WESTERN District police are gearing up for an influx of tourists during the Australia Day long weekend, with the city's fireworks display and the annual long weekend pilgrimage to Lake Burrumbeet high on the areas set to be patrolled, on top of the road network.
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With the postponement of the Rainbow Serpent Festival, due to recent fires which tore through some of the camp ground, and the closure of many tourist regions to the east of the state also due to fires, it is expected more holiday makers than usual will make their way to popular tourist regions in the west of the state.
For police, that spells trouble, with the Australia Day long weekend already traditionally one of the most treacherous on our roads.
Acting Senior Sergeant Stuart Gale said extra police resources will be targeted to roads across the region.
"I'm expecting it to be really busy," Senior Sergeant Gale said "Western Victoria will be the holiday destination since so much of Gippsland and the north-east is out of action.
"We're going to see a lot of people travelling. We will be targeting alcohol, drug testing, speed and fatigue. We ask motorists to be courteous, revive alive stops will be out, utilise those. Drive in normal hours as well."
Senior Sergeant Gale said traditionally the Australia Day long weekend was one of the worst of the year.
"We had a fatal accident on the Western Freeway last year, a few years back we had a triple fatality," he said.
"Last year we had more than 20 people killed on our roads, already there's been another two locally, we don't want to see any more."
But it's not just on the roads where police will be looking to crack down on poor behaviour. Two years ago, Lake Burrumbeet was trashed by revellers who left alcohol bottles and cans, food packaging, syringes and other waste strewn around the camping ground.
It prompted an increased police presence last year which saw fewer issues. Police promise that presence will again be felt this year, particularly on the southern end of the lake where free camp spots fill up.
Ballarat is also gearing up for its annual fireworks display on Sunday night which traditionally attracts up to 20,000 people around Lake Wendouree.
Cancellations of similar events in both Melbourne and Geelong mean the Ballarat fireworks display is the biggest in the state, with money raised going to bushfire charities.
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