THE Mornington Peninsula Shire has teamed up with four other local councils to address high drowning rates. Mornington Peninsula Shire and Bass Coast Shire have joined forces to form the Bass Coast and Mornington Peninsula Cross Council Working Group Water Safety Framework. Through that initiative, they are collaborating with Cardinia Shire, City of Greater Dandenong, City of Casey, and Belgravia Leisure to work on anti-drowning measures.
There were more deaths in Mornington Peninsula coastal areas between 1 July 2023 and 30 June 2024 than there were in any other Victorian municipality. Surf Life Saving Australia’s annual National Coastal Safety Report showed that eight people died on the Mornington Peninsula in that timeframe. (“Peninsula leads drowning statistics” The News 24/09/2024).
In a statement, the Mornington Peninsula Shire said the partnership would “advocate for safer beaches and better infrastructure and the importance of community education to reduce drowning incidents on our beaches and inland waterways. “The framework provides an overview of drowning incidents in the region over the past decade and will guide water safety and drowning prevention efforts to address key trends and risk factors.”
Life Saving Victoria has been engaged to help. LSV manager of research and evaluation Dr Hannah Calverley said the framework was “an important tool to help the local community reduce drowning.”
“This brings everyone in the community to the table so we can tackle the issue of drownings on the Mornington Peninsula and Bass Coast,” Dr Calverley said. “Water safety is everyone’s responsibility, and this framework provides policy makers, community leaders and relevant industries with options and solutions, so we can work together to keep visitors and locals safe in the water.”
First published in the Mornington News – 11 March 2025
