By LACHLAN MOORHEAD
PARKS Victoria is looking for community support to establish a lifesaving club at Lysterfield Lake, less than a year after a young boy drowned there.
It comes as the City of Casey last week passed a motion calling on the introduction of lifesaving patrols at the lake, as well as additional signage and a complete risk assessment of the site.
There have been three reported drowning deaths at Lysterfield Lake since 1 July 2000, according to Life Saving Victoria (LSV).
In February local residents and Casey councillors made an impassioned plea for increased safety precautions at the popular swimming site, including lifesaving patrols and signage, after a five-year-old boy drowned at the lake
A Parks Victoria spokesperson said the organisation had held discussions with Life Saving Victoria regarding lifesaving patrols at the lake.
It’s understood a lifesaving service was in place at Lysterfield Lake for a short time in 1998, but was discontinued due to a lack of “ongoing community support”.
“Parks Victoria and Life Saving Victoria have discussed lifesaving patrols at Lysterfield Lake. Lifesaving patrols are run by volunteers from within the community,” the spokesperson said.
“Parks Victoria is interested in hearing from anyone who might be interested in helping to establish and run another volunteer lifesaving patrol at Lysterfield Park.”
The spokesperson said Parks Victoria was also currently in the process of reviewing all signage at Lysterfield Lake.
“An independent consultant has been contracted to conduct a full signage audit and will recommend signage upgrades that may be required,” the spokesperson said.
“It is Parks Victoria’s intention to upgrade the current lake aquatic risk signage as a priority.”
An LSV spokesperson said the group will help the council investigate safety measures at the lake.
“LSV has been in regular contact with Parks Victoria and the City of Casey for some time and will continue to work with all parties to assist in developing a solution that drives increased safety measures at Lysterfield Lake,” the spokesperson said.
“We have accepted a meeting invitation to discuss this further and look forward to positively contributing to the discussion.”
According to LSV statistics, the majority of beaches in the state have one or two drowning deaths recorded since 1 July 2000.
