The Sunshine Coast has been identified as a “black spot” for coastal fatalities, as a new surf life saving season gets underway.
The area recorded eight deaths from drownings and other incidents in the 2023-24 financial year, just behind New South Wales’ Northern Beaches and the NSW National Parks and Wildlife area, which both had nine.
The report noted that, nationally, males were 6.5 times more likely to drown than females and that one in three beach drownings were due to rips.
The figures are contained in the 2024 National Coastal Safety Report, released on Friday to coincide with the launch of the 2024-25 surf life saving season.
From Saturday until early May, volunteer lifesavers will patrol beaches on weekends and public holidays from 7am to 5pm.
On the Sunshine Coast, council-funded lifeguards will watch over selected beaches during the week.
According to figures from Sunshine Coast Council, there were 7.256 million visits to Sunshine Coast beaches last season, while lifeguards and lifesavers performing 666 rescues, 92,547 preventative actions and 5289 first aid treatments.
Five people – three men and two women – lost their lives at locations including Maroochydore, Mooloolaba, Coolum and Mudjimba.
Surf Life Saving Australia CEO Adam Weir said surf lifesavers were committed to keeping people safe at the beach but urged everyone to make surf safety a personal priority.
“We are deeply saddened by the drowning numbers this past year, each one was preventable and one death is one too many,” he said.
“The numbers are alarming and we encourage everyone to take notice.
“I am, however, incredibly proud of the work of our volunteer surf lifesavers across the country who performed a record number of preventative actions which has ensured this drowning number was not significantly higher.”
Sunshine Coast Council has put $6.7 million towards lifeguard services to ensure year-round patrols at beaches.
A team of 120 full-time, part-time and casual lifeguards patrol 21 beaches from North Coolum through to Caloundra.
Changes to lifeguard services between Caloundra and a five-year plan include the provision of all-terrain vehicles to better service Buddina and the Maroochy River mouth; an increase in lifeguard resourcing at Marcoola, Mudjimba and the Maroochy River mouth on weekends from September to May; a lifeguard presence at Bokarina on winter weekends.
Mayor Rosanna Natoli said the funding was essential.
“Our funding helps to provide our lifeguards and lifesavers with vital equipment they need to perform their duties, including jet skis, all-terrain vehicles (ATV), rescue boards, flags, first aid kits and portable surveillance cameras for high-risk locations,” she said.
Surf Life Saving Queensland Sunshine Coast Regional Operations Manager Aaron Purchase said SLSQ was appreciative of the council’s ongoing support o keep the public safe when visiting Sunshine Coast beaches.
“This weekend, volunteer patrols will begin across the region as the weather warms and we head into the busy summer period,” he said.
“With one in three beach drowning deaths last year occurring due to rip currents, it has never been more important to have regular and frequent patrols for safe swimming between the red and yellow flags.”
For more information on patrolled beach locations, times and conditions visit Beachsafe.
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