Hawkesbury residents and visitors are being urged to choose a pool for swimming this summer, as Council renews warnings about hidden dangers in the river.
Submerged objects, unpredictable currents and potentially poor water quality after heavy rain can make local waterways hazardous, even for experienced swimmers.
In its September river safety announcement, Hawkesbury City Council cited 90 drowning deaths in inland waterways across Australia over the preceding 12 months.
With warmer weather drawing more people outdoors, Council is continuing a multilingual campaign to help visitors and locals enjoy the Hawkesbury River safely.
Signs developed in consultation with Royal Life Saving NSW have been installed at popular riverside parks and recreation areas.
Visitors can scan a QR code with a smartphone to access safety information in Hindi, Punjabi, Simplified Chinese, Arabic and Filipino languages Council identified as the five most common non-English languages among visitors to the Hawkesbury.
The campaign encourages people to enjoy the river’s surroundings through activities such as walking and picnicking, while choosing a public pool when they want to swim.
Council says drownings have occurred in local waterways over the years, reinforcing the need to take river hazards seriously.
For those seeking somewhere to cool off, Hawkesbury Oasis Aquatic and Fitness Centre operates year-round. Richmond Swimming Centre reopened for the swimming season on September 26, according to Council’s announcement.
The message for summer is simple: enjoy the Hawkesbury’s riverside settings, understand the risks and plan a safer place to swim.
More information is available through Royal Life Saving’s Respect the River campaign.
