Whyalla Mayor Clare McLaughlin, left, and Inspector Mark Hubbard are joining forces to help educate the public on the potentially fatal consequences of jetty jumping. Photo courtesy Whyalla News
Whyalla’s spectacular new jetty is a showpiece for the city that has attracted global attention since its opening two weeks ago.
The jetty’s balustrades ensure the public are safe when using the facility as it was designed – for walking and fishing – but the safety of those choosing to jump from the jetty is at serious risk. Whyalla City Council and Whyalla Police are therefore working together to educate the community on the potentially fatal dangers of jetty jumping.
Whyalla Mayor Clare McLaughlin said the jetty was one of the few in the state that was completely barricaded around its entire perimeter, and had received safety approval from the State Government through the Department for Infrastructure and Transport.
“Despite the extensive safety-related measures and approvals that are in place, unfortunately no amount of equipment can prevent the extreme consequences of this reckless activity,” Ms McLaughlin said.
“The new jetty is one-and-a-half metres taller than the previous jetty, and changing tides mean the water can become quite shallow, so jumping from the jetty has the potential to cause serious injury or death.
“We therefore urge all residents to heed our warnings and use the jetty responsibly. We just hope it doesn’t take the extreme case of a family losing a loved one for this message to sink in.”
Inspector Mark Hubbard echoed Ms McLaughlin’s sentiments, as well as reminding the community that this practice is not only extremely dangerous, but also carries a potential fine of close to $200.
“This is a spectacular facility that is already attracting tourists and visitors to our city, so it’s a great asset for Whyalla,” Inspector Hubbard said.
“However, this irresponsible behaviour is quite concerning to us, which is why we’re working with council to educate the public on the potential consequences.
“We are undertaking regular patrols of the area to help discourage the behaviour and will not hesitate to report any individuals caught jetty jumping to council, who will issue notices for the by-law breach.”
Ms McLaughlin said more signage was being installed on the jetty to warn against the practice, and also encouraged all residents to educate others to help prevent a serious incident.
“We have begun working with schools to ensure they’re educating their students on how to use the jetty responsibly and the consequences that come from at-risk behaviour,” she said.
“The jetty is already world-renowned for its spectacularly unique design, so we encourage everyone to enjoy it, but to ensure they are doing so safely.”