Lari was encouraged by Paul Sadler to start her own swim school instead of working for someone else. After much thought, Lari took the risk and founded Seadragonz, the first purpose-built swim school in Western Australia. Construction faced many challenges as they encountered speed bumps and potholes. Eventually, they broke ground and began building. After months of construction and dealing with weeds and wildlife on the property, the school was completed. Seadragonz opened on January 29, 2007 and went on to receive several awards for their community service and environmental efforts.

1. The Story of
Seadragonz

2. It all started with a
seed sown by Paul
Sadler of Paul Sadler
Swimland in Victoria,
who asked Lari why
she was wasting her
time working for
someone else who
would not appreciate
nor reward her talents.
Lari had never
considered the
thought of her own
swim school.

3. After a lot of thought
Lari realised Paul was
right and made the
decision to jump off the
cliff and see what it felt
like. It was scary and
exhilarating and Lari
spent hours excited and
thinking ‘oh my gosh,
what have I done’.

4. Being the first purpose built
swim school in Western
Australia we climbed over many
speed humps and fell into a lot
of pot holes.

5. At last, after
kerthumping
over speed
humps and
into potholes
we finally
broke ground.

8. And so we got this
far and that was
all for months

9. The grandchildren found an awesome new
playground

10. The roof structure arrives

11. And in the meantime the weeds made a
new home

12. One of the
speed
humps was
the required
over-
engineering
of the roof.
We were
required to
make this
cyclone
proof to
228kph.
Yes, we
know that
happens
frequently in
Perth.
Fact: In
1974
Cyclone
Tracy
knocked
over Darwin
with 217kph
winds.

13. Each pole sits in a 44 gallon drum of solid
concrete.

15. The baby eucalypts joined the weeds
in their new home.

16. The tiger snake also thought he had found
a new home.

18. Furiously working men making the perfect floor
slopes. They were threatened with drowning if
there was puddling water.

20. Decision makers

21. Roof top
construction

23. And we work
until the job is
done!

26. And the cover goes on

28. Weeding
time

29. Pool completion
begins

35. Vinyl liner is completed welded to the
concrete

37. Water would
be good
And the
grandchildren
waited

39. Water at last

40. The dogs
watched the
final stages
possibly
pondering that
their regular
ball throwers
and playmates
(the
construction
crew) would be
around no
longer.

41. Finishing touches

43. January 29,
2007
Day 1

44. National Swim Australia Awards 2008 - Community Service
Award
Presented by Hayley Lewis & Karni Liddell

45. National Swim Australia Awards 2009 – Community Service
Award
Presented by Hayley Lewis

46. ational Swim Australia Awards 2009 – Australia’s Most
nvironmentally Friendly Swim School
resented by Jessica Schipper

48. WA Chamber of Commerce Business Development Award
2009

50. WA Environment Awards 2009 – Small Business Leading
by Example

51. WA Environmental
Awards 2009 –
Overall Winner

54. National Swim Australia Awards 2010 – Best Swim School
Marketing Award
Presented by Tracey Wickham & Emily Seebolm

55. WA Chamber of
Commerce 2010 –
Certificate of Merit

59. National Swim Australia Awards 2011
Presented by Libby Trickett

60. National Savewater! Awards 2011 - Finalist

62. National Swim Australia Awards 2012
Most Environmentally Friendly Swim School Award
Presented by Emily Seebolm & Brittany Elmslie

63. Australia's 1st
Accredited
Swim School