Frequently Asked Questions

• The minimum age for swimmers is 8 years old on event day 
• All swimmers aged 8 to 12 years (Juniors) on event day need to provide evidence of competency
• Juniors swimming in the Kids Swim or Simon’s 500m Shortcut Swim must provide a level 8 swim certificate in accordance with Royal Life Saving (or equivalent)
• Juniors swimming in the Solo 3.6km Swim, One Mile Swim to Shore and Team Swims must provide a level 10 swim certificate in accordance with Royal Life Saving (or equivalent) PLUS a letter from a swimming coach or swim instructor stating that they are competent to complete their registered event and distance in an open water swim
• The minimum age for the Solo 3.6km Swim is 12 years
• Parents or guardians must email all required documents to juniors@busseltonjettyswim.org.au by 21 January 2025.  Parents or guardians will also be required to sign the declaration/waiver at swimmer check-in.
• No award will be issued to the youngest swimmer
• Only competent swimmers who are fit and adequately trained should enter

One of our risk controls for the Kids Swim is to limit the number of children to 8 per wave at 30 second intervals and not to have significant numbers of adults in the water thus reducing the likelihood of collisions and allowing SLS to focus solely on the children and to do their job unimpeded.

If a child has a particular need for additional on-water support then an emailed request tojuniors@busseltonjettyswim.org.au will be considered on its merits.

• The minimum age for swimmers is 8 years old on event day 
• Juniors swimming in the Simon’s 500m Shortcut Swim must provide a level 8 swim certificate in accordance with Royal Life Saving (or equivalent)
• Juniors swimming in the One Mile Swim to Shore and Team Swims must provide a level 10 swim certificate in accordance with Royal Life Saving (or equivalent) PLUS a letter from a swimming coach or swim instructor stating that they are competent to complete their registered event and distance in an open water swim
• Parents or guardians must email all required documents to juniors@busseltonjettyswim.org.au by 21 January 2025. 
• Parents or guardians will also be required to sign the declaration/waiver at swimmer check-in.
• No award will be issued to the youngest swimmer
• Only competent swimmers who are fit and adequately trained should enter

The minimum age for the Solo 3.6km Swim is 12 years.

Juniors swimming in the Solo 3.6km Swim must provide a level 10 swim certificate in accordance with Royal Life Saving (or equivalent) PLUS a letter from a swimming coach or swim instructor stating that they are competent to complete their registered event and distance in an open water swim

Parents or guardians must email all required documents to juniors@busseltonjettyswim.org.au by 21 January 2025. 

Parents or guardians will also be required to sign the declaration/waiver at swimmer check-in.

No award will be issued to the youngest swimmer

Only competent swimmers who are fit and adequately trained should enter

No. Every swimmer over the age of 18 must check-in in person. Legal guardians may check-in for swimmers if under 18 – an eTicket must be shown.

Swimmers will be required to show Photo ID.

Swimmers will be emailed an eTicket in the week before the swim.

Check-in at the marquee at Busselton foreshore which will be open 9:00 am to 5:00 pm Saturday 10th February 2024 (preferred option) or 06:00 am to 07:00 am Sunday 11th February 2024.  Swimmers in the Kids Swim and Simon’s 500m Shortcut Swim must check in on Saturday 10th February between 09:00 am and 2:00 pm.

You will automatically be allocated a Race Number once entries have closed. Your Race Number will be emailed to you in an eTicket in the week prior to the swim. Please bring your eTicket together with Photo ID to pre-race check-in. 

Yes. Your race number will be a tattoo that you must wear for risk management and safety. The tattoo may be applied to your skin or wet-suit.

The tattoo goes vertically on your front left thigh. Option two front left arm/shoulder. Tattoos may be applied to wet-suits.

A team name, team captain, payment and all team members details in full are required to confirm a team entry.

Swimmers can log-in later to amend or update swimmer details including changes to swim order (up until entries close, Monday 5th February 2024). Note that limited team changes are permitted.

Note that you may only register for the Ballot for one distance, i.e. you may NOT register for a solo swim and a team swim. This will result in cancellation of your entry and a two-year ban for anyone with duplicate entries.

For each swimmer:

1. Name
2. Have they swum the event previously using another surname (so we can collate swimmer results)
3. Swim order (for relay).  Entrants will need to select a swim leg.
4. Gender
5. Date of birth
6. Address
7. Contact phone number
8. Email – Please don’t use your work email – see our FAQ about your email address.
9. Emergency contact (name and phone number of somebody not swimming on the day)
10. Any medical conditions (provided to St Johns and Surf Life Saving in case of emergency)
11. Using wetsuit or swim aid (Wetsuit, flippers, snorkel, speed-suit, pullbuoy)
12. Special needs (this includes requesting a support paddler)
13. How many times have they entered the swim
14. How did they hear about the swim
15. Did they use our training program
16. Why are they participating and what most appeals to them
17. How many family/friends/colleagues will be coming along as spectators/supporters?
18. Any suggestions
19. How many nights will they be spending in Busselton (option for local resident or day visit)
20. What type of accommodation (option for local resident or day visit)
21. Do they have a story to share about entering the swim

Yes, swimmers can log-on to their entry and edit swimmer details or swim order using the log-in and password from their confirmation email. Note that only one change to swimmers is permitted for teams of two and two swimmer changes for teams of four.

This would be dependent upon your training and personal fitness. We cannot advise you on this. With the 3.6km Solo event, the One Mile Swim to Shore, the 2 and 4 person relay events and the 500m Swim there are several distance options for a swimmer to choose from.

The main course is 3.6 km, out to the end, around the Busselton Jetty and back to shore.

The One Mile – Swim to Shore: swimmers enter the water on the western side of the Jetty, at the ramp near the Underwater Observatory and swim 1.6km to the beach to finish.

The 2 person relay distances are: first leg 1.4 km, beach start exiting at Allie’s Landing; second leg 2.2 km, starting at Allie’s Landing, rounding the end of the jetty and finishing on the shore.

The 4 person relay distances are: first leg 1.0 km, beach start exiting at Jetty Platform (east); second leg 1.0 km, starting at Jetty Platform (east) rounding the end of the jetty and exiting at the Underwater Observatory Ramp; third leg 0.6 km starting at Underwater Observatory Ramp and finishing at the Jetty Platform (west); fourth leg 1.0 km, starting at the Jetty Platform (west) and finishing on the shore.

Simon’s 500m Shortcut Swim will commence on the eastern side of the Jetty.  Swimmers head out before ducking under the Jetty and swimming to the finish line.

The Kids Swim is 222 m around the outside of the Swimming Jetty.

Yes, you should be prepared. These are seasonal, as for most of the coastal areas of lower Western Australia.

Preventative measures include wearing a stinger suit or rash vest and applying protective lotion.  If stung, please attend a first aid station or seek advice from a Surf Life Saver.

Main swim : Up to 3000 swimmers.

One Mile Swim to Shore: Up to 1000 swimmers

Kids Swim : Up to 300 swimmers in waves of 8.

2 person Teams: 100 teams  (200 swimmers)

4 person Teams: 50 teams (200 swimmers)

Simon’s 500m Shortcut Swim: Up to 500 swimmers.

No. On water safety and support is provided by Surf Life Saving and personal support paddlers vessels or personnel are not permitted.  prior written permission from the organisation must be obtained.

If you feel you have a special need requiring your own support or provisions, prior written permission from the organisation must be obtained and must be indicated as part of your online entry.

Estimated swim time is used to allocate your start wave (fastest swimmers start first). Start waves have a maximum of 400 swimmers. Should more than 400 swimmers select the same estimated swim time they will be split according to date entered. Swimmers can log-on to their entry and edit swimmer details including estimated swim time using the log-in and password from their confirmation email.

Yes, swimmers can log-on to their entry and edit swimmer details including estimated swim time using the log-in and password from their confirmation email. This can be completed any time before Monday 5th February 2024.

Choose the same estimated swim time. Estimated swim time is used to allocate your start wave (fastest swimmers start first). We would suggest not choosing a popular time like 60, 70, 80 or 90 minutes if you wish to swim together. Start waves have a maximum of 400 swimmers. Should more than 400 swimmers select the same estimated swim time they will be split according to date entered. Choosing an odd time like 0hr 57min 21sec, 83min 16sec, 1hr 12min 48sec etc with your friend will maximise your chances of being in the same start wave. Swimmers can log-on to their entry and edit swimmer details including estimated swim time using the log-in and password from their confirmation email.

Busselton Jetty Swim’s focus is on swimmer safety and to accommodate the number of swimmers in 2024, the main 3.6 kilometre swim around the jetty will be a self-seeded rolling start for solo and relay swimmers.

Prior to the rolling start there will be 50 Gold Cap swimmers who will start en masse at 8:00 am.

Rolling / Beach Start – 3.6km solo swimmers and relay teams Swimmers will start on the beach with a rolling start in intervals commencing at 8:01am in order of swim cap colour.

You must wear the swim cap provided. It indicates your estimated swim time and should enable you to swim with swimmers of similar ability. Rolling start will commence at 8:01am on the beach in cap colour order. Listen and move promptly to the beach when your cap colour is called. Do not panic if you end up with swimmers of different caps ~ your swim is timed according to when you cross the mat.

One Mile Swim to Shore – this will be a rolling start commencing at 9:30 am and friends will be able to swim together.

Simon’s 500m Shortcut Swim will be a rolling start commencing at 1:30 pm on Saturday.  Friends will be able to swim together. 

The Kids Swim starts at 2:30 pm on Saturday  in waves of 8, at 30 second intervals.

Official swim cut-off times are 11:00 am for the Solo swim, Team Relays and One Mile Swim to Shore. Cut off is 30 minutes for the Kids Swim and 45 minutes for the Simon’s 500m Shortcut Swim.

Yes. Swimmers in the Solo, Team or One Mile Swims receive a finisher towel as they exit the finish area or the foot of the Jetty. Trophies are also awarded as per the awards list (see race rules for category details). Swimmers must collect their awards and trophies by the cut of date and time. Awards and trophies will not be posted out.

Swimmers receive their finisher’s award (towel) as they exit the finish area or the foot of the Jetty. Finisher’s awards for the Kid’s Swim will be issued as they exit the finish area. Trophies must be collected at the awards presentations during the morning. Trophies will not be posted out. Trophies may be collected by proxy.

All attempts are made to have the results available on the day of the event, after presentations. The results will available from the website before 7:00 pm on the day.

• Wetsuits and/or swim-aids are permitted but participants using these will not be eligible for awards
• Wetsuits and/or swim-aids must be declared upon entry. Swim-aids include flippers, snorkels, wetsuits, pull buoys, speed-suits
• Swim aids include any device or swimsuit that may aid his/her speed, buoyancy or endurance;
  • Flippers
  • Snorkels
  • Wetsuits
  • Pull Buoys
  • Speed suits
• Swimsuits must be FINA approved to be eligible for awards

You can wear whatever swimsuit you desire. If your swim suit aids your speed, buoyancy or endurance, it is considered a swim aid and must be declared on your entry (or at swimmer check-in) as you will be ineligible for an award.
Acceptable (non-swim-aid) swimsuits:

• Are made from a textile fabric
• Are flexible and soft folding
• Any surface treatments or coatings do not close the overall open mesh structure of the base textile fabric
• Do not contain buoyancy
• Are not thicker than 0.8mm
• Do not cover the neck or extend past the shoulders or ankles
• Do not contain zips or other fastening systems

Swimsuits must be FINA approved to be eligible for awards.

Full refunds, less a $15 administration fee ($5 for the Kids Swim), are only available if applied for in writing or by email to rego@busseltonjettyswim.org.au and must be applied for prior to Tuesday 12th December 2023. 

A 50% refund is available if applied for in writing prior Tuesday 16th January 2024.

Full refund, less a $5 administration fee, applies for Kids Swim withdrawals until 16^th January 2024.

No refunds for swimmer-initiated cancellations will be made after 16 January 2024.

If a member of a team cannot swim on the day, a replacement may be approved by the check-in desk for a team member only, not for solo entrants or whole teams. The replacement team swimmer must fill in an entry form and sign the waiver at the check-in desk. Note that only one change to swimmers is permitted for teams of two and two swimmer changes for teams of four.

Entry swaps or transfers between swimmers are not available for 2023. Registered swimmers who cannot swim need to withdraw officially and their allocation will be given to the next eligible person on the waiting list through the registration system only. Private swaps will not be permitted. A swimmer swimming under another person’s entry or category will result in both swimmers being banned from participating in the event for a period of two years.

At this point you are unable to transfer your swim to another category. If you are unable to swim you will need to apply for a refund subject to normal refund conditions.

If we believe that all swimmers on the original Waitlist are likely to be promoted into the swim, we may reopen the Waitlist and you will be welcome to register for your preferred swim at this point.

There is plenty of parking around the area. Parking will also be provided via a gold coin donation in Signal Park with proceeds going to Busselton Primary School P&C. Overflow parking areas have been created however please take care and be mindful of current works being undertaken in and around the area.

Click the button below to download a City of Busselton Parking Map for the 2023 Busselton Jetty Swim.

Yes, a bag-drop marquee will be provided and will be manned by volunteers from the Robins Hockey Club. The bag-drop service will be available from 6:00am on Sunday 13th February at the cost of a gold-coin donation. The location will be marked on the Site Plan which will be provided in your Swim Bag at check-in

Anyone intending to drive to Busselton for the event, should prepare a fatigue management plan prior their drive.

Some simple tips to manage fatigue and consider in the lead up to the event.

• Plan your trip and allow for scheduled stops to help keep you alert.
• Be aware of how much sleep you have had in the previous nights before the drive and event. A lack of sleep in the few days before can impact your fatigue management for the drive.
• If possible, share the driving, swap drivers every 200km / 2hrs, or if you feel tired.
• Create a fatigue management plan – this may be a big weekend for some competitors, not only the swim but the potential of a long drive before and after the event.
• Ensure you have planned for regular stops on both drives to stop and revive.

If you notice signs of fatigue, it is best to get out of the car, walk around for a bit and have a drink, this will help a driver remain focused.

Download the Fatigue Safety FAQs here or  take the fatigue test here.

Road Safety

Event organisers recommend participants and spectators who are intending to drive to Busselton for the event, should prepare a fatigue management plan prior their drive.

Some simple tips to manage fatigue and consider in the lead up to the event.

• Plan your trip and allow for scheduled stops to help keep you alert.
• Be aware of how much sleep you have had in the previous nights before the drive and event. A lack of sleep in the few days before can impact your fatigue management for the drive.
• If possible, share the driving, swap drivers every 200km / 2hrs, or if you feel tired.
• Create a fatigue management plan – this may be a big weekend for some competitors, not only the swim but the potential of a long drive before and after the event.
• Ensure you have planned for regular stops on both drives to stop and revive.

If you notice signs of fatigue, it is best to get out of the car, walk around for a bit and have a drink, this will help a driver remain focused.

Fatigue FAQs: Download the Fatigue Safety FAQs here 

Take the fatigue test: Take the fatigue test here.