Hume and Macedon Ranges parents have been urged to ensure young children are taught to swim, with falls into water cited as the most common cause of their drowning deaths.
The Royal Lifesaving Association’s 2104-15 National Drowning Report showed a 30 per cent increase in drowning deaths of Australian children aged four and under – from 20 cases to 26.
Chief executive Justin Scarr said the large increase in children drowning was alarming.
‘‘Active adult supervision and restricting access to water … are key strategies to reduce these tragic incidents,’’ he said.
Hume council’s acting city infrastructure director David Fricke encouraged parents to enrol their children in classes at Sunbury.
‘‘Every child should learn to swim, and now is a great time to start as the warmer weather approaches,’’ he said.
‘‘It’s vital that people know how to be safe in pools and at the beach.’’ Mr Fricke said the Sunbury aquatic centre’s classes equipped people, from infants to seniors, with the skills needed to survive if they get into trouble in the water.
‘‘Our centre’s classes are based on Life Saving Victoria’s Swim and Survive program,” he said. ‘‘In the school holidays, we offer intensive five-day sessions so that young people can learn how to swim and survive a water emergency.’’
Aquatic centres at Gisborne and Kyneton also run learn-to-swim programs.
The report found 39 Victorians drowned in the past year. It also showed that 37 per cent of drowning deaths occurred in inland waterways, such as rivers, lakes and dams.
