LOCAL outrage about the poor messaging on signs at Forrest Caves on Phillip Island and questions about the relative importance of dogs versus people, from the family of the victims of the January 24 disaster no less…
These couldn’t get authorities to act.
But a disturbing story on the ABC’s 730 Report last Tuesday night, followed by an article in the Herald-Sun last Friday night online and in print on Saturday, plus the onset of the hottest beach weekend in five years finally did get some action.
Where the small “Dangerous Currents” logo was still in place as late as Wednesday last week, with the large “No Dogs Anytime” sign below, by the weekend, the dogs’ sign had been moved to the other side of the walkway and a much larger “Warning: Swimming Not Advised – Rip Currents” sign erected in its place.
Would it have made a difference when an Indian family from Clyde visited the beach on Wednesday, January 24?
Local public affairs activist, Graham Jolly of Cape Woolamai believes it would have made a difference.
“Good on them for doing it,” said Graham Jolly at the weekend.
“It’s a step, a little step in the right direction but what about the other beaches?”
Mr Jolly said that two of the key recommendations in the “Bass Coast Shire Coastal Risk Assessment” report, only released recently in full after almost five years, related to improving signs.
“One key risk treatment strategy proposed for all sites is signage and this report strongly recommends a shire-wide uniform signage strategy. Used on public land specific to aquatic recreation drowning and injury event minimisation; it should be implemented in a coordinated and consistent manner,” according to the report.
Mr Jolly wants to know if the new, more-pointed messaging, and larger signs are going to be rolled out at other beaches in Bass Coast in line with the recommendations in the report.
He also said it was high time the report was renewed, after five years.
“We also want to see what the Coroner has to say about the drownings at Bass Coast beaches this summer,” Mr Jolly said.
“But sadly, it’s not just a problem here. I noticed on a trip to Mallacoota at the weekend, that there’s a problem with signage right along the coast and also with the limited amount of beach patrolling being done.
“It points to a lack of funding for surf lifesaving clubs to extend their patrols beyond the Australia Day weekend in many locations.
While some local beachgoers have raised doubts about people seeing signs as they visit local beaches, the only contemporary study of the impact of beach warning signs, by Dr Bernadette Matthews of the Aquatic Risk & Research department of Life Saving Victoria for the EPA in May 2013 reported that about 50% of people do notice the signs.
Their impact increases when effective warnings are combined with the use of symbols on signs clearly visible from a greater distance.
The sign erected at the entrance to Forrest Caves Beach ahead of the March Long Weekend meets that criteria whereas the signs in place on that fateful day in January this year, when four people lost their lives in a mass drowning, did not.
Spokesman for the family, Ankur Chhabra, told the ABC last week that if he had been aware of any danger at the beach, the family would not have gone there in the first place.
He was also critical of the emphasis on “no dogs” rather than the danger to people.
“Before the stairs going up, there was another yellow-coloured sign which said no dogs allowed or something. I just want to ask one thing, what's more important, dogs on the beach or saving somebody's life? So, what sign should be bigger?” Mr Chhabra said.
Now the “Warning: Swimming Not Advised – Rip Currents” sign is bigger than the “No Dogs Anytime” sign at Forrest Caves but what about at Kilcunda and other hazardous beaches along the Bass Coast, and South Gippsland for that matter.
Emergency call
Despite the relatively begign conditions at Forrest Caves on the weekend, an emergency call did go out about a beachgoer in difficulty at about 1.30pm. A spokesperson for the Woolamai Beach SLSC said they received an emergency call and raised the alarm but offered no further details.
An Ambulance Victoria paramedic and ambulance were despatched to the scene but the outcome of their response is not known.
Offshore winds made conditions for surfing in the area ideal, and reduced the dangers for swimmers.
