Living in the Northern Territory means living close to water. From backyard pools and community aquatic centres to rivers, creeks and the coast, water is part of everyday life. It brings connection, relief from the heat, and opportunities for families to spend time together. But it also comes with real risk, especially for young children.
The Royal Life Saving Society Australia Keep Watch campaign is a national initiative focused on preventing drowning in children under five. It shares a simple but powerful message. Kids are naturally drawn to water, but they do not understand the danger. That responsibility sits with adults. (Royal Life Saving Society – Australia)
In the Northern Territory, water is everywhere. It is not just pools. It is waterholes, floodways, backyard inflatable pools, and everyday bath time at home. Drowning can happen quickly and quietly, often during a brief lapse in supervision.
Across Australia, young children remain one of the most at-risk groups, with most incidents linked to a lack of active supervision.
For families in the NT, where outdoor living is part of the lifestyle, these risks are amplified.
That is why consistent messaging and community awareness through programs like Keep Watch are so important.
SUPERVISE
Always actively supervise children when they are in or near water. This means eyes on and attention focused. Even a moment of distraction can be enough for an incident to occur.
RESTRICT
Limit access to water when it is not in use. This includes pool fencing, secure gates, and removing hazards like buckets or eskies filled with water. In many drowning incidents, children gain access to water without an adult noticing.
TEACH
Help children become water aware from an early age. Swimming lessons and water safety education build confidence, but they do not replace supervision.
Ellie – Learn to Swim Coordinator
“Swimming lessons are about alot more then just learning strokes. Swim teachers teach children how to stay calm, feel confident and trust what they have learnt. The confidence is the most important part of learning and makes all the difference in an unexpected situation”
RESPOND
Learn CPR and know what to do in an emergency. Immediate action can save a life. Many children survive because a parent or carer knew how to respond quickly.
Aquatic facilities across the Northern Territory play a critical role in supporting water safety.
Lifeguards, swim teachers, and program staff are often the first line of education for families. They reinforce supervision, teach safe behaviours, and create environments where children can build skills safely.
Ellie shares “Confidence in the water isn’t built in just one lesson. It comes from repetition, trust and small wins – that is what we work towards in our swimming lessons and what helps keep kids’ safer long term”.
At the same time, public pools are one of the safest aquatic environments in Australia due to trained supervision and safety systems. This makes them a vital part of drowning prevention efforts.
One of the most important messages from Keep Watch is that no single action is enough on its own. Supervision, barriers, education and emergency response all work together.
If one layer fails, another can step in.
This layered approach is especially important in the NT, where water environments can vary widely and conditions can change quickly.
Water safety is not just about rules. It is about culture.
It is about:
Programs like Keep Watch have helped reduce drowning rates over time by building awareness and changing behaviours. (Australian Water Safety Council)
In the Northern Territory, water is part of who we are. So is looking out for each other.
Whether it is a quick dip after school, a weekend at the pool, or time spent near water during the wet season, the message stays the same.
Keep Watch.
