The Ballarat Aquatic and Lifestyle Centre (BALC) held its new Inland Water Safety Program this week in the open waters of Lake Wendouree, arming 25 children with essential survival skills.
The program is designed to increase children's awareness of risks in unpredictable aquatic environments, teaching them skills that may help save their own life or the life of someone else.
Different to traditional 'learn to swim' classes, this program focusses on environmental and risk awareness, survival and rescue skills in open water and introduces emergency response through interactive activities.
Tragically, Australia experiences a spike in drowning deaths every year over the summer months. Since 1 December 2024, 67 people have died from drowning - four more than the same time last year and 11 more than the five-year average.
As summer temperatures continue to soar, local waterways such as dams, rivers and lakes become popular places for people to cool off, increasing the risk of tragedy.
City of Ballarat Mayor, Cr Tracey Hargreaves said the Inland Water Safety Program addresses a critical need in our community.
"By teaching children how to respond to the challenges of unpredictable inland water, we reduce the risk of drowning and foster confidence and awareness," she said.
"Water safety is a life skill that every child should have access to. We're thrilled to offer this program to the community and make a meaningful contribution to preventing future tragedies."
The Inland Water Safety Program ran over three days, starting on Monday 20 January at BALC.
The following two days were at Lake Wendouree, which enabled participants to practice their new skills in a real-world setting.
Manager of Aquatic and Leisure Services at BALC Gerald Dixon said the program is off to a good start.
"It's been great to see the participants really embrace the information and put it into practice over the last three days.
"We hope to run the program annually, promoting safety in open water environments and helping guarantee a safer summer season for everyone."
