Dam users comment on safety signage after freak drowning
Stakeholders have spoken about the safety measures at Lake Tinaroo after a network of weeds may have led to a drowning at the weekend.
Cairns
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Any move to install new signs to warn of a dangerous network of underwater reeds at Lake Tinaroo would need to come from a coroner’s recommendation following a recent drowning at the weekend.
On Sunday a 49-year-old Atherton man was swimming at the dam with his two sons when the trio got into trouble 50m offshore at the Church St boat ramp.
Specialist police divers recovered the swimmer’s body on Monday afternoon just metres from where he slipped below the surface.
Regular user of the dam from the Tableland Fish Stocking Society, Ian Leighton said swimmer safety at that part of the dam needed to improve but he was not convinced signage warning of dangers below the surface was the way forward.
“People don’t read signs anymore,” he said.
“But there are so few places that people can swim in that dam between boat and jet skis, they really need an area for people to swim because it’s so dangerous with boats and jet skis.”
Mr Leighton said the weed growth seen clearly in drone photos of the area had popped up near the island almost overnight and though swimmers may take notice of signs “for a while” after the recent death, but he believed them to be unnecessary.
“Three or four weeks ago the (aquatic weed) were not there and with the hot weather that has grown very quickly,” he said.
Tinaroo Rural Fire Brigade captain Les Green said there were already signs warning of submerged objects as well as blue/green algae growth.
“I think this is a very unfortunate accident, because it has not been that high since 2019,” he said.
“Council normally mow around the boat ramp but they don’t mow around the island.
“I think this was a freak accident. I don’t know if SunWater can do anything else.”
State body Sunwater manages the Atherton Tablelands dam.
Management of the Tinaroo Falls dam is the responsibility of state government body, Sunwater.
It’s understood in the absence of an official report into the rare drowning event at the weekend the authority will not install new signs in the area of the Church St boat ramp.
“We are working closely with emergency services to ensure the response is managed in a safe and appropriate manner,” a spokesman said.
“Sunwater’s thoughts are with those affected by the tragic incident at Tinaroo Falls Dam.”
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Originally published as Dam users comment on safety signage after freak drowning
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