Boats survive bay dramas
Wave safety: Lifesavers have highlighted the number of drownings on the Mornington Peninsula and warn that water users should be aware of conditions and recommend swimmers only enter the water between the flags on patrolled beaches. Picture: Keith Platt
Peninsula high risk for drownings FORTY-TWO people have drowned on the Mornington Peninsula over the past 10 years. The latest Victorian Drowning Report shows seven of the 43 drowning deaths in the state over the past financial year happened on the peninsula. From 2005 to 2015, there were also 58 hospital admissions and 82 emergency department presentations due to non-fatal drowning incidents in the area. Statistics show males are seven times more likely to drown than females, while there is a 99 per cent likelihood of one or more fatal drownings on the
peninsula in any given year. “Living on the beach it is important to be aware of the changing nature of water conditions and not to become complacent around familiar waterways,” Life Saving Victoria’s principal research associate Dr Bernadette Matthews said. “We have found an overall increase across the state in coastal drownings in the 12 months to July, with 20 deaths which is a 32 per cent increase compared to the average for the previous decade.” Dr Matthews said it is “important to be aware and prepared for the
conditions. We encourage beach-goers to swim between the red and yellow flags at patrolled beaches where possible and to read safety signs to understand the dangers,” she said. “Learn how to spot and avoid rip currents and be aware that conditions can change quickly.” The report also found that almost one third of the drownings on the peninsula involved people aged 2544 and the most common activities before drownings were swimming, paddling and wading, boating, fishing and diving.
TWO men had an eventful day at sea when their vessel ran out of fuel and then ran aground in Western Port Bay, Saturday afternoon. The pair had set out for a casual jaunt, but quickly found themselves in trouble in the rough conditions. The pair then found themselves running out of petrol and aground on mud flats as their boat began taking on water. The men contacted a friend by mobile phone who passed details of their plight on to Water Police who, along with volunteer maritime rescue crews and the police Air Wing, were then able to rescue them. On Sunday, the Water Police were called to another job on Western Port where a family was lucky to survive, police said. A 38-year-old man, 34-year-old woman and four-year-old boy were in a boat that started taking on water. A passing vessel raised the alarm and, by the time Water Police arrived, they had made it to shore safely. Acting Sergeant Ben Penrose said boaters should check weather conditions, the safety of their vessel and fuel levels. “Both these situations could easily have been avoided,” Acting Sergeant Penrose said. “Checking conditions means more than just sticking your head outside. “Make sure you thoroughly check
weather patterns and, if you do elect to head out, ensure your safety equipment and fuel levels are sufficient.” Acting Sergeant Penrose said anyone who felt they may be getting into trouble should immediately call 000. He said boaters should wear an approved life jacket; check the weather before going out and remember conditions can change suddenly; tell someone where they were going, where from and when they planned to return; and, ensure safety equipment is maintained, easily accessible and in good order.
Environment work WARNEET Friends Group has been awarded a grant for invasive weed removal to restore and enhance biodiversity values of the Ramsar-listed Warneet Nature Reserve. The group will share in $250,000 provided to 13 community groups under the Port Phillip and Westernport Catchment Management Authority (PPWCMA) National Landcare program. The grants are designed to deliver a range of projects that will help the region’s land, water and biodiversity. “These grants support volunteer groups to also help the bigger picture by identifying how their ‘patch’ contributes to regional and national environmental priorities,” PPWCMA’s CEO David Buntine said.
LUCKY IPL Hair Removal available
>ŽƩŽ Θ EĞǁƐ ,ĂƐƟŶŐƐ
Our NEW Local One Stop Tatts Shop CELEBRATE WITH THE BIGGEST TATTSLOTTO DRAW K& d, z Z ͳ d, DKE^d Z $31 MILLION D ' Z t KE E t z Z͛^ s ͊ 'Z d ,Z/^dD ^ '/&d / ͘
MEGA DRAW SYNDICATES AVAILABLE tŽŶĚĞƌĨƵů ŚƌŝƐƚŵĂƐ ŐŝŌ ŝĚĞĂƐ ŝŶ ƐƚŽĐŬ ŶŽǁ͘ dŽLJƐ͕ 'ŝŌƐ͕ 'ĂŵĞƐ͕ dLJ ĞĂŶŝĞ ŽŽ͕ WŽƉ sŝŶLJů͘ DĞŶƟŽŶ ƚŚŝƐ ĂĚǀĞƌƟƐĞŵĞŶƚ ƚŽ ƌĞĐĞŝǀĞ Ă
ϭϬй ĚŝƐĐŽƵŶƚ ŽŶ ĂŶLJ ŚƌŝƐƚŵĂƐ 'ŝŌƐ ;ĞdžĐůƵĚĞƐ dĂƩƐůŽƩŽ ƉƵƌĐŚĂƐĞƐͿ
Hurry Last Days
Prize Draw 24th Dec 2016 DŽĚĞůůĞĚ ŽŶ Ă ϭϵϰϵ &ŽƌĚ &ƌĞŝŐŚƚĞƌ D Ě ůů Ě ϭ ϵ ϰϵ & Ě & ŝ Ś ĂŶĚ ŵĂŶƵĨĂĐƚƵƌĞĚ ĨƌŽŵ ƌĞĐLJĐůĞĚ ϰϰ ŐĂůůŽŶ ĚƌƵŵƐ͘ ^ĞĞ ŝƚ ŝŶͲƐƚŽƌĞ͘ ^ƉĞŶĚ ΨϱϬ Žƌ ŵŽƌĞ ŝŶ ƐƚŽƌĞ ƚŽ ĞŶƚĞƌ͘ ƌĂǁŶ ŝŶͲƐƚŽƌĞ ϭϬ͘ϬϬĂŵ ϮϰƚŚ ĞĐ͛ϭϲ ^ŚŽƉ Ϯ ʹ ϵ YƵĞĞŶ ^ƚƌĞĞƚ ,ĂƐƟŶŐƐ ;EĞdžƚ ƚŽ > /Ϳ Phone: 03 5979 8753 ĞŵĂŝů͗ ůƵĐŬLJůŽƩŽŚĂƐƟŶŐƐΛďŝŐƉŽŶĚ͘ĐŽŵ | ĨĂĐĞŬ͗ ůƵĐŬLJůŽƩŽŚĂƐƟŶŐƐ Western Port News 20 December 2016
PAGE 5