The Bureau is forecasting high temperatures and elevated fire weather conditions in many parts of Victoria, particularly on Friday and Saturday, with the potential for extreme fire danger ratings in some districts.
Some emergency fire warnings are still in place.
GMW is also reminding people to pay attention to what the traffic conditions are when heading out to a storage including whether any road closures are in place.
As you travel, there are a few things you need to do to stay safe:
• Stay informed - download the VicEmergency app, create a watch zone and look out for any warnings and advice messages or visit emergency.vic.gov.au
• Follow the advice of emergency services
• Keep up to date with the latest road closures at VicTraffic website: https://traffic.transport.vic.gov.au
• Visit the Parks Victoria website to check which parks and campsites are open or closed: https://www.parks.vic.gov.au/
If you’re camping on a Total Fire Ban Day, campfires are not allowed and must be extinguished.
GMW general manager water storage services Jon McKeown said it was important that people planned properly when travelling to one of GMW’s storages.
“It’s always great to see people visiting and enjoying our storages but it’s important that they do so safely,” he said.
“If you plan to visit one of our storages this long weekend please make sure you check the weather conditions before you leave.
“You should also keep up to date with the latest VicEmergency warnings.”
The message to plan properly is further reinforced by the fact that Australia Day is frequently among the busiest days of the year in terms of visitation to GMW storages.
More than 12,860 vehicles passed through the entrance gates of GMW storages on January 26, 2025 alone.
Mr McKeown added that people needed to keep that visitation interest in mind and be respectful of others when visiting a storage over the long weekend.
“It’s important that people account for busy conditions when they make their plans,” he said.
“If you are planning on taking your boat out on the water, be mindful that there will be a lot of other boaters and swimmers around.”
GMW is also reminding visitors to pay attention to safety signage at storages including Boating Safety Information Signs.
These signs are found at public boat ramps around storages and display key information such as the speed limit in the area, what recreational activities are allowed there, and waterway rules.
They also display information around safely operating vessels, what equipment people are required to carry as a water vessel operator, as well as emergency contacts.
GMW's management of public access and recreational use of its land and waterways is governed by the Water (Recreational Area) Regulations 2023.
“The regulations serve not only to ensure the safety of the people visiting our storages, but also to protect the locations themselves,” Mr McKeown said.
The regulations can be found at: https://www.g-mwater.com.au/recreation
People can also learn more about GMW’s storages and their recreational offerings at https://www.g-mwater.com.au/water-operations/storages
