As summer heats up, locals are being encouraged to swim between the flags and brush up on their water safety in order to prevent drownings.

New statistics from Life Saving Victoria show our region has a 92 per cent chance of at least one drowning death each year, with 25 fatalities recorded over the past decade.

Life Saving Victorias Nigel Taylor said a change in holiday behaviour could lead to more accidents in the water this season.

With the start of summer and easing of most restrictions coinciding, as well as many choosing to holiday locally this year, we are expecting increased visitation to Victorian beaches and waterways, Dr Taylor said.
Summer is the peak season when most drownings occur in Australia.

Sadly, from 1 July 2019 to 30 June 2020, 248 people drowned in Australia with 39 per cent of those deaths in the three months of summer.

Local Federal MP Libby Coker urged the community to remain mindful while enjoying themselves over summer.

We are so fortunate to live in such a beautiful part of the world, close to some of the most iconic beaches in Australia, she said.

As the weather warms up, more of us will head to beaches, rivers and pools to cool off and have fun but we need to remember when we head down to our local waterways to follow basic water safety rules.

I also want to thank the Surf Life Saving Clubs, and all the volunteer lifeguards in Corangamite who play an important role in helping to keep us safe in and around the water.