Swim proceeds go to the penguins

Proceeds from the Sydney Habour Swim Classic on Sunday will go towards protecting the state’s last colony of penguins.

Swimmers can register for either the one or two kilometre course. Both courses start at Man‘O’War steps and go past Fort Denison and finish alongside Sydney Opera House.

Competitors can elect to take part in an online fundraising scheme. One major recipient of the proceeds is the Foundation for National Parks and Wildlife which protects the Manly Little penguin colony.

CEO of the Foundation, Steve Corbett, said the penguin colony is the last of its kind in NSW and needs funds to survive.

“The Foundation funded the monitoring of Manly’s endangered little penguin colony and the installation of artificial nest boxes. These boxes help increase the breeding success of birds,” he said.

Mr Corbett was impressed by last year’s event which brought in several thousands of dollars for the Foundation. Celebrity swimmers Shelley Clark, Louise Stevenson and Suanne Hunt raised $1000 alone.

Event organiser, Adam Wilson, expects over 1000 people for the event this year. Mr Wilson said these competitors have already raised $5000, with more money to come.

Mr Wilson said it was important to support the Foundation’s conservation work. “[The Foundation] support the colonisation of little penguins which is an important part of our Sydney Harbour Heritage,” he said.

“It is a chance to swim in the most iconic swim way in the world…I think everyone goes home at the end of the day challenged with a smile on their faces,” he said.

Last year’s competitor and blogger, Nicole Chester, said: “[It was] an event that would surely stay in my top ten of most excellent things to do in life,” she said on oceanswims.com.

“I’d renewed a sporting accomplishment that I didn’t think I’d ever had the chance to capture again.”

By Fabian Di Lizia