A 36-year-old Bathurst man died after the kayak he and his five-year-old daughter were using upturned just after 7pm on Saturday night.

While the man managed to save his daughter, he failed to resurface and was eventually pulled from the water around 9pm.

Royal Life Saving NSW operations manager Michael Ilinsky said it was a tragic reminder that too many people are complacent about their own safety when at the state’s rivers, creeks, streams, lakes, dams and lagoons.

Of the 266 people who drowned across Australia last financial year, 105 (39 per cent) died at inland waterways.

He said too many people mistakenly believe they are safer swimming at inland waterways than at pools and beaches.

On Sunday police confirmed the father and his daughter were not wearing lifejackets and were in water 3.5 to four metres deep when the incident occurred.

Mr Ilinsky said wearing lifejackets is vital when using boats and watercraft on any water source.

“It’s not law, it’s an issue of choice, but when you get a five-year-old child in deep water it should be one of the first things you think about,” he said.

Mr Ilinsky said inland waterways often have muddy or unstable banks, and temperatures can vary greatly between upper and lower water levels.

“The nature of the water can often be unpredictable due to temperature fluctuations, and this can create movement patterns,” he said.

While the cause of the man’s death is yet to be determined, Mr Ilinsky said the cold waters of Chifley Dam would have been a contributing factor. He said people need to ensure there is “active supervision” of their children near any waterway.

“The best place to be when your child is in the water is in there along with them ... don’t think that someone else is watching them,” he said.

“When it comes to our inland waterways we don’t have a rescue service, but I think we need to take on the mantra that everyone is a lifesaver.”