Police urge caution along the coast this summer

A PAIR of recent incidents along the Surf Coast’s coastline has prompted local police to urge residents and visitors to adhere to safer coastal practices ahead of the warmer and busier months.

A young boy fell into coastal bushland in late September near Torquay’s Esplanade and a search and rescue operation took place for an 11-year-old who went missing near Anglesea in early October.

Senior Sergeant Adrian Bickley at Torquay police said both instances were a reminder of how easily incidents could occur along the coastline.

“In regard to incidents where people go missing along the Surf Coast, our members are quite well trained in recovery tactics and utilising our policing resources.

“We also have other agencies such as SES, CFA and other policing areas we can reach out to for assistance.

“Police work closely with all significant agencies on the Surf Coast, including Council, the Great Ocean Road Coast and Parks Authority and Life Saving Victoria.”

Sergeant Bickley said a major focus for police this summer would be mitigating the risks of drowning and water-related incidents, with local officers undertaking frequent communications with local lifesaving clubs.

It was also announced last month that the Surf Coast would also receive an injection of additional police officers this summer, increasing the local police presence during peak visitor periods such as Schoolies and Christmas/New Year’s celebrations.

“We’ve been fortunate enough to get that increase in numbers, they’re still coming in at this point in time, but we’ve already seen an increase in staff in Torquay, Anglesea and Lorne,” Sergeant Bickley said.

“What this means for the communities, is they’re seeing additional policing coverage across the Surf Coast, more police on the roads and more police out there responding to jobs.”

In June, local police announced the installation of an interactive visual display board containing information regarding water safety in Lorne, supported by Surf Life Saving Australia.

The Smart Black Spot Beaches visual display board is located at the Lorne Visitor Information Centre and is the first of its type in Victoria.

The board is multilingual and provides information on recognising a rip and what to do if caught in one.

“Always be aware of your surroundings, read the signage along all the beaches in regard to rips and that kind of stuff,” Sergeant Bickley said.

“If people want to give us feedback, I’m more than happy to relay that to Life Saving Victoria, that’s a relationship we’re eager to continue improving.

“It can be tricky with tourists, who can sometimes not know the dangers of our coast, but that’s why we have the signage up.”