Chair’s Message
On behalf of the Board of Western Leisure Services, I am pleased to present our 2025/26 Year in Review.
This past year has reinforced the important role WLS plays in supporting the health, wellbeing and connectedness of the Wyndham community. While many individuals and organisations continue to navigate a challenging economic environment, we have remained focused on delivering community value on behalf of council, maintaining high-quality and safe venues and services while also positioning the organisation for long-term success.
I thank all Board Directors for their active support and engagement over this past year, particularly as we undertook the important process of recruiting our next CEO. After a highly competitive process, the Board was very pleased to appoint Cam Vale in June 2026 to lead our WLS team and work with the Board through this next important phase of the organisation’s evolution.
Cam brings significant executive leadership experience across the sports sector as a former CEO of Hockey Australia and Baseball Australia, and senior executive roles at North Melbourne Football Club. Cam comes to us from a period of consulting work and we welcome him to WLS.
I would also like to acknowledge the departure of long-standing CEO Alison Dixon who finished in April 2026. Alison was CEO from 2018 and previously was General Manager Corporate Services for four years, marking a long tenure of significant achievement at WLS. We thank Alison and wish her all the best for this next phase of life.
“Throughout the year, WLS continued to deliver against the objectives of our Connect26 Strategic Plan.”
The organisation has remained focused on enabling a healthy, active and connected community through a broad range of health, fitness, aquatic, sport and recreation services. The Board is particularly pleased to see the continued emphasis on inclusion, accessibility and participation, ensuring that our facilities and programs remain welcoming and accessible to people of all ages, backgrounds and abilities.
On behalf of the Board, I would like to acknowledge the dedication and commitment of our employees, leadership team, and community partners. Their passion and professionalism continue to make a positive difference in the lives of thousands of Wyndham residents every day.
The year also highlighted the strength of the partnerships that underpin our success. Our ongoing collaboration with Wyndham City Council, schools, sporting clubs, community organisations, and sector partners has enabled WLS to extend its reach and maximise its impact across the community. These partnerships are critical in addressing some of the broader health, wellbeing, and social challenges faced by our growing municipality.
The Board has continued to prioritise strong governance, effective risk management, and long-term organisational sustainability. During the year, management continued to strengthen organisational capability through improvements in strategic planning, workforce development, cyber security, safeguarding children and young people, risk management, and performance reporting. These initiatives may not always be visible to the community, but they are essential in ensuring WLS remains a trusted, resilient and well-governed organisation.
As a Board, we are equally mindful of the challenges ahead. The City of Wyndham remains one of Australia’s fastest growing, most diverse communities, creating increasing demand for aquatic, recreation and sports infrastructure. At the same time, economic pressures, ageing facilities, workforce challenges, and rising operating costs require thoughtful planning and careful decision-making. These realities reinforce the importance of having a clear strategic focus and maintaining strong partnerships with Council and other stakeholders.
Importantly, 2025/26 also marks a significant point in our strategic journey. Connect26 has provided a clear roadmap for the organisation guiding our focus on community outcomes, operational performance and organisational capability. As we look to the future, the Board will work closely with management, Council, our community and stakeholders to deliver the next strategic directions for WLS. We will seek out innovation and new ideas across the recreation, sports and aquatic sectors, we will delve deeper into understanding our community needs and aspirations and we will ensure we provide best value for Council and our broader Wyndham community.
“The achievements of 2025/26 demonstrate not only the resilience of our organisation, but also the value of investing in community health, wellbeing and connection.”
As we prepare for the next chapter beyond Connect26, the Board is excited about the future. We know that Western Leisure Services is well positioned to meet future challenges, seize new opportunities, and continue delivering meaningful outcomes for the people and families who live, work and play in Wyndham.
Libby Mears
Chair
Western Leisure Services Pty Ltd
