735 people drowned in Australian rivers, creeks and streams between 2002 and 2012. Rivers claimed more lives than any other aquatic location across the same period.

315 people drowned in Australian waterways between 1st July 2010 and 30th June 2011. Drowning deaths across Australia have increased for the third year in a row and have jumped 11% on the 5 year average.

A horror year for drowning which claimed 302 Australian lives has prompted urgent calls from the Royal Life Saving Society - Australia for increased parental awareness, a greater emphasis on swimming and water safety education, and extreme caution when swimming in rivers, lakes and dams to halt the rising death toll. In the 12 months...