Tributes for hero mum who drowned trying to save child at Lake Victoria, Forge Creek

A hero mother who drowned trying to save a child in Gippsland has been remembered as a beautiful and amazing person as authorities warn swimmers to remain vigilant amid a deadly week in Victoria’s waterways.

Hero mum Josephine Williamson has been remembered as a beautiful and amazing person.

A hero mother who drowned trying to save a child in Gippsland has been remembered as a beautiful and amazing person.

Josephine Williamson was with her two young children and another child when one got into trouble at Lake Victoria in Forge Creek about 1pm on Saturday.

The 34-year-old went into the water to try to rescue the child but got into difficulty.

She was unable to be saved.

HERO MUM DROWNS TRYING TO SAVE CHILD AT LAKE VICTORIA

The tragedy came amid a deadly week in Victoria’s waterways, with five people drowning since Christmas Eve.

Mrs Williamson had a son, aged seven, and daughter, aged six.

Grief-stricken friends have described her death as a “huge loss”.

Kelly Patterson wrote on Facebook: “Such a beautiful person, the world is at a loss to lose such an amazing person. RIP Josephine xx”.

An online fundraiser for Mrs Williamson’s family attracted tributes from multiple friends.

Tracey Buckwell posted on the GoFundMe page: “A beautiful life ending too soon. Josie was a wonderful mum who loved and cherished her children. Always welcoming with her gorgeous smile and caring nature to all. She will be very sadly missed and remembered always.”

Mrs Williamson’s niece, Cristine Amancio, said her aunt was a “kind, generous, humble and loving person”.

“She helps her family and supports them financially as well,” she said.

She said Mrs Williamson had lived in Australia for the past eight years, after emigrating from Bohol in the Philippines.

Ms Amancio said the majority of her relatives were in the Philippines and had been rocked by the news.

“My grandmother (Josephine’s mother) was so sad she says she hopes that she died not her daughter.”

Josephine Williamson drowned trying to save a child in Gippsland. Picture: Greg Carter

Jan Pianta, principal of her self-titled school of dance where Mrs Williamson’s daughter attended ballet classes, described the mum as a “very quiet, soft hearted lady.”

“Josephine was a parent that would never miss a ballet class, she always supported (her daughter),” said Ms Pianta.

“We will get together and consider how we can help the husband and the two children. She will be sadly missed.”

Ms Pianta said that Mrs Williamson had displayed the “heart of a parent” by heroically jumping into the lake to save a life.

“You don’t even think about yourself, you dive straight in – it’s a child’s life that you’re thinking about, not yourself.”

Bairnsdale police sergeant John Hodder said Mrs Williamson had been trying to help the child when she died.

Police at Lake Victoria after Josephine Williamson drowned trying to save a child. Picture: Greg Carter

He said the children scrambled to shore but were unable to help the struggling woman.

“The children raised the alarm by running to her husband who was working on the farm property,” he said.

“He attended as soon as possible but his wife had drowned. He retrieved her body from the water.”

The woman is the fifth person to drown in Victoria in six days.

A father, 45, and son, 20, drowned in the surf at Phillip Island on Christmas Eve, while a younger brother, 11, managed to swim to shore.

On Christmas Day a 64-year-old man drowned while diving for abalone with a friend off Cape Schanck.

On Boxing Day, Indian tourist Harmanjot Singh Walia, 27, drowned in front of his wife and friends after being caught under a rock ledge at MacKenzie Falls near the Grampians.

The spate of deaths has sparked warnings for swimmers to remain vigilant near the water, as temperatures again soar this week.

Holiday-makers visiting beaches, lakes and rivers will be bombarded with water-safety messages online via social media in a ­radical move designed to prevent further tragedies.

The geo-targeted adverts will appear in languages including Arabic, Hindi, Malay, Chinese and Vietnamese.

Sgt Hodder said: “People need to be aware and not exceed their capabilities around the water.”

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