Fish out of Water comprises community members including former mayor Stuart Baker, masters swimmers and others involved with aquatic activities.

Mr Baker said the first item on the group’s agenda was to extend the swim season by 10 weeks at Albury Swim Centre.

“As a trial, we have requested the Albury Council and management at Albury pool try and extend the season an extra 10 weeks between when it closes and opens,” Mr Baker said.

“We are looking at what pools in Melbourne have done, it may only be from 6-8.30am and then a couple hours in the evening just to take pressure off the limited number of indoor pools we’ve got during winter.”

The group first met six months ago, with members frustrated at the restrictions on existing swimming facilities in the region, but it won’t be launched officially until the end of the swim season in April.

The long-term vision is to have an all-inclusive indoor aquatic centre to cater for waterpolo, swimmers, divers, triathletes and rehab groups.

Mr Baker said such a facility would need a regional effort which may include councils, state, federal and private funding.

“We want a 50-metre FINA standard pool so that the area can attract state and national and international meets — that’s what is required to get sports tourism happening in a big way,” Mr Baker said.

“You haven’t got that standard pool between Canberra and Melbourne so it is a logical step to have one here.”

Master swimmer Craig Gogoll said training for competitive meets was near impossible in the winter.

“Sometimes there’s 12-14 people in the one public lane and we are trying to train hard and have to get past people who are just floating,” Mr Gogoll said.

The council’s Aquatics Facilities Advisory Committee is expected to recommend the proposal for an extended season at a future council meeting.

Go to facebook.com/alburyneedsapool.