Australian Swimming Championships

The Australian Swimming Championships is the national Swimming championships for Australia. They are organised by Swimming Australia and separate championships are held annually in both long course (50m) and short course (25m) pools. The two meets are the country's top domestic meet for their respective course.

The meet usually also double as a selection event for international competitions such as the: Olympics, Paralympics, World Championships, Commonwealth Games and Pan Pacific Championships. Some consider the meet the second-toughest domestic competition in the world, behind the USA's national championships.

The first edition of the championships was held in Sydney in January 1896 with events at the Natatorium, Sutherland Dock (Cockatoo Island) and on the Hawkesbury River.

The state that wins the most points at the championships is awarded the Kieran Shield, named in memory of Barney B. Kieran, a swimmer from New South Wales, who was a world record holder, and who died, aged 18, in 1905.

The 1990 Australian Swimming Championships saw events for para athletes added for the first time.

Editions

Long course Year Dates Pool City State Selection trials for 1896 15–17 January Natatorium, Sutherland Dock (Cockatoo Island) and on the Hawkesbury River Sydney 1930 25 January–1 February City Baths, Footscray Baths, Brunswick Baths Melbourne 8–15 February Sandy Bay Baths Hobart1931 10–17 January Municipal (Domain) Baths, Drummoyne Baths, Coogee Aquarium Sydney 21–28 January Valley Baths, Booroodabin Baths, City Baths (Toowoomba) Brisbane 1932 Not held1933 25 January – 4 February Claremont Baths Perth 9–14 February Crystal Swimming Pool Adelaide1934 24–30 January Valley Baths Brisbane 3–10 February Coogee Aquarium, Municipal (Domain) Baths Sydney1935 19–26 January Melbourne Olympic Pool Melbourne 2–9 February Sandy Bay Baths Hobart 1936 8–17 February Crawley Baths Perth 1937 9–13 January North Sydney Olympic Pool Sydney 25–30 January Valley Baths Brisbane 1939 31 January–2 February Melbourne Olympic Pool Melbourne 6–11 February Sandy Bay Baths Hobart 1946 2–9 February Richmond Baths; Brunswick Baths Melbourne 1947 1–8 February Adelaide Olympic Pool Adelaide 1948 8–14 February North Sydney Olympic Pool; Granville Olympic Pool Sydney 1948 Olympic Games 1949 19–26 February Valley Baths Brisbane 1950 9–17 December (1949) North Sydney Olympic Pool Sydney 1950 Commonwealth Games 1951 17–24 February Melbourne Olympic Pool; Brunswick Baths Melbourne 1952 16–23 February Melbourne Olympic Pool Melbourne 1952 Olympic Games 1953 21–28 February North Sydney Olympic Pool; Enfield Olympic Swimming Pool Sydney 1954 20–27 February Melbourne Olympic Pool Melbourne 1954 Commonwealth Games 1955 19–26 February Adelaide Olympic Pool Adelaide 1956 16–23 February North Sydney Olympic Pool; Enfield Olympic Swimming Pool Sydney The selection trials for the 1956 Olympic Games were held in Melbourne in October. 1957 15–23 February Canberra Olympic Pool Canberra 1958 15–22 February Olympic Swimming Stadium Melbourne 1958 Commonwealth Games 1959 13–21 February Hobart Olympic Pool Hobart 1960 23–27 February North Sydney Olympic Pool Sydney 1960 Olympic Games 1961 17–25 February Valley Pool Brisbane 1962 17–24 February Olympic Swimming Stadium Melbourne The selection trials for the 1962 Commonwealth Games were held in Melbourne in October. 1963 16–23 February Beatty Park Aquatic Centre Perth 1964 28 February–1 March North Sydney Olympic Pool Sydney 1964 Olympic Games 1965 27 February–1 March Hobart Olympic Pool Hobart 1966 25–27 February Valley Pool Brisbane 1966 Commonwealth Games 1967 23–25 February Adelaide Olympic Pool Adelaide 1968 23–25 February Olympic Swimming Stadium Melbourne 1968 Olympic Games 1969 21–23 February Beatty Park Aquatic Centre Perth 1970 27 February–1 March Drummoyne Olympic Pool Sydney 1970 Commonwealth Games 1971 5–7 February Hobart Olympic Pool Hobart 1972 11–13 February Valley Pool Brisbane 1972 Olympic Games 1973 9–11 February Adelaide Swimming Centre Adelaide The selection trials for the 1973 FINA World Championships were held in Brisbane in August. The selection trials for the 1974 Commonwealth Games were held in Sydney in December. 1974 1–3 March Olympic Swimming Stadium Melbourne 1975 21– 23 February Beatty Park Aquatic Centre Perth The selection trials for the 1975 FINA World Championships were held in Brisbane in June. 1976 27–29 February North Sydney Olympic Pool Sydney 1976 Olympic Games 1977 25–27 February Clarence Memorial Olympic Pool Hobart 1978 23–26 February Valley Pool Brisbane The selection trials for the 1978 Commonwealth Games and 1978 FINA World Championships were held in Sydney in June. 1979 22–25 February Beatty Park Aquatic Centre Perth 1980 20–23 March Olympic Swimming Stadium Melbourne 1980 Olympic Games 1981 26 February–1 March Adelaide Swimming Centre Adelaide 1982 18–21 March Warringah Aquatic Centre Sydney 1982 FINA World Championships. The selection trials for the 1982 Commonwealth Games were held in Sydney in August. 1983 24–27 February Clarence Memorial Olympic Pool Hobart 1984 23–26 February Brisbane Aquatic Centre, Chandler Brisbane 1984 Olympic Games 1985 21–24 February State Swimming Centre Melbourne 1986 27 February–2 March Adelaide Aquatic Centre Adelaide 1986 Commonwealth Games, 1986 FINA World Championships 1987 26 February–1 March Beatty Park Aquatic Centre Perth The selection trials for the 1987 Pan Pacs were conducted in Brisbane from 22 to 25 July. 1988 25–28 February Warringah Aquatic Centre Sydney The selection trials for the 1988 Olympic Games were conducted in Sydney from 11 to 14 May. 1989 23–26 February State Swimming Centre Melbourne The selection trials for the 1989 Pan Pacs were conducted in Perth in August. The selection trials for the 1990 Commonwealth Games were held in Adelaide in December. 1990 10–14 October Brisbane Aquatic Centre Brisbane 1991 FINA World Championships 1991 25–29 April State Swimming Centre Melbourne 1991 Pan Pacs 1992 1–5 April Australian Institute of Sport Canberra 1992 Olympic Games 1993 24–28 March Perth Superdrome Perth 1993 Pan Pacs 1994 15–20 March Brisbane Aquatic Centre, Chandler Brisbane 1994 Commonwealth Games. 1994 FINA World Championships 1995 30 March –2 April Perth Superdrome Perth 1995 Pan Pacs 1996 21–27 April Sydney International Aquatic Centre Sydney 1996 Olympic Games 1997 5–11 October Brisbane Aquatic Centre, Chandler Brisbane 1998 FINA World Championships. The selection trials for the 1997 Pan Pacs were held in Adelaide in March. 1998 27 April–2 May Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre Melbourne 1998 Commonwealth Games 1999 20–27 March Brisbane Aquatic Centre, Chandler Brisbane 1999 Pan Pacs 2000 13–20 May Sydney International Aquatic Centre Sydney 2000 Olympic Games 2001 24–31 March Hobart Aquatic Centre Hobart 2001 FINA World Championships 2002 18–23 March Brisbane Aquatic Centre, Chandler Brisbane 2002 Commonwealth Games, 2002 Pan Pacs 2003 22–29 March Sydney International Aquatic Centre Sydney 2003 FINA World Championships 2004 27 March – 3 April Sydney International Aquatic Centre Sydney 2004 Olympic Games 2005 12–19 March Sydney International Aquatic Centre Sydney 2005 FINA World Championships 2006 30 January–4 February Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre Melbourne 2006 Commonwealth Games, 2006 Pan Pacs 2007 3–10 December (2006) Brisbane Aquatic Centre, Chandler Brisbane 2007 FINA World Championships 2008 22–29 March Sydney International Aquatic Centre Sydney 2008 Olympic Games 2009 17–22 March Sydney International Aquatic Centre Sydney 2009 FINA World Championships 2010 16–21 March Sydney International Aquatic Centre Sydney 2010 Commonwealth Games, Pan Pacs 2010 2011 1–8 April Sydney International Aquatic Centre Sydney 2011 FINA World Championships 2012 15–22 March South Australia Aquatic and Leisure Centre Adelaide 2012 Olympic Games 2013 26 April–3 May South Australia Aquatic and Leisure Centre Adelaide 2013 FINA World Championships 2014 1–6 April Brisbane Aquatic Centre, Chandler Brisbane 2014 Commonwealth Games, Pan Pacs 2014 2015 3–10 April Sydney International Aquatic Centre Sydney 2015 FINA World Championships 2016 7–14 April South Australia Aquatic and Leisure Centre Adelaide 2016 Olympic Games 2017 9–13 April Brisbane Aquatic Centre, Chandler Brisbane 2017 FINA World Championships 2018 28 February–3 March Gold Coast Aquatic Centre Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games. The selection trials for Pan Pacs 2018 were held in Adelaide in June–July. 2019 7–12 April South Australia Aquatic and Leisure Centre Adelaide The Australian selection trials for the 2019 FINA World Championships were held in Brisbane in June. 2020 17–21 April Perth Superdrome Perth Cancelled due to COVID-19. The selection trials for the 2020 Olympic Games in June in Adelaide were also cancelled. 2021 14–18 April Gold Coast Aquatic Centre Gold Coast The Australian swimming selection trials for the 2020 Olympic Games were held in Adelaide in June. 2022 18–22 May Retrieved on 11 February 2022 South Australia Aquatic and Leisure Centre Adelaide 2022 FINA World Championships, 2022 Commonwealth Games 2023 17–20 April Gold Coast Aquatic Centre Gold Coast The Australian selection trials for the 2023 World Aquatics Championships were held in Melbourne from 13–18 June. 2024 17–20 April Gold Coast Aquatic Centre Gold Coast The trials for the 2024 Olympic Games were held in Brisbane from 10–15 June. 2025 21–24 April Brisbane Aquatic Centre Brisbane The Australian selection trials for the 2025 World Aquatics Championships were held in Melbourne from 9–14 June.

Short course