ALBURY and Lavington Swim Centres will be packed out this Australia Day long weekend.
The NSW Country Clubs’ water polo tournament starts tomorrow and runs until Monday.
More than 300 players from 22 teams will arrive in Albury today from all around the state.
Albury City team leader of events Ros Walls said it was a huge coup for the city on the back of last week’s Country Cup basketball tournament which brought more than 700 players to the area.
“Key regional events like this one are a boost for Albury in so many ways,” Ms Walls said.
“We’ll have hundreds of visitors coming into the city, staying at local accommodation and spending money locally.”
The tournament means lap swimmers won’t be able to use the 50-metre pools at both venues for three days.
However, the 25-metre pool at Albury Swim Centre will be open to the public for most of the long-weekend.
It will be unavailable between 2pm and 4pm tomorrow and 10am and noon Sunday due to a swimming carnival.
Other pool facilities including the toddler’s pool, waterslide and sections of the main pools remain open to the public.
The NSW Country Clubs’ tournament was last held in Albury in 2009.
Ovens and Murray Water Polo Association president Jim Bruce said it was great to have the competition back.
“We’ve got teams from Wyong, Bowral, Canberra and Newcastle all competing so it’s a great drawcard for Albury,” Mr Bruce said.
“It’s going to be a great standard of competition, so we’re encouraging people to come and cheer on our Albury teams.”
