By LACHLAN MOORHEAD
AN ANGUISHED appeal for summer lifeguards at Lysterfield Lake has reverberated through the community after a five-year-old boy drowned at the site on Sunday.
Residents and Casey councillors have made an impassioned plea this week for increased safety precautions at the popular swimming site, including lifesaving patrols and signage, after the weekend’s tragedy marked the second death at the lake in just over a year.
The Rowville child was reported missing to police around 4.30pm on Sunday and was located in the lake soon after by his father, according to Lilydale police Sergeant Brett Morrison, who was the Yarra Ranges supervisor on the day and attended the scene.
Sgt Morrison said CPR was initiated on the boy by Belgrave police officers, who first responded to the call, and an off-duty nurse, before an ambulance arrived at the scene and paramedics tried to resuscitate the child for up to an hour.
As a matter of urgent business in Tuesday’s council meeting, Casey councillor Louise Berkelmans called on the City of Casey to write to Parks Victoria, which manages Lysterfield Park Lake, to create a water safety plan for the area with the possible inclusion of lifeguard services.
She also requested that the council write to Knox City Council, which shares jurisdiction with the City of Casey over Lysterfield Park Lake, to include it in discussions.
“I want to meet with Parks Victoria representatives on-site at the lake and will invite Knox City Council to discuss safety plans,” Cr Berkelmans said on Wednesday.
“Ideally, I’d like the lake manned over weekends during summer.
“We would need volunteer lifesavers but at the very least I’d like to see warning signs put up.
“The signage also needs to be in different languages because people from all different nationalities use the lake.”
Cr Berkelmans has called for a report on the issue to be tabled to the council by April.
“Hopefully by next summer can get the lake manned,” she said.
“We’ve got to do something.”
Dee Vashishta, a mother from Endeavour Hills who regularly visits Lysterfield Lake with her children, said there was next to no safety signage at the area and inadequate fencing.
“When I see how busy the lake gets in summer, having a bit of mesh there isn’t enough,” she said.
“If you go to Cardinia Reservoir, it actually has safety information. We need a board at Lysterfield Lake with information.
“That’s what worries me, that there’s no warning.”
In January 2013, a Cranbourne West man drowned while trying to rescue two children at Lysterfield Lake who had been using a dinghy.
The children made it back to shore unharmed.
Life Saving Victoria (LSV) confirmed there have been three reported drowning deaths at Lysterfield Lake since 1 July 2000.
According to LSV statistics, the majority of beaches in the state have one drowning or two drowning deaths recorded since 1 July 2000.
There were seven beaches in the state with a higher number of drowning deaths than Lysterfield Lake – these had between four and six drowning deaths.
LSV Manager Research and Injury prevention Dr Bernadette Matthews said that although lakes can appear calm from the surface, currents and underwater hazards such as a soft or uneven lake bed, rocks, weeds and debris can be hidden dangers for swimmers.
“Lakes can also be much colder under the surface than expected, which can also cause shock and can affect your swimming ability,” she said
“Life Saving Victoria urges people planning to swim at lakes to look for water safety signage to understand the local hazards and dangers before entering the water.
“When visiting waterways with children, it is so important to be vigilant about supervising them.
“It can take as little as 20 second for a child to drown; drowning can happen quickly and silently.”
Parks Victoria Regional Director Chris Hardman issued his sympathies to those involved with the tragedy.
“With a police investigation under way it is inappropriate for us to comment further about the incident and response,” Mr Hardman said.
