Child dies after being pulled from water in Nagambie

The mother of a five-year-old who drowned at Lake Nagambie has thanked paramedics, police and locals for their actions after the death of her “beautiful” girl.

A girl has drowned at Lake Nagambie.

The mother of a five-year-old girl who drowned in Lake Nagambie on Tuesday says her daughter was a beautiful individual who always made people smile.

The little girl, from Wendouree, was reported missing at Lake Nagambie about 2.20pm where she had been with family. She was found unresponsive in the water a short time later by a family member.

Emergency services tried to revive her but she died at the scene.

On Thursday, Rebecca Johns wrote to the Herald Sun to say: “I thank those of Nagambie for the support and flowers they have laid for my daughter.

“And very much thank all the police and paramedics that tried their best. They did an amazing job.

“She will be missed very much.

“Her name was Alison Johns. A very much-loved child.

“She played a big part in everyone’s lives.

Thank you to those that have laid and paid their respects to my daughter.

“It was truly a tragedy to lose her.”

Alison Johns, 5, tragically died at Lake Nagambie. Picture: Facebook

Nagambie locals say the little girl’s death has rocked the small community.

A mother who helped search for the little girl said her family was “totally heartbroken” over the tragic drowning.

Cheryl Mann was visiting Lake Nagambie with family members on Tuesday, seeking reprieve from the blistering heat, when the girl went missing.

“Our family is totally heartbroken for (the) tragic drowning of a little five-year-old girl that was swimming near us that we search frantically for this afternoon,” she wrote online.

“The pain I felt when I saw her lifeless body being carried from the water hit home.

“It’s something that will be with (the family) forever.

“Christmas will never be the same, poor little angel.”

Mrs Mann urged those visiting bodies of water to remain vigilant amid a spate of drownings across Victoria in recent days.

“Please please be constantly looking out for your kids and kids swimming near you, don’t take your eyes off them for one second and please wear a life jacket.”

Locals have begun to lay floral tributes at the lake just metres from where the girl’s body was recovered.

A floral tribute on Lake Nagambie where a five-year-old girl drowned. Picture: Ian Currie

One woman, who laid a bunch of flowers and wished not to be named, said it was a “tragic” couple of days for the community.

“It’s just so tragic, I really feel for the family,” she said.

“I was here when it happened and it was like watching your worst nightmare.

“The paramedics did an amazing job, they just kept going and going.”

Strathbogie councillor David Andrews told the Herald Sun that rocky terrain surrounding Lake Nagambie and the lake’s dark, murky water made it impossible to see what was in it, even during the day.

He said it was not the safest swimming spot for people who wanted to cool off amid sweltering temperatures on Tuesday.

“It is pretty rocky down there,” he said.

“It adds to the risk of swimming in dark waters.”

Lake Nagambie where a five-year-old girl tragically died. Picture: Ian Currie

Mr Andrews said those conditions, combined with debris and wreckage that remained after flooding lashed the area in October, could have hampered rescue efforts to save the little girl.

“You can’t even see your hand when it is six inches underwater. You just don’t know what’s down there,” he said.

Walking her dog around the lake, another woman, who wished not to be named, said there was an eerie feeling in the popular tourist town.

“You can just feel it, you can feel it as you walk along here,” she told the Herald Sun.

“As I’m walking around I can’t help but think ‘how can the family drive home without one of their children?’.

“It’s just so sad, there’s too much sadness in the world.”

The owner of a Nagambie takeaway shop claims to have served the family of the five-year-old girl just a short time before she drowned.

Tony Maroudas, who has owned Nagambie Fish & Chips for 18 years, said the family of “about five or six” placed a large order before a family member came back in tears an hour later.

“I’m very, very upset,” he told the Herald Sun at his High St shop.

“The family came in to order some food just before it happened.

“There was maybe five or six of them, then one of them came back an hour later full of tears.

“I asked them what happened and if they were OK, and she said one of them had drowned.

“I was upset — the whole town is — it’s something that has affected everyone.

“I heard the helicopter come along and heard (the news) on the radio.

“I wished the family all the best.”

Packenham teenager Nick Maan, 17, drowned at Mordialloc Beach on Boxing Day. Picture: Instagram

The tragedy comes after a series of other water incidents in recent days.

Four more people were rescued from beaches across the state on Tuesday afternoon and a further three people have drowned since Christmas Day.

On December 25, a 19-year-old St Albans man died after he and two friends were caught in a strong current near Lorne.

On Boxing Day two people died.

Nick Maan, 17, was caught in a suspected rip at Mordialloc Beach and was lost for 45 minutes before his body was found by rescue teams.

Another man, in his 30s, suffered a medical episode at Ebden while in Lake Hume with his dog. The man was taken to Albury Base Hospital, where he later died.

At least three other people were admitted to hospital in a serious condition after being pulled from the water on Boxing Day. Authorities have been out in force ­patrolling waterways over the holiday period.

Lifesavers have now performed nearly 50 rescues across the state since Christmas Day.

It comes amid warnings from water-safety experts that this year’s drowning toll is shockingly high.

Life Saving Victoria state agency commander Kane Treloar warned that dying wasn’t the only risk as some who were rescued could ­suffer lasting effects that also had an impact on loved ones.

“These are instances where people are going to go to hospital and their lives can be changed forever,” he said.

“There have been a number of incidents over the past couple of days that have caused us significant concern.

“And with a rising heatwave, the factors in relation to drowning right across the state of Victoria are continuing.

Water-safety experts have also expressed fears that not enough children are learning how to swim, with pandemic lockdowns one of the reasons being blamed.

Concerns have also been raised about whether the state government is meeting its commitment to have every student being able to competently swim 50m before finishing grade 6. After a campaign to mandate swimming standards for schoolchildren, the Herald Sun in 2016 revealed the ­Andrews government’s plan to teach children rescue skills and water safety.

The government introduced a Victorian Water Safety Certificate that remains active and is given to students who prove they can swim a continuous distance of 50m.

On Tuesday, a spokesman could not say how many had been issued.

LSV’s ­research and evaluation manager, Hannah Calverley, said the organisation was committed to “doing everything we can” to ensure every primary school student fulfilled the certificate’s requirements.

“We’re certainly doing our best to achieve that goal,” she said.

However, at the same time, there had been falling enrolment rates for private learn-to-swim lessons, as internal surveys revealed a “direct drop” in students taking classes.

“There is evidence to show the number of enrolments is declining,” Dr Calverley said.

“This summer is a timely ­reminder that water safety should be the No.1 priority.”

Children faced several years of missed learning when swimming lessons were cancelled during Victoria’s Covid-19 lockdowns.

Royal Life Saving Australia’s national research and policy manager, Stacey Pidgeon, said this left children of all ages at an increased risk.

“Royal Life Saving is pleased that children are returning to swimming lessons. However, we are most concerned about any aged seven to 12 who likely had lessons cancelled and haven’t ­returned,” she said.

Originally published as Child dies after being pulled from water in Nagambie