Haunted by the past: Peter Wright watches over the waterway where he has retrieved dozens of bodies.
“If in trouble in the river, try to keep calm and let the river take you, and if you just focus on keeping your head above the water you will eventually reach land or a fallen tree, which will give you something to hold on to.”
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These are the words of advice from Peter Wright, Order of Australia recipient and a 40-year veteran of the NSW Volunteer Rescue Association.
For decades Mr Wright worked as a recovery diver in operations in the Murray River near Echuca, Cobram, Tocumwal, Albury and Corowa.
In his time, he has retrieved dozens of drowning victims, and calculates 95 per cent of them need not have died.
Mr Wright believes that, when it comes to drownings in the Murray, complacency, overconfidence and underestimating the risks all play a part.
The Murray, though beautiful on the surface, can be deceptive, with cold temperatures, dangerous undercurrents and submerged objects all posing a risk to swimmers.
Though alcohol plays a part in some cases, Mr Wright says panic is often the ultimate killer.
“Once they get into trouble, they (people) think they need to swim to the bank or against the current and they physically exhaust themselves and then drown,” Mr Wright said.
As most rivers such as the Murray are not watched by lifeguards, those who do find themselves in trouble often have no help on hand.
Beautiful but deadly: The Murray, a popular spot for swimmers, holds many hidden dangers.
Photo by
Geoff Adams
Consequently, with warm weather fast approaching and with locals inevitably migrating to places such as the Murray River to relax, being able to swim is as important as ever.
According to the Royal Life Saving Society, the 2021-22 summer saw a 30 per cent increase in drowning deaths across Australia.
Deaths among those aged between 35 and 64 are on the rise.
Males are four times more likely to drown than females.
Mr Wright says learning to swim and wearing a lifejacket if doubtful about one’s swimming ability are crucial.
And parents must always supervise their children.
“Supervision isn’t being somewhere near water activities, supervision with children always mean eyes on the children. A child can drown in seconds,” Mr Wright said.
This message of properly supervising children in water is seconded by Shania Forster, who has overseen the pools at Shepparton’s Aquamoves without major incident as the work group officer — operations for the past five years.
“Children under 10 should be actively supervised, which means always within eyesight, and children under five must be in arm’s length of a parent,” Ms Forster said.
And Ms Forster emphasises that supervision means 100 per cent unbroken observation, with no phones or other distractions.
Ms Forster is also a strong believer that swimming lessons at public facilities such as Aquamoves are the best way to avert tragedy while also being a fun way to learn crucial life skills.
"I believe learning to swim is a massive skill, a very important skill that all children should have,” she said.
And learning to swim isn’t just for children, with facilities such as Aquamoves holding adult-only classes.
And ultimately if you do find yourself at the Murray during the warmer weather, Mr Wright says to follow one golden rule:
