good. I have a good time with the patrons because they all know me and I know them.”

Once she’s no longer poolside for work, Lewis plans to spend more time with her grandchildren. 

“I have family on the Gold Coast, so I’d like to pick up and go if I want to,” she said. “But I hope to be back for some casual shifts.”

Reflecting warmly on her time at the pool, Lewis realises the job has afforded her many privileges. “I’ve loved it here,” she said. “It’s been a real privilege.”