Goulburn-Murray Water (GMW) is anticipating increased visitation at its lakes, dams, and reservoirs over the summer holidays, and encourages visitors to make safety a priority.
During the 2022/23 school summer holidays, GMW recorded more than 700,000 visits to its storages and more than 60,000 visits on Christmas and Boxing Day alone.
GMW Water Storage Services general manager Martina Cusack asked people to be mindful of others when visiting these locations.
“There is a lot to enjoy at our storages, particularly during the summer,” she said.
“However, it is important people understand it is also a very busy time at many of our storages.
“In summer, some of our storages can have thousands of people visiting them in a single day. People therefore need to account for car parks and camping areas potentially being crowded and, in some cases, full.”
“If you are boating, there may also be a lot more swimmers and vessels around than usual,” she said.
“Respecting the waterway rules, such as speed limits and no boating zones, is not only important for your own safety but the safety of those around you.
“We also ask people not to swim or boat near our weirs and other regulators, as the currents near these assets are often incredibly dangerous.”
GMW has a list of Water Smarts highlighting the most common risky behaviours at its storages. These are:
- speeding
- not wearing lifejackets
- boating alone
- not checking the conditions or water levels before launching boats
- drinking too much alcohol
- being unaware of hazards like submerged rocks, sandbars, trees, shallow water, and debris
- diving from dam walls or ledges.
More information on the Water Smarts campaign can be found on the GMW website: https://www.g-mwater.com.au/recreation/water-smarts
Safe Transport Victoria also has a range of resources on its website to help ensure people’s trips on the water are safe: https://safetransport.vic.gov.au/on-the-water/