Active supervision required at the Bluewater Lagoon

With records crowds attending the Bluewater Lagoon these school holidays, council is calling on residents and visitors to the region to have fun but supervise your children at the free family-friendly facility.

More than 10,000 visitors per week have visited the Bluewater Lagoon during the December/January school holiday period. In the week of Monday 2 January to Sunday 8 January more than 18,000 visitors attended the Lagoon.

Health, Sport and Recreation portfolio councillor Paul Steindl said with so many people visiting the Bluewater Lagoon it’s important that people are safe and responsible.

“Behaviour during the school holidays has been very positive so far, with limited incidents. To continue to let everyone cool down and splash around we need people to be responsible and safe at all times.”

MRC encourages “active supervision” at its five aquatic facilities in accordance with Royal Life Saving Society Australia’s Keep Watch @ Public Pools program, which consists of four elements:

1. Be prepared – ensure you have everything you need before getting into the water, such as towels, sunscreen and dry clothes
2. Be close – always be within arms’ reach of your child
3. All of your attention – focus all of your attention on your child and get into the water and talk and play with them
4. All of the time – you should never leave your child alone in the water, nor should they be left in the care of an older child or lifeguard at a public pool

Cr Steindl said while our lifesavers provide an important safety role, they are not intended or able to replace direct supervision by parents/guardians.

“The role of the lifeguards is to supervise the safety of all patrons and oversee the safe operation of the facility, not to supervise specific children one on one.”

The Bluewater Lagoon forms a key part of Mackay’s Bluewater Trail – the national award winning recreational loop located around Mackay’s CBD.

The Lagoon features a three-tiered lagoon facility, upper lagoon for competent swimmers/adults, middle lagoon for families, average depth and kid’s lagoon for young children and parents/guardians, shallow depth. There is also two free electric BBQ facilities available, shade provisions, amenities, a19.5m waterslide, interactive waterplay equipment, disabled and elderly access, Burl’s Bluewater Lagoon Cafe and free sunscreen.

The Bluewater Lagoon is open from 9am to 5.45pm, seven days a week.

For further information on the Bluewater Lagoon or council’s aquatic facilities please visit council’s website

Contact: Mackay Regional Council

Phone: 1300 MACKAY (1300 622 529)