TEENS and adults risking paralysis by plunging from unstable Victorian cliff tops into shallow water have outraged health and safety experts.
Teens and adults were seen this week diving head-first, backflipping and even planking into the air when the water below was not even waist deep at a notorious Blairgowrie swimming hole.
Parents frequent the area and watch as their children participate in the cliff jumping, which has been condemned by authorities who are begging for an end to the popular summer pastime.
Up to five people in Victoria every year become quadriplegics after diving into shallow water.
Austin Health's director of the Victorian Spinal Cord Service, Assoc Prof Doug Brown, said drinking alcohol before doing these dives made the situation even more frightening.
"Drinking and diving can be just as bad as drinking and driving," he said.
"When drinking they don't think, lose their judgment and it can be fatal if not life-changing and become a quadriplegic.
"If the water is shallow you will break your neck.
"These are preventable tragedies, not worth the risk."
Dr Brown explained that there should be at least 2-3m of water if people were diving in from rocks.
"In a split second things can go wrong and they will have a lifetime to think about it - you won't be jumping when you are a quadriplegic," Dr Brown said.
Parks Victoria district chief ranger Libby Jude said the water depth constantly changed with tidal and sand movements, and adding to the dangers was submerged debris.
"Rock jumping is an extremely dangerous activity," she said.
"The cliff faces themselves are unstable in parts and a slight misstep could end in tragedy.
"Every year there are horrific stories of people jumping off cliffs and piers around the coast.
"We don't want to see repeats of this."
Life Saving Victoria communications manager Jennifer Roberts condemned the foolish behaviour: "This is a really dangerous activity and I would not recommend it."
Ms Roberts said the rocks could also crumble or the daredevils slip on them during the climb or as they planned their manoeuvres.
People yesterday were urged to avoid murky water and to test the water level before jumping by entering feet first.
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