In Australia, you are required by law to have a good fence around any swimming pool on your property. Everyone knows this—the laws are in fact notorious for being some of the most stringent in the world—but not everyone really understands the reasoning behind it, particularly if they don't have children and don't like the look of the fences. So why do you need one, and what can you do to incorporate them a little better into your garden once they've been installed?

Why Pool Fencing Laws Are Important

People without children or pets sometimes dislike the requirement for them to have a stringently monitored pool fence: after all, there's no way a child can fall into the water if there are never any around! It still makes sense to have the law this way, though, and here's why:

• Were the law only to apply to households containing children, you'd have to find some way to prove yours didn't—this would probably require a meeting and inspection, which would make the scheme prohibitively expensive and time-consuming.
• Inevitably, some people who didn't want the cost of a pool fence would find a way to cheat the system and fly under the radar, which would inevitably result in a higher number of accidents, injuries and child deaths.
• It's not only children who can fall into pools and be harmed, since adults trip too, and if you hit your head as you fall, you could end up in a seriously dangerous situation.

What the Benefits of Pool Fencing Are for Your Home

It's also worth bearing in mind that safety is not the only benefit of pool fencing. Depending on the kind of fence you choose, keeping your pool in a ring-fenced area can keep down leaves and debris inside your pool, keep animals and wildlife away from the water and make it easier to add outdoor heaters or a sheltering roof.

A high quality fence can also improve the sales value of your home—something well worth considering for anyone with a pool of their own who might want to move on someday!

How to Decorate Your Pool Fence

There's really no need to leave these drab regulation fences as plain and unadorned as so many people do. With a little work, you can turn your pool area into a gorgeous space ready for you, your friends and your family to enjoy.

Start by leaving enough of a gap between your pool and the fence that there's room there for some furniture and decor. Once you've got a few loungers and potted plants arranged, consider training vines and fairy lights along the railings themselves; they make a huge difference to the look and feel of the garden as a whole.