weekender the western Friday, February 4, 2022 • FREE
INSIDE Try your luck at our puzzles and crosswords Pages 46-48
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WEIR WARNING New signage in place this week. Photo: Melinda Jane.
An ambulance at the Weir on Sunday. Photo: Megan Dunn.
The conditions at the Weir on Sunday. Photo: Megan Dunn.
A spokesperson for WaterNSW, the authority ultimately responsible for the weir, said it discovered the buoys were damaged on January 25 and immediate steps were taken to arrange their replacement. “WaterNSW is co-operating with relevant authorities and NSW Police in relation to recent serious boating incidents on the Nepean River weir at Penrith,” the spokesperson said.
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“At the request of police, water releases from Warragamba Dam have been reduced to assist in the recovery of the watercraft involved in the weekend incident.” It is understood that monthly checks confirmed the buoys were in place in November and December, but not on January 25 – a day before the fatal Australia Day incident.
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ew temporary warning signage and water marker buoys have been hastily installed after serious concerns were raised about safety on the Nepean River at Penrith Weir. The response comes after a 33-year-old
woman died in a boating accident on Australia Day and just days later another five people had to be winched to safety, when their boat also hit the weir and capsized. The accidents prompted an at times farcical blame game this week as various bodies argued over who was responsible for the missing buoys and signage, which are intended to warn people about the dangerous weir.
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The capsized boat on Australia Day. Photo: Channel Seven.