In the 38 years that Peter Wright has worked with the regional Volunteer Rescue Association (VRA), he has seen in excess of 50 drownings.
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“It’s 50 too many,” he told Yarrawonga Chronicle downheartedly.
But it’s a stern message to water-goers and river users as this summer season continues to understand the hazards.
The heartbreak that occurred in December, where a five-year-old boy lost his life after falling off and being trapped under a boat at Lake Eildon despite wearing a life jacket along with the tragic incident last week where a 21 year-old university student went missing on the river at Albury while swimming waist deep with friends, serves as a stern reminder and highlights how easy it is for tragedy to occur.
The Corowa Search and Rescue deputy captain, whose jurisdiction area of rescue covers the Murray River including Lake Mulwala, explains why water safety is paramount.
“It’s such an avoidable way of dying, it’s not going to jump out and grab you, you’ve got to make the conscious decision to do something stupid in this beautiful river and pay the price,” he said.
According to the Australian Royal LifeSaving Society, two in five drowning deaths occur in the summer. In the last summer alone there were 103 drowning deaths around the country.
The increased danger for locals comes as Royal Life Saving research reveals that rivers, creeks and streams claim more lives every year than any other waterway.
The current Christmas New Year holiday period has seen even more drownings alarming authorities to the point that further awareness similar to the TAC’s Towards Zero campaign is being considered.
The Bureau of Meteorology predicts temperatures to reach highs of 46 degrees in Yarrawonga this week and authorities are encouraging people to take the time to read the Royal Life Saving Respect the River resources to take in the advice to always wear a lifejacket, avoid alcohol around water, swim with a friend and learn to save a life.
More than 1,000 people have died from drowning in Australian rivers, creeks and streams between 2003 and 2018, while a further estimated 522 people were hospitalised for a non-fatal drowning incident – many left with a permanent disability.
Of fatalities in the past 10 years, the Murray River (41 deaths) holds the unwanted mantle as the top river drowning blackspot in Australia.
Around 80 per cent of drowning deaths are accounted for by males, while, alarmingly, 56 per cent of those had a contributory level of alcohol and/or drugs in their system.
“Drinking and driving doesn’t mix and neither does drinking and being on the river, either in control of the boat or swimming,” Mr Wright said.
“It just lowers your ability to think sensibly and deal with a situation. By all means come and enjoy the river, enjoy a few drinks on the bank, but understand that alcohol and swimming in the river or operating a boat is just a recipe for disaster.”
The 64-year-old said he begins to feel anxious at this time of the year, every year.
“The VRA and our divers cover a fairly large area. It’s going to be a hot summer and it just fills me with apprehension at the moment worrying about people in the river,” Mr Wright said.
“You cannot imagine how anxious I feel just even being here. Every time I drive over (John Foord Bridge in Corowa) I’m always looking to make sure there’s no stupid people jumping off the bridge, or I look in the water.
“You can’t begin to imagine the noise a mother makes when you pull her five-year-old son out of the bloody river, it’s just horrendous.
“Don’t become a statistic … know your own abilities.
“If you’re not a strong swimmer there’s nothing wrong with putting a life jacket on. It’s about priorities, do you want to be a headline in a newspaper or do you want to maybe think you look a bit silly but survive the experience? Give me a life jacket any day.”
Jason Ballerini learnt dangers of inland waterways firsthand when at age 16, he dived into a local waterway off the Murray River near Barooga on a hot summer’s day.
“I’d swum there thousands of times. It was the swimming spot every summer. There was a log that stuck out from the bank and overhung the water – that was the diving board. I dived into the water headfirst,” Mr Ballerini said.
Despite having swum there “thousands of times”, that day the sandbank had shifted and Jason dived from the metre-high log into 50cm of water.
In an instant Jason became a C5 quadriplegic and lay underwater unable to move.
Fortunately Jason was pulled to the edge of the bank and resuscitated, however the he is now unable to walk or stand, and has no feeling from the chest down.
The 38-year-old is urging Australians not to be complacent around water.
“Things change, particularly on the river. Sandbanks move or there could be a log. You just don’t know. Be conscious, and be aware of your surroundings. Don’t take things for granted,” he said.
Royal Life Saving Society CEO Justin Scarr said many people underestimate the dangers of inland waterways.
“Australian rivers are a great place to enjoy whether boating, swimming or hanging out along the riverbank,” he said.
“We want everyone to enjoy these beautiful natural environments but to do so safely, by showing rivers the respect they deserve.
“Conditions in rivers can change rapidly. Just because you might regularly visit an area doesn’t mean the environment will be the same the next time you go.
“Often you cannot see ice cold water, rocks, snags like tree branches or strong currents. Be prepared.”
Member for Albury Greg Aplin is also urging the community to stay safe this summer, with the NSW Government launching its ‘Be Water Safe, Not Sorry’ campaign.
The water safety campaign aims to drive home the very real risks associated with water and educate people on what they can do to stay safe, including staying sober and always supervising small children.
To learn more about river risks and safety tips for this summer, visit the Royal Life Saving Australia website and read the ‘respect the river’ campaign here: https://www.royallifesaving.com.au/programs/respect-the-river.