After a summer that saw a drowning every two days on the Australian coastline, Mayor Patricia White is urging the Shoalhaven community to remain vigilant on local beaches.
Surf Life Saving Australia (SLSA) released their 2025-26 Summer Coastal Drowning Report this week, underscoring the alarming statistic and calling for safer behaviour on the coast.
The Summer Coastal Drowning Report highlights the serious dangers associated with coastal recreation away from surf lifesaving services at regional and remote locations that are typically unsupervised and hard to reach with emergency response services.
"We are fortunate to have lifeguards on duty at many of the Shoalhaven's beaches each summer, but as we head into autumn, it's critical that people continue to make safe choices when going in or near the water," Cr White said.
"The advice from SLSA is to stop before you head out to the beach, look at the conditions and consider your own abilities, so that you and your loved ones stay alive," she said.
"The tragedy of coastal drowning is that these deaths can be prevented, with their impact felt by the community long after the summer ends.
"I'd like to thank our surf lifesavers and lifeguards for the many rescues they have undertaken during these high‑risk summer months," she said.
While statistics for swimmers decreased overall this summer, increases were observed for boating (114%) and rock fishing (32%). These statistics follow reports that a body was recovered from Beecroft Peninsula on the weekend, believed to be that of a fisherman who had slipped into the water.
Cr White reminded the rock fishing community to:
always wear a lifejacket
always fish with a buddy or someone who can all for help if needed.
check conditions first, including weather, surf and swell.
look for warning signs such as slippery surfaces
stay sober.
Males, who continue to be overrepresented in coastal drowning numbers this summer (92%), have also seen a decrease from the five-year average (-8%), marking a small, yet critical step forward in this high-risk population.
Beachgoers can find their closest patrolled beach and scheduled patrol times via the Beachsafe app or website.
