By RENEE FORD

ILUKA woman Jo Haupt, an Austswim accredited instructor since 1985, was teaching kindergarten children to swim for free in her salt water pool, until a noise complaint forced council to shut her down.

"My daughter is in kindergarten and when I received a note that said the children would be bussed down to Woombah for a lesson, I offered to teach them free of charge," she said.

Jo had previously received a letter from the Clarence Valley Council, but had put it aside, believing it was a bill.

However, on the final day of her 'kinder classes', Jo received a phone call.

"The council was really nice about it, and said I could do the last lesson because kids were already on their way. But I was told that was it ? because a neighbour had complained about noise," she said.

For the kinder lessons, 15 children and mothers attended a one-hour lesson between 11.30am and 12.30pm.

"It was no louder than a mower," she said.

"It was great, a beautiful experience. All the mothers were there and the kids loved it. By the end all of them swam at least four metres."

With 20 years experience as a swimming instructor and a qualified PE teacher, Jo said she teaches kids to swim for love not for the money.

And she can't stress enough the importance of a swimming education with youngsters.

"In this area we have houses a few metres from the river, so it's really important for safety, and so they can have fun," she said.

Jo said she was willing to help on a committee, if formed, to get a community swimming pool constructed at Iluka and she would like to help foster support for a surf life saving club.

But meanwhile, her plans to conduct three, five-day swimming classes in her pool throughout January have been foiled.

She has been told to submit a development application to council and is hopeful of its success.

She is seeking letters of support to be sent to council so that she can continue.