Don’t let a fun visit to the beach turn into a tragedy. Follow these rules to stay safe when you’re visiting our beaches.
No flags = no swim
This is the most important rule to know when you head to the beach.
Red and yellow flags tell you that lifeguards or lifesavers have identified an area that's suitable for swimming. If you can’t see these flags, don’t go in the water – even at beaches that are usually patrolled.
Remember, any unpatrolled beach is a dangerous beach.
Beach safety tips
- No flags, no swim!
- Swim between the red and yellow flags
- Stay calm and raise an arm for help
- Read the safety signs
- Be sun smart – visit the Cancer Council website for sun safety tips
- Never swim alone
- Keep watch! Always supervise children
- Follow the advice of lifeguards and lifesavers
- Never drink alcohol and swim
- Stay out of the water if there is active thunder or lightning nearby.
Our lifeguards and lifesavers are always happy to give advice about beach conditions. Go and say hi, and get the latest updates from them before you go in the water.
Visit our YouTube channel for more surf safety videos.
Resources
More beach safety information
Head to Beachsafe for a range of information to help you staf safe at the beach.
Rip currents – more commonly called rips – are strong currents of water flowing away from the shore.
Most beaches have rips, and they’re one of the biggest hazards at our beaches. They can change suddenly, and are often tricky to spot.
Some of the signs of a rip include:
- Darker water with no or fewer breaking waves
- A rippled surface surrounded by smooth water
- Foamy, sandy or discoloured water, or objects floating away from the shore.
Not all rips show all these signs. If in doubt, stay out of the water.
If you get caught in a rip:
- Stay calm and raise your arm for help
- If you’re on a board, stay with it
- DO NOT try to swim against the rip. If you start to get tired, try floating.
- Relax and let the rip carry you away from shore until it gets weaker. You can then swim sideways (parallel to the beach) or towards breaking waves and head back to shore once you’re out of the rip.
To learn more about rips, visit Beachsafe or Dr Rip’s Science of the Surf.
Follow the links below to watch the above video with subtitles in different languages:
Shark management along the coastline is overseen by the NSW Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (NSW DPIRD).
NSW DPIRD initiatives for sharks include:
- Using drone surveillance for confirmed shark sightings. This helps identify the type of shark and track its movements.
- Smart drumlines.
- Shark listening stations.
- Shark nets.
Be SharkSmart
One of the simplest ways you can reduce the risk of encountering a shark is to only swim at patrolled beaches, and to stay between the flags.
This is the safest place to swim because lifesavers and lifeguards are there to monitor beach and water conditions and keep beach goers as safe as possible.
Pay attention to the advice of the lifeguards and safety signs. Patrolled beaches may also sound shark alarms. You should leave the water as soon as an alarm is sounded or a shark is spotted.
Follow these key tips to stay SharkSmart:
- Avoid swimming and surfing at dawn, dusk and night – sharks can see you but you can’t see them.
- Keep away from murky, dirty water, and waters with known effluents or sewage.
- Avoid areas with signs of bait fish or fish feeding activity; diving seabirds are a good indicator of fish activity.
- Avoid swimming in canals and swimming or surfing in river / harbour mouths.
Visit the SharkSmart website to learn more about how to stay safe, current shark management programs, and to download the SharkSmart app.