I have heard from a reliable source the pilot was fairly low time on floats (and not the owner/operator). Apparently the pilot had flown the aircraft to Barwon Heads to refuel (with a normal wheels down runway landing) and then flew back to Geelong to land on the water. The owner/operator of the aircraft was standing on the beach and watched the aircraft approaching with wheels down but had no handheld VHF radio so couldn't alert the pilot.
As a seaplane pilot of an amphibious machine one needs to do the "wheels up for a water landing" numerous times prior to touch down with both a panel lights check and an external visual check via the mirrors. I've always done the first confirmation on the downwind circuit leg along with the normal pre-landing checks. Then a FUP check turning final (Flaps full, Undercarriage up for the water landing, Prop full fine) and then just prior to touch down saying out loud "This is a water landing so the gear is up!"
This is so unfortunate but also so unnecessary too. It's the number one reason amphibious aircraft end up upside down and how it continues to happen with the various You_tube videos showing how easily the error can be made just amazes me.
My best wishes to the pilot and the owner/operator. Lots of challenges to get through as a result of this avoidable accident.
Ren