Safety Meeting at Hill 60 Tomorrow

[wazatherfisherman]

There is a safety meeting tomorrow at Hill 60 

In the past month five (5) people have tragically lost their lives while rock fishing at Hill 60 Port Kembla. A community engagement will be held at this location from 3pm to 6pm on Friday 26 February 2021 to offer advice and educational tips on rock fishing safety.

The community engagement is a collaborative approach with stake holders including; officers from Lake Illawarra Police, NSWPF Marine Area Command, NSWPF Multi-Cultural Liaison Officers, Transport for NSW – Maritime, Department of Primary Industries – Fisheries, Surf Life Saving, and Wollongong Local Council.

This holistic approach to rock fishing safety will involve these key messages:

• Always wear an approved life jacket

• Stay alert to the weather conditions

• Plan an escape route if you are in danger

• Never turn your back on the ocean

• Wear appropriate non-slip footwear and light clothing

• Don’t enter the water if someone is washed in - call 000 or go and get help

• Never fish alone

[noelm]

I heard about this on the news yesterday, can't hurt I guess.

[frankS]

I believe it's a great idea, but do wonder about the timing, Friday ? why not on the week end ? very short notice.

While I agree that this should be done as soon as possible I also think that people should be given more notice so they can prepare to go to the meeting.

In the end IF it saves lives it is very worth while.

Frank

[noelm]

8 hours ago, wazatherfisherman said:

There is a safety meeting tomorrow at Hill 60 

In the past month five (5) people have tragically lost their lives while rock fishing at Hill 60 Port Kembla. A community engagement will be held at this location from 3pm to 6pm on Friday 26 February 2021 to offer advice and educational tips on rock fishing safety.

The community engagement is a collaborative approach with stake holders including; officers from Lake Illawarra Police, NSWPF Marine Area Command, NSWPF Multi-Cultural Liaison Officers, Transport for NSW – Maritime, Department of Primary Industries – Fisheries, Surf Life Saving, and Wollongong Local Council.

This holistic approach to rock fishing safety will involve these key messages:

• Always wear an approved life jacket

• Stay alert to the weather conditions

• Plan an escape route if you are in danger

• Never turn your back on the ocean

• Wear appropriate non-slip footwear and light clothing

• Don’t enter the water if someone is washed in - call 000 or go and get help

• Never fish alone

Without trying to play down the importance of all those things, they are pretty well common sense, how do you talk common sense into someone? I am all for this, please don't take it the wrong way, if only 1 life is saved, it's worth it.

[Rebel]

I hope there are people there that can be educated.

[Burger]

Wondering if there are any experienced Rock Fishers among those involved with the meeting . . . 

If it saves a life it will have done some good.

Randwick Council ran a bunch of Rockishing education sessions funded by the State Govt (I believe) and had Alex Bellisimo and from memory a rep from RFA (Malcolm Poole?) do presentations.

Was worth attending.

Edited February 25, 2021 by Burger

[GoingFishing]

1 hour ago, noelm said:

Without trying to play down the importance of all those things, they are pretty well common sense, how do you talk common sense into someone? I am all for this, please don't take it the wrong way, if only 1 life is saved, it's worth it.

You must live a sad miserable life having such little faith in people.

Common sense can be taught. Stop being a dinosaur

[noelm]

You're missing what I am saying (typing) those "common sense" thoughts have been around for ever and a day, have been advertised, regurgitated, sign posted and repeated many, many times, yet...here we are.

[wazatherfisherman]

Agree with Frank, I posted this immediately after I saw it around midnight. Doesn't give enough time for those interested to get organised to go. The organisers should run it Friday, Saturday and Sunday if they want it to get to as many users of the area as possible. Perhaps they will yet. It certainly isn't just a local issue as people travel there from further afield

[noelm]

2 hours ago, wazatherfisherman said:

Agree with Frank, I posted this immediately after I saw it around midnight. Doesn't give enough time for those interested to get organised to go. The organisers should run it Friday, Saturday and Sunday if they want it to get to as many users of the area as possible. Perhaps they will yet. It certainly isn't just a local issue as people travel there from further afield

This is the biggest issue, almost all people who fish there are not locals, the greatest percentage come from western Sydney, I doubt any of those people will be there.

[wazatherfisherman]

21 minutes ago, noelm said:

This is the biggest issue, almost all people who fish there are not locals, the greatest percentage come from western Sydney, I doubt any of those people will be there.

Surely the authorities know this and will arrange for more of these events, especially at somewhere like Hill 60 that draws fishers from far and wide.

A saturation campaign over a few consecutive weekends might be a more successful approach, sure it would be at a cost to the authorities, but it would have to be better than rescuing those washed in

[Rebel]

I believe you have to educate the Authorities.

It took a long time to educate the Council on the Central Coast to do something. They blamed the NSW Government.

Cheers.

[noelm]

It's easy to point fingers at problems, but in the end, the last finger pointed is at "us" the fishers, there is signs, more would be good, there is a life ring on the rocks there, and it's not exactly a secret that many have lost their life there, yet, people still go, still get knocked over, still get washed in and still perish.

[wazatherfisherman]

46 minutes ago, noelm said:

It's easy to point fingers at problems, but in the end, the last finger pointed is at "us" the fishers, there is signs, more would be good, there is a life ring on the rocks there, and it's not exactly a secret that many have lost their life there, yet, people still go, still get knocked over, still get washed in and still perish.

Let's all hope that they increase the number of these info sessions as this has been an age old problem and education seems to be the only solution, as signage isn't effective.

[Rebel]

We have signs here on the Coast,written in all languages, but the visitors don't read them. Some don't know what a life jacket is.

[Tunastrike11]

3 hours ago, noelm said:

It's easy to point fingers at problems, but in the end, the last finger pointed is at "us" the fishers, there is signs, more would be good, there is a life ring on the rocks there, and it's not exactly a secret that many have lost their life there, yet, people still go, still get knocked over, still get washed in and still perish.

Yes its a difficult thing i have told people to go home many times at hill60 but it falls on deaf ears. One thing i have learnt over many years of fishing is that the ocean is a very dangerous place to be in or on or near.

[61 crusher]

4 hours ago, wazatherfisherman said:

A saturation campaign over a few consecutive weekends might be a more successful approach, sure it would be at a cost to the authorities, but it would have to be better than rescuing those washed in

Totally agree with you Waza

Up here on C Coast particularly the Avoca platform the life jackets are now worn by most of the non locals

I feel it’s not the only solution as to many of them are wearing improper clothing (tracksuit pants & heavy jackets),improper footwear or turning there back to the sea while standing to close to the edge, even using short rods (less than 6 foot)

Understanding the inherent dangers & being appropriately dressed for fishing the ocean rocks & knowing when it is to risky to wet a line will definitely help towards less fatalities 

[Yowie]

10 hours ago, GoingFishing said:

You must live a sad miserable life having such little faith in people.

Common sense can be taught. 

As a retired detective, I have had many conversations with people from non-english speaking backgrounds (Asian, Arabic, South American, Sub-Continent, etc) and they do not understand, or do not want to follow, the dangers of rock fishing, or swimming in rough surf.

Their objective in many cases, is to go fishing, catch fish, feed the family. Aspects of safety are not always thought about as the primary objective, only to provide the family with food.

You may not agree with me, however, I have spoken to people from many countries around the world regarding different things in life, and they differ considerably from the average Aussie ( i.e. from an english speaking background). I am not being racist, this is the difference between various nationalities/religions/cultures. This is my opinion, and I won't be changing it. 

 

[savit]

3 hours ago, Yowie said:

As a retired detective, I have had many conversations with people from non-english speaking backgrounds (Asian, Arabic, South American, Sub-Continent, etc) and they do not understand, or do not want to follow, the dangers of rock fishing, or swimming in rough surf.

Their objective in many cases, is to go fishing, catch fish, feed the family. Aspects of safety are not always thought about as the primary objective, only to provide the family with food.

You may not agree with me, however, I have spoken to people from many countries around the world regarding different things in life, and they differ considerably from the average Aussie ( i.e. from an english speaking background). I am not being racist, this is the difference between various nationalities/religions/cultures. This is my opinion, and I won't be changing it. 

 

Totally agree with you Yowie.  I am not a detective, however worked remotely or overseas with people from all continents 'in their own natural habitat'. Cultural differences can be large, even sometimes  opposite.  As an example, no matter what company policy states - at Aussie white-collar workplace -  people can joke about religion, at European one - about gays. Never heard (and hardly can imagine) the opposite.

But the problem of this society  is that you feel that you have to tell that you are not a racist just to mention differences between people of other background, same as from me - expected to have minimum accent (english is neither my first nor second, and I have serious doubts about the third language) and behave like 'average Aussie' at work. 

There are also big differences in fishing education and regulations . E.g. in Germany you had to pay and take 2 days course and then pass the exam to get a fishing license, in Switzerland you had to report all caught fish each time (for restocking purposes) on top of 1 day course and exam, in Australia you just pay a few bucks for a fishing license (in half of states - for free) and then complain that the government did not put enough 'danger' signs in 20+ languages in 8 size font.

[kingie chaser]

Someone did say what I like to do could be a bit dangerous at times.............................................

 

 

 

Maybe thats the attraction.................................🤨

[SquibblyDibbly]

Is there a more sheltered rock ledge somewhere near hill 60?

Part of it must be the day trippers coming down from Sydney for the day and deciding to give it a go despite bad conditions because they have gone to so much effort.

[Yowie]

47 minutes ago, SquibblyDibbly said:

Is there a more sheltered rock ledge somewhere near hill 60?

Part of it must be the day trippers coming down from Sydney for the day and deciding to give it a go despite bad conditions because they have gone to so much effort.

Travel the distance, so give it a go, and hope you don't go in.

[Yowie]

7 hours ago, savit said:

But the problem of this society  is that you feel that you have to tell that you are not a racist just to mention differences between people of other background, 

 

So many people get offended now about some small thing, you are accused of being racist, intolerant, biased, BUT, some of these people dish it out to others and expect/demand their views only matter.

As for me - I say there is no point in having an opinion, and not telling anyone else about it. 🤣

[Green Hornet]

So, this meeting was held yesterday afternoon and there was a snippet of it on Wollongong's evening TV news.

From what I could see, as predicted there was noone in attendance and the relevant authorities were standing around chatting amongst themselves.

Going by some Illawarra fishing groups on FB that I follow, very few were aware this meeting was being held and the consensus is it was poorly timed as the vast majority of accidents and fatalities are by visitors from Sydney's west. 

Apparently authorities are preparing to reopen North Wall at Port Kembla to fishing, which I believe is fishable in similar conditions to Hill 60, but much safer.

I also believe North Wall was originally closed to fishing due the the amount of rubbish fishers left there, so it will be interesting to see how this pans out.

[noelm]

5 hours ago, SquibblyDibbly said:

Is there a more sheltered rock ledge somewhere near hill 60?

Part of it must be the day trippers coming down from Sydney for the day and deciding to give it a go despite bad conditions because they have gone to so much effort.

Read the other thread about the place, the ledge everyone fishes is great, low, flat and deep water at your feet, that's why everyone fishes there, but, as I pointed out, it's very shape makes it a death trap for the unwary.