Many people ‘unfamiliar’ with how strong Australian currents can be

Royal Life Saving CEO Justin Scarr says 40 per cent of drownings across the Christmas and New Year’s period are people who are born overseas. With summer well underway, Royal Life Saving is reminding everyone to make safety a priority during the festive season to prevent more lives from being lost. Data shows the week between Christmas Day and New Year's Day is the deadliest time of year for drowning in Australia. “These are people that are enjoying the water but are perhaps unfamiliar with just how strong our currents in rivers and lakes and also on beaches can be,” Mr Scarr said.