Belgravia Leisure partners with Life Saving Victoria for the Bush Nippers Program, championing water safety education.

In the sunshine on the Porepunkah River Pool, Belgravia Leisure has once again proudly partnered with Life Saving Victoria (LSV) to facilitate the Bush Nippers program, offering invaluable water safety knowledge to approximately 50 local children.

Under the expert guidance of Claude Vaunt from LSV’s education team, young participants, ranging from 5 to 13 years old, delved into a comprehensive two-hour session. The session included crucial skills such as survival swimming, board paddling, handling safety equipment, and identifying inland waterway conditions and risks.

Image via The Alpine Observer: (From left) Five-year-olds Greta Mason, Zahlia Bendle, Mika Jeremy, Lenny Harrison, Zoe Trevena and Violet Foster with Claude Vaunt from Life Saving Victoria. Photo: Brodie Everist.

Jake Goddard, our Area Manager for Victoria (Indigo & Alpine), explained how we worked with LSV to find areas to hold the Bush Nippers program, including in Beechworth last year.

“We had great success in Beechworth and I think that flowed on to having our first year down here at Porepunkah,” Jake said.

“Inland water is where the majority of the drownings and incidents occur, so if we can prevent that, or provide as much education as we can, that’s a good start.”

Our proactive approach to water safety yielded tangible results, with a nearly 50 per cent decrease in rescue incidents at the Bright Pool compared to the previous summer season.

Jake attributed this positive trend to programs such as Bush Nippers, which equip children with essential knowledge and promote more cautious behaviours around water bodies.

In partnership with LSV, we are planning to hold similar classes in the future, with hopes of doubling participation numbers next year.

We are committed to promoting water safety and empowering our communities to enjoy recreational activities responsibly, fostering a culture of vigilance and preparedness around inland waterways.

Read more from Claude Vaunt and local resident Melissa Noble in the Apline Observer here.

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