20 JANUARY 2020 | ISSUE 466 | FREE
VICSWIM lessons were held in the waterways of Lake Nagambie last week to introduce and increase the skills of children that are required to safely swim in open water. With over 170 venues statewide, and 118 being in regional Victoria, the Vic Swim program offers the opportunity to access water safety, survival and swimming programs, that maximise safety and attitudes ensuring confidence and the ability to enjoy aquatic environments. In a first for Nagambie, the 2021 program was offered not only at the Nagambie swimming pool but also in the inland waterway of Lake Nagambie. 18 children aged from 4-12 participated in the inland waterway sessions. Alarmingly, in 2019, 40% of parents indicated that the VicSwim program was their child(ren)’s
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only swimming lessons that they had participated in. With the many months of facility closures due to the pandemic it is expected that the percentage will rise further in 2020. It is very common for families to enjoy the waterways of the Goulburn River and Lake Nagambie to cool off, but the risks associated with inland waterways are much greater to that of a supervised indoor or outdoor swimming pool.
oceans and harbours and 33 in swimming pools. The VICSWIM inland program at Nagambie attracted interest from people in other areas with a family travelling from Heathcote each day to participate.
The inland VICSWIM sessions have been introduced to give children the skills and knowledge to swim in dark, cold water where there may be currents.
The classes at Lake Nagambie enabled the instructors to build on skills learnt in swimming pools, and also educate the children on the added risks of swimming in unsupervised waterways. VICSWIM has provided Victorians with fun and educational aquatic holiday programs since 1976. VICSWIM focuses on learning to swim and water safety skills, both in pools and open water venues across the state.
Rivers, creeks and streams remain leading locations for deaths in Australia, according to Royal Life Saving Australia’s 2018 national drowning report.
VicSwim venues include indoor and outdoor pools, open water with 13 surf beaches in Port Phillip Bay and Westernport, and 3 inland waterways in regional Victoria.
There were 61 deaths in rivers, creeks or streams in 2017/18, followed by 46 at beaches, 40 in
The VicSwim program employs over 350 people each summer.
INLAND WATER RULES • Check for dangers • Beware of slippery banks/entries • Wear shoes if needed • Enter the water slowly • Never swim alone • Make sure an adult supervisors • No life jacket = No swim/water play • Never dive into unclear water • Check the currents • Conditions change regularly • No swimming in floodwaters • Check the 3 W’s - Wind - Weather - Water temperature • Learn to swim