My Thoughts on the 2025 National Drowning Report

Why the Numbers Matter — and What We Can Do in Ballarat and Beyond

This week, Royal Life Saving Australia released its 2025 National Drowning Report, and it’s a confronting read. (you can read the report for yourself here)

Over the past 12 months (July 2024 to June 2025), 357 people drowned across Australia — the highest number in nearly 30 years of recorded data. That’s a 27% increase on the 10-year average, and it’s a stark reminder that water safety must remain a national priority.

But while some of the figures are troubling, others show that what we’re doing is working — particularly around pool safety in the home.

🔍 Key Takeaways from the 2025 Report:

Drowning deaths in children aged 0–4 are down by 21%, with only 15 fatalities recorded. This is the lowest in years — and a clear sign that residential pool barriers and fencing laws are working.
Tragically, drownings among older adults (65+) are rising sharply — now accounting for one-third of all fatalities. For those 75 and over, deaths have increased by 63% compared to the average.
Inland waterways and coastal areas remain the deadliest locations, accounting for more than 75% of all drownings.
There’s growing concern that Australians' swimming ability is declining — especially among young children. Nearly 50% of primary school kids are not meeting basic water safety standards.

💬 My Reflections: The Good, the Bad, and the Urgent

✅ Residential Pool Fencing Is Working

As a pool inspector, this is one area where I see firsthand the real-world impact of regulation and education.

The drop in 0–4-year-old drowning deaths is no coincidence — it’s the direct result of strong pool fencing laws, consistent inspections, and better public awareness. In Ballarat and across Victoria, these efforts are keeping children safer in backyards every day.

It’s a reassuring reminder that compliance saves lives — and that we need to stay vigilant in maintaining those standards.

⚠️ Older Adults and Supervision Gaps

On the flip side, the report shows a worrying trend with older adults — many of whom are entering the water without strong swimming skills, or misjudging their capabilities. Add in health issues or limited mobility, and the risk increases significantly.

And this doesn’t just apply to beaches or rivers — many of these deaths happen in familiar settings like home pools or local waterways.

🧠 Swimming Skills Are Slipping

The data also reveals what many in the industry have feared: our national swimming ability is declining. Reduced access to lessons, affordability challenges, and post-COVID disruptions mean more children (and adults) are in the water without essential survival skills.

This makes supervision more important than ever — especially in backyards and unpatrolled environments where accidents happen quickly and silently.

👀 Accountability Saves Lives: Enter the Water Watcher Card

One simple but powerful tool we recommend — especially in light of these findings — is using a Water Watcher card.

These cards are designed to do one thing: make supervision clear, consistent, and accountable.

At any backyard gathering or family swim, one adult wears the card and takes on the role of the dedicated “Water Watcher.”
No distractions. No assumptions. Everyone else knows who’s watching the pool.

When that person needs a break, they hand the card to the next responsible adult. It’s simple, affordable, and backed by leading water safety organisations as a proven strategy.

👉 You can buy your Water Watcher card here on our website — it’s a small step that could prevent a tragedy.

This tool directly addresses two key risks from the report:

Supervision gaps (particularly for older adults and kids with low swim ability)
The increased need for vigilance as water safety skills decline across all age groups

🏡 So, What Can We Do in Ballarat and Country Vic?

Issue	Local Action
Young children	Keep up with pool fencing inspections, barrier maintenance, and close supervision. The drop in fatalities shows it’s working.
Older adults	Promote safer swim environments, water fitness programs, and raise awareness of age-related risks.
Inland & coastal risks	Stick to patrolled areas, understand the risks of rivers/dams, and teach families about safe water behaviours.
Low swimming ability	Support access to lessons — and supervise with clear accountability using Water Watcher cards.

🧭 Final Thoughts

The drowning numbers this year are a wake-up call — but not a hopeless one.

We can take real pride in the improvements we’ve made for young children around residential pools. That’s proof that when the right systems are in place, lives are saved.

But we can’t afford to ease up. The challenges ahead — with older Australians, supervision, and swimming education — require the same level of community attention and action.

Let’s keep the momentum going here in Ballarat, Bendigo, Melton and around Country Victoria!.