Published 12 September 2022

The Townsville community has a unique opportunity to help keep their loved ones safe with a new water safety strategy released for comment this week.

The strategy, which was developed in a series of workshops with community groups, emergency services, water safety experts and government representatives is designed to reduce drowning in Townsville and work towards initiatives which develop stronger swimming and water safety skills across the community.

Townsville and surrounds are one of the first communities in Queensland to develop a local water safety strategy.

The strategy recognises that the area has specific water safety needs given the importance of water to the community, with the sea, rivers, dams and swimming pools all providing opportunities for recreation.

Royal Life Saving Society Australia National Manager – Aquatics, RJ Houston said the water safety strategy was designed to balance enjoyment of the waterways with measures to prevent people from drowning.

“We don’t want to get in the way of people enjoying the water. What was clear from the roundtables was that people love the water and want to get out and enjoy it as much as possible,” Mr Houston said.

“What we want is to ensure people have a great day in, on, or around the water and go home safely to their families at the end of the day.

“There are some simple measures we can take – improving sign posting as an example – which can give people the information they need to manage the risk.

“This strategy is designed to be practical and to take into account the different waterways that people can enjoy in the Townsville area.”

Councillor Maurie Soars said the water safety strategy would be a game changer for the Townsville community.

“No one knows this area better than the people who live here,” Mr Soars said.

“Local knowledge is critical for keeping everyone in our community safe.”

James Cook University Professor Richard Franklin said it was exciting to see many groups involved in water safety come together to work on solutions that were area specific.

“Having groups including marine rescue and police, researchers, drowning prevention specialists, Department of Environment and Science and key state and community organisations come together to design a solution that addresses the specific needs of this area is important for the community,” Professor Franklin said.

“The research shows that this region is a drowning hotspot. Having gathered the expert voices, we now need to hear from Townsville and surrounds residents to make sure this addresses their needs.

“I hope we’ll see a really strong response from the local community to support the water safety strategy, and to keep people safe.”

Responses are open until 15 October 2022.

Please send feedback to: aquatics@rlssa.org.au