Founder of Pool Systems, Warwick Heathcote passes away

Sadly Warwick Heathcote, stalwart of the pool and spa industry and founder of Pool Systems, passed away in March.

Warwick was born in 1951 and grew up in the small Tasmanian town of Cooee. He moved to Brisbane’s northside in the 1970s where he spent the next nine years playing Aussie rules for Sandgate, winning three premierships as well as representing his state.

He joined the swimming pool industry in 1980 as a sales representative for a chemical company when there were only 15 to 20 pool shops between Noosa and Tweed Heads.

In 1983 he founded Pool Systems, working out of his home garage in Zillmere.

Over the following 31 years he oversaw Pool Systems’ growth throughout Australia and New Zealand and later into the USA, Canadian and European markets. He was the managing director of the company until 2003 and remained as an executive director until he sold to Pool Corporation and retired in 2014.

Warwick spent the next decade actively following his passions for travel and golf, and wrote a book about his life titled From Cooee to the Sunshine Coast…and life in between.

Warwick and is survived by his partner Bronwyn and sons Trent and Ryan. He will be remembered by many in the industry and will be sorely missed.

SPLASH! offers sincere condolences to family, friends and colleagues.