Parks Victoria warns direct contact with the algae can cause allergic reactions such as skin rashes or itchiness, sore eyes, ears and nose or if swallowed gastroenteritis, nausea or vomiting.

People who come into contact with contaminated water should wash immediately in fresh water and seek medical advice if experiencing illness after contact with affected water.

Any fish harvested from the lake should have gills and guts removed prior to cooking and people should not eat whole fish, or shellfish or crustaceans collected from the lake.

The type of algae affecting the reserve produces toxins that can concentrate in shellfish and crustaceans and also accumulate in the liver and internal organs of fish, and which if ingested can lead to serious illness.

Water from the affected water body should not be used for drinking, cooking or other domestic uses and boiling the affected water will not make it safe for use.

Visitors can view closures due to blue-green algae at www.parks.vic.gov.au by searching under each individual park name.