Mr Dodson joined the team at Horsham Aquatic Centre in 2019, before the pandemic hit.

"The first year I started it was all new to me; I found it a bit busy and daunting," Mr Dodson said.

"But I got used to it pretty quickly and it became normal but the past few years have definitely changed things.

"It's been interesting, especially back when you had to book into a pool and you only had an hour swimming session. That was very different."

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Mr Dodson had initially joined the team at Horsham Aquatic Centre looking for something out of the ordinary.

"I thought when I started looking for a job, I didn't really want to work at McDonald's or KFC or somewhere like that - I wanted to work somewhere different," he said.

"I used to do the AquaGuard program that was run here at the pool and that was basically just you practicing your lifeguard skills.

"Part of that works towards your Bronze Cross, Bronze Star, Bronze Medallion. I think I achieved my award of merit, before I actually did the lifeguard course and started working here.

"I thought well, I've been doing this kind of stuff for a little bit now, let's give this a shot."

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Mr Dodson worked during his last two years of VCE, before departing for Monash University to study engineering.

"It's full on, but I enjoy it. I was down there last year - the first half of the year was all on campus and that was really good, I really enjoyed that," he said.

"The second half unfortunately went online, but it was still alright. I'm definitely enjoying it."

Mr Dodson is more than happy to return to the pool in the summer.

Being a lifeguard isn't always as glamorous as Baywatch would have one believe, however.

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"A shift is usually about three hours long and depending on which shift you do, what you do will be different," Mr Dodson said.

"We have an opening shift or closing shift and then just normal during the day shifts.

"During the open shift, we get here about half an hour earlier than the pool opens and we get the pool set up.

"We take the pool vacs out, we do pool tests, unlock change rooms, and just generally set things up.

"Then the closing shift is the reverse of that, we stay about 15 minutes after the pool shuts and we put the pool vacuums away and shut everything down for the night.

"The most common shift, the regular shift during the day, is more often than not just three hours of lifeguarding.

"We do a little bit of cleaning if it's needed and it's quiet and just float around, obviously watching the water, and just kind of keeping working."

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Some days can be more memorable than others.

"A lot of it is just repetitive; I don't do a lot, most shifts. It all tends to be the same, but every now and then you definitely get something," Mr Dodson said.

"I'm quite fond of days like the Australia Day pool party that we usually put on.

"We get tons of families in and it's just kind of nice seeing these families have a relaxing day at the pool playing on the floatable, playing in the pool.

"Sometimes we'd get a fire crew in and they'd set up like the fire hose and spray the pool with people in it.

"I think we've had a DJ out before and just things like that. Lot's of energy, fun and food. I quite like those."

Australia Day could look different in 2022, as pools and leisure centres across the state grapple with the omicron variant sweeping through.

Horsham Aquatic Centre has managed to remain open, only closing the outdoor pool for one hour.

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Mr Dodson said it has been a team effort to keep the pools open as much as possible.

"It's definitely been a team effort with everyone picking up more shifts and being really flexible with what they're doing," he said.

"I was actually working in customer service (the day the outdoor pool was closed) and that was a day where if something could go wrong, everything went wrong.

"We shut the outside pool for an hour, just because lifeguards couldn't come in.

"It's just being flexible and, and putting your hand up to take on shifts if you're able to, and, and just being a team player really.

"That was an interesting day, but we made it work; we only shut the pool for an hour.

"We got someone on and continued as best as we could.

"Most of us have been here for a couple of years now, we help out when we can."

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