Lake Gkula Swimming

SWIMMING IN LAKE GKULA AT WOODFORD FOLK FESTIVAL

Lake Gkula is fully fenced, opens at 6am and closes at 6.30pm during the festival. Admission to Lake Gkula is open for all. The swimming periods are 50 minutes in length, commencing on the hour and half hour (i.e. 6 – 6.50am, 6.30 – 7.20am) daily.   

All swimmers need to book during the festival (via WFF app or in person a Lake Gkula Booking Tent) and then collect their wristband from the Lake Gkula Booking Tent (located in General Store Precinct). Wristbands will be valid for booked 50min swimming period only.  

Prices are $6 per adult and $4 per youth (13 – 17) and $2 for kids (0 – 12). 

If you have little ones, we recommend using the app to avoid waiting times.  

Lake Gkula will open 3pm on Christmas Day and close at 6:30pm. On 2 January, it will open at 6am and close at 3pm (throughout the days of the festival, it is open 6am – 6:30pm). 

BOOKING AND ENTRANCE GUIDELINES:

  • Open hours: 6am – 6.30pm – Must have Lake Gkula admission wristband for entry.  
  • Swimming periods 50mins length only (i.e. 6am – 6.50am). 
  • Anyone under 15 must be accompanied and supervised by an adult.  
  • An adult can enter (and must remain within) the lake precinct with a maximum of 2 children aged under 15 only.  
  • No entry for anyone intoxicated.  
  • No alcohol allowed into Lake Precinct.  
  • Little people must be wearing aquatic nappies or swimwear.  

Safety is obviously everyone’s priority. There will be trained safety observers throughout the lake. Here are our safety guidelines that we ask everyone to follow:  

HAVE FUN – BUT PLEASE 

PROTECT YOURSELF AND OTHERS

  • Anyone under 18 needs to be accompanied by an adult. Kids 5 or under should be within arm’s reach.  
  • Diving is dangerous, please don’t. Only jump off designated rock.  
  • Please no breathe-holding games, we are not fish. 
  • There are changing depths and hidden hazards, so go slow and explore.  

PROTECT LAKE GKULA 

  • To protect our aquatic creatures, please be 100% free of cosmetics and sunscreens (including deodorants and wound treatments unless all ingredients are certified organic/reef friendly/100% zinc).  
  • Please don’t take a leak in Lake Gkula.  
  • Please do not swim if you have communicable disease or diarrhoea. The water in the lake is not disinfected.  
  • Please only enter and exit water from the beaches.  
  • Lake Gkula must be free of floatation devices, water inflatables and toys and all other plastics  

RESPECTING ALL 

  • Please wear swimmers – no topless sunbathing, thanks. 
  • Please follow any directions given by lake safety observers. 
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