For over 40 years, AUSTSWIM has been at the forefront of educating and supporting more than 400,000 teachers in swimming and water safety. Our Teacher Spotlight series celebrates the individuals behind this incredible legacy, those who dedicate themselves to keeping communities safer, inspiring confidence in the water, and sharing their passion for swimming. From regional pools to city centres, their stories showcase the heart and impact of our industry. 

Your Story, Our Spotlight 

Meet NAN Brandt...

My name is Nanette Brandt, better known as Nan (very easy when you have grandchildren!). I live in Albury NSW and worked as a registered nurse in the region until 2020.

I have been a swimming teacher for the last thirty years, teaching generations of families in the Albury Wodonga region. I love it because I think I’m doing a community service, and it might just save a life. I’m also an assessor with AUSTSWIM and have an accreditation for teaching adults. Now that I’m 78, I teach during the summer months on a volunteer and private basis. Prior to Covid, I was employed by the Department of Education both here in Albury and in outlying towns. 

How did you first get involved in swim teaching?

I really fell into swim teaching by accident. I was always a reasonable swimmer and swam at club level and inter-schools. Later, I joined Masters Australia and swam for many years competing in State, National and International level. A highlight was winning three medals at the World Masters Games in Melbourne in 2002!

In the early ‘90s, our local swim club did not have a coach. So,o I decided to obtain a coach’s licence, only to find that I couldn’t do it, unless I had a Learn to Swim Certificate. I promptly enrolled in a course which was over a weekend at a school pool in Melbourne. By now the local club had obtained a coach, so I used my skills and formed a local Masters Club and coached for many years. Our little club competed at state and national level. The best thing in my teaching journey was having to do that Learn to Swim Course before I could get a coach’s ticket!

You’ve been involved in some incredible community work. Can you tell us about the refugee swimming program in Albury?

In the summer of 2018/19, there were two drowning deaths here in Albury. One in the Hume Weir and one in the treacherous Murray River. They were Bhutanese/Nepalese men.

The whole community was devastated at these drownings and talked about how can we stop this happening? Meanwhile, the families of the young men realised they needed to be safe in the water and learn how to swim. By chance, friends of the two men worked with my son, and in the midst of their grief, he promptly offered my services to teach them to swim!

And so the Albury Wodonga Refugee Swimming Program began in November 2019. With the help of some of my swimming friends volunteering, we held swimming lessons every Saturday morning at the Albury pool. This was and continues to be a volunteer community service in Basic Water Safety & Survival for “our new Australian friends”. Since that summer of 2019/20, we have taught over 60 refugees from the Bhutanese, Nepalese, Burundi, Sudanese and Congolese communities. One young student even went on to swim at club level!

How has the community supported the program?

Albury City subsidised the program with a grant - initially for entry to the pool and later assisted with part-payment for two of my volunteer helpers to do AUSTSWIM courses. One is still helping me with our 2025/26 group.

At present, there is a NSW recruitment drive for medical professionals to work in Albury Wodonga. Late last year, I was approached by The Welcome Experience to teach Water Safety & Swimming to this medical group. We are currently running lessons at the Albury pool every Saturday morning. The students come from the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Burundi, Ghana, Sudan, Singapore, India and Pakistan.

What do you enjoy most about teaching adults to swim?

I always take something away from every lesson that a student has taught me! You can learn so much from people of different backgrounds and cultures. One of the best moments when I’m teaching is in the first lesson when a student realises, they can float unassisted! Many of these students have never been in water before and find it a real challenge. It’s so rewarding when they enjoy the new skills they have learnt that could save a life one day.

 I gain enormous satisfaction from teaching adults to swim. Adults have a different drive to learn and are not there because “they have to be”.

Why is water safety so important in your region?

In our area - with the Hume Weir and the Murray River - there is a great deal of social activity on these waterways, and you have to be aware of the dangers and be able to survive in water. If I’ve contributed to saving one life, I feel I’ve done some good. 

What do you love most about teaching swimming and water safety?

The best thing about teaching Swimming & Water Safety is I feel I am contributing something beneficial to the local community. Especially helping people who cannot afford private swim lessons.

Do you have a favourite place to swim?

Believe or not, my favourite swimming spot is not a pool but the Murray River! I grew up beside the river, I learnt to swim in the river. Being able to flow with the current is such a natural feeling, it’s the best feeling in the world! And knowing I’m a good enough swimmer to be safe ... I want others to experience that.

I am still a morning lap swimmer and hate it when winter comes as there is no heated 50 metre indoor facility in Albury! I sincerely hope in my lifetime, we will see a 50 metre Indoor Aquatic and Leisure Centre in Albury Wodonga. 

What does swimming mean to you personally?

For me, swimming is one of the best forms of exercise, especially as I get older. I wasn’t very good at ball spots, still not! The camaraderie in swimming is wonderful and has pulled me through some rough times.

Coffee always after!