Shire and Surfing Victoria urge social distancing over Anzac Day weekend

THE Surf Coast Shire council and Surfing Victoria are urging people to adhere to social distancing rules this Anzac Day weekend.

All Anzac memorials in the shire were temporarily closed today (Friday, April 24) afternoon and will not open until noon tomorrow (Saturday, April 25).

Surfing Victoria has also placed signs at Bells Beach, Winkipop, Jan Juc, Torquay, Point Impossible and 13th Beach to remind surfers to spread out over the Anzac Day weekend.

“All dawn service ceremonies across the Surf Coast Shire have been cancelled this year, including the iconic Point Danger event in Torquay, which, in previous years, has attracted crowds of up to 10,000 people,” shire mayor Rose Hodge said.

“We’re asking people to please stay away from these areas this weekend.”

Statistical modelling has revealed that if people hadn’t been so vigilant with social distancing, Victoria would now be facing 58,000 new COVID-19 cases each day.

“Surf Coast Shire residents and visitors should be very proud of what we have achieved so far and the low number of new cases in Victoria is a direct result of their social distancing efforts,” Cr Hodge said “But, please don’t misunderstand how little it takes for the virus to spread and the curve to steepen again.”

Surfing Victoria chief executive officer Adam Robertson agreed, adding that surfers were traditionally happy-go-lucky, but now was not the time to be complacent or to lessen our efforts.

“We’re urging surfers to do the right thing not just to keep beaches open for the sport, but also because social distancing is working and we want to come out of this sooner rather than later.”

Surfing’s national body has also issued a directorate to surfers, with an eight-step advice list during COVID-19, including:

• Surfing only the surf break closest to your home
• Preparing by putting on your wetsuit and waxing your board before you leave home
• Not surfing if the spot is overcrowded
• Taking it in turns rather than paddling back to the peak after catching a wave, and
• Heading home to change out of your wetsuit.

People who are doing other outdoor exercising, such as trail running, kayaking, stand up paddle-boarding, walking and ocean swimming are also urged to adhere to strict social distancing restrictions during this time, including limiting the surfaces touched while outdoors and sticking close to home.

“More rangers will be on patrol this weekend, as well as Victoria Police,” Cr Hodge said. “Last weekend, there was a worrying slide backwards with public gatherings observed at local beaches and open spaces. This weekend we need to do better.”

To report a social distancing breach, please contact the Victoria Police COVID-19 hotline on 13 22 15.