More than 230 people have been rescued off Victoria’s beaches since the start of the summer lifeguard patrol season, with more than half of those brought to shore since Christmas Day.
The high number of rescues has prompted urgent warnings from Life Saving Victoria after lifeguards and lifesavers rescued 21 beachgoers on Friday.
A father and his young son were pulled from the waters at Venus Bay at South Gippsland, with the boy later flown to the Royal Children’s Hospital for treatment.
The beach was shut down while lifeguards responded to incidents.
Within an hour, another three people at an unpatrolled beach a couple of kilometres away had to be rescued by paramedics and lifeguards….