Drowning deaths in 2014/2015

KEY DROWNING FACTS

* 271 people drowned in Australian waterways in 2014/2015, an increase of five over the previous year but a 6 per cent reduction on the 10-year average of 288

* Eight out of 10 deaths were male

* One in 10 deaths were of children aged 0-4 years with slightly fewer deaths recorded in the 15-24 years category.

* A third of all deaths were of people aged 55 and over

* 99 deaths (37 per cent) occurred in inland waterways (rivers, creeks, streams, lakes, dams and lagoons)

* 55 occurred at beaches

* 36 occurred at ocean or harbour locations

* 63 people were swimming and or undertaking a recreational activity immediately before drowning

* 53 drowned as a result of accidents involving watercraft

* 43 drowned as a result of falling into water

STATE BY STATE

* 100 drowning deaths occurred in NSW, 62 in Queensland, 39 in Victoria and Western Australia, 17 in South Australia, 9 in Tasmania, 4 in the Northern Territory and 1 in the ACT.

(Source: Royal Life Saving Drowning Report 2015).