THREE lifeguards from Bathurst Aqua Park have been praised for their quick-thinking after spotting a boat that had capsized at Chifley Dam.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Owner of the aqua park, Michael Hickey, said that one of his lifeguards, Cameron Hicks, had noticed a head bobbing on the water sometime after 5pm on Sunday afternoon, just after a storm had come through.
"We hopped in a tinnie and raced out there and saw two women and a little girl," Mr Hickey said, explaining their boat had overturned.
"We rescued the little girl first and then we got the two ladies there into the boat and took them back to shore."
He said the little girl was freezing and the women were in shock, but were otherwise unharmed after the incident.
The aqua park staff then returned to the water to collect the boat and what belongings they could find in the water, which included an Esky and some clothing.
Mr Hickey said that retrieving the boat was the most difficult task.
"It was upside down, full of water," he said. "When we got it back there was four or five of us trying to tip it back over and drain it out."
Mr Hickey was full of praise for his lifeguards, 18-year-old Cameron, Sarah Cheeseman, 19, and 15-year-old Emilee Curran, for their incredible rescue efforts.
He said they had all just finished their shifts, but stayed back to help.
"If it wasn't for Cam, who knows how long they would have been out there for," Mr Hickey said.
"They just jumped in and got it done. They didn't hesitate."
The aqua park opened in early November and Mr Hickey said he was glad it was operating, as the outcome may have been very different if his staff weren’t at the dam at the time.