With Easter and the school holidays approaching, Goulburn-Murray Water (GMW) is urging people to play it safe when visiting the region’s lakes, dams and waterways.
During Easter, GMW’s storages often attract between 30,000-50,000 visitors. With the long weekend occurring early in 2024, and with many of GMW’s storages relatively full, visitation numbers are likely to be high once more.
GMW Recreation and Land Officer Chris Braden encouraged everyone to play their part in ensuring their own safety and the safety of those around them.
“If you are heading out on the water, take a mate, wear a life jacket, stick to the speed limits, and don’t drive while under the influence,” he said.
“Be sure to also check the conditions before you head out, and once you are on the water, be cautious of hazards that may be partially or fully submerged.
“All these actions are fairly simple but taking them will dramatically improve the likelihood your trip will be safe and incident-free.”
Boating is permitted at most of GMW’s storages. Several of GMW’s storages also include areas restricted to passive recreation – meaning vessels with motors are not permitted.
Recently Aquatics and Recreation Victoria ran its VICSWIM Program at one of these safe, passive recreation areas at Lake Eppalock. In addition to teaching children to swim, the program educates children about how to ensure water safety in different conditions.
Deb Gordois is one of the program’s swimming teachers, and said there were some key lessons she sought to instil in children and their parents.
“Running the swim school at Lake Eppalock is really valuable, as it gives us the opportunity to teach children some of the differences between swimming in a pool and swimming in a lake,” she said.
“We start each session by asking the kids ‘what’s different to yesterday’, to get them in the habit of observing conditions, both with the water and the weather.
“When you swim at a lake, there are no lifeguards, so we always tell the parents they need to keep an eye on their children at all times.
“Lifejackets are also vital, because even if someone is a great swimmer, there are hazards beneath the surface they can get caught on.”
People can learn more about the rules and recreational offerings at GMW’s storages on the water corporation’s website: www.g-mwater.com.au/storages/