By MATT JOHNSTON
Research from the Royal Life Saving Society shows Lake Macquarie is the deadliest lake in the state. Over the last 15 years, 10 lives have been lost on the water, making it the 8th most lethal inland waterway in New South Wales.
The report on inland water safety shows rivers and lakes being responsible for almost twice the number of drowning deaths as beaches and harbours in the last year. For Lake Macquarie, the number of people involved in boating accidents is a factor in its position on the list.
“We see a lot of boating incidents on Lake Macquarie,” says Royal Life Saving’s national manager of research and policy Amy Peden. “Our research shows that these boating incidents can take multiple lives in one incident.”
But that may not be the whole story. You’re 75% more likely to drown in local waterways than anywhere else. Amy says it comes down to “an overestimation of skill but underestimating the risks that location might pose”.
The report also shows that men are four times more likely to be involved in fatal drownings than women. Of those that died, about half had alcohol or drugs in their system at the time of the incident.
In response the deaths in inland waterways, Royal Life Saving and the federal government have partnered up to release the Respect the River campaign. “It’s about making people aware of the dangers, and how to recreate safely on our inland waterways such as rivers and lakes, including Lake Macquarie.”
