Tributes have flowed for a man who drowned acting out a dare at a Queensland golf club.
Nicholas Hunter, 23, drowned on his way back from swimming to a water fountain at Emerald Lakes Golf Club on the Gold Coast on Sunday night.
Emergency services were called to the Alabaster Drive property, but the man sadly died at the scene.
The 23-year-old’s father Graeme Hunter took to social media to describe his son as a “bright light” who is now guiding his family through an “unthinkable loss”.
“Nicholas shone a bright light in his brief time with us and is now shining his light on his mother and brother to try and guide us through this mess,” he said.
“This has rocked our small but tight family to the core – life has changed forever and I’ll never get to sit on the couch for hours after tea, watching movies or just talking about sport, girls, Seinfeld and everything in between.”
Raised in Cairns in north Queensland, the avid footballer was remembered by friends for being “the life of the party” with a “cheeky and bubbly” attitude.
“Nick was the life of the party and loved by everyone he touched,” wrote one friend.
“The world is less bright without him,” another said.
Superintendent Geoff Sheldon told the ABC the man had been drinking when his friends dared him to swim out to a fountain in the middle of a xjmtzywlake.
“Mucking around with mates and he’s gone under the surface and drowned,” he said.
“It would appear that he had been drinking in the afternoon and the fatal mix of alcohol and water seems to have taken another victim, unfortunately.”
Witnesses performed CPR on Mr Hunter but sadly he could not be revived.
The man was out of the water, but not breathing when paramedics arrived.
Golf club director Christopher Bagley said management and staff were “extremely shocked and saddened by this tragedy”.
“Counselling is being provided to the staff and we are co-operating fully with the police investigation,” he said in a statement on Monday.
An investigation into his death is continuing as police prepare a report for the coroner.
