Changes are on the way for the heritage-listed Eastern Beach precinct to make the area safer for locals and visitors.
This cherished destination along the north-facing Corio Bay welcomes more than 250,000 visitors each summer.
Between 2004 and 2024, there were 50 drowning fatalities in our municipality, representing more than triple the average of Victorian local government areas. The Eastern Beach precinct is identified as a high-risk area and 'drowning blackspot' by Life Saving Victoria (LSV).
The Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action (DEECA) is land manager of the site and requested the City, as operator, to investigate short- and long-term actions to improve safety.
Our safety and management review, based on a methodical and evidence-based assessment of the precinct, makes a number of recommendations including:
- Continue lifeguard supervision of the children's pool and promenade from November to mid-April.
- Re-open the children's pool unsupervised from mid-April to October and overnight, with additional safety measures available such as an automatic external defibrillator, extra signage, more rescue equipment and an emergency marker. This will see the children's pool return to being open year-round.
- Continue the use of the rolling drum diving apparatuses as they're assessed as safe and suitable for ongoing use.
- Strengthen the structure of the central pontoon and undertake safety works to the viewing platform and decking.
- Undertake safety works on the diving tower with consideration to the roof structure, handrails and structure integrity.
- Permanently decommission all four diving boards (including the two that were decommissioned for the 2024-25 season) due to ongoing safety risks and unsafe swimmer behaviours.
- Updated lifeguard supervision hours to:
- 12pm - 5pm on weekends only between 1 November 2025 to 21 December 2025
- 10am - 5pm (pool) and 11am - 7pm (dive tower) every day between 21 December 2025 to 28 February 2026
- 12pm - 5pm weekends only between 1 March 2026 to 30 March 2026
- 12pm - 5pm every day during the Easter school holidays from 5 April 2026 to 19 April 2026
Greater Geelong Mayor Stretch Kontelj OAM
The City is committed to actioning all recommendations.The recommendations are informed by significant research, including safety and structural integrity reviews, workshops with LSV and Royal Life Saving Australia, a report on the precinct's drowning profile and feedback from 'Community Conversation' sessions with an early morning swimming group.
We know that there will be community members who have enjoyed using the diving boards over the years and will be disappointed by their permanent closure.
We recognise and understand their frustration; however, we won't waver on protecting the community.
These incoming changes and investigations will ensure that the Eastern Beach precinct is a safer place for swimmers of all skill levels.
Councillor Eddy Kontelj
The external reclassification of the children's pool from 'open waterway' to 'pool' and additional safety requirements meant the City had to close the pool when it was unsupervised late last year.We thank the community and stakeholders for sharing their feedback and patience as we worked to ensure our youngest community members were protected when using the children's pool.
Now that we have more safety measures being implemented for the upcoming summer season, we're excited to re-open the children's pool year-round.
I am positive the community will be thrilled with this, including quite a number of local athletes and sports clubs who reached out to us advising that they use the pool regularly for rehabilitation purposes.
