More drones will take to the sky, begin patrols earlier and operate for a longer period, along the NSW coast this summer, as part of a $2.5 million boost by the Minns Labor Government to strengthen the state's shark mitigation program.
More shark surveillance drones will be procured for surf boardrider clubs through their peak body Surfing NSW as soon as possible.
From Saturday 13 December, beaches will also see Surf Life Saving's shark surveillance drones in operation one week earlier than planned and they will be extended to the end of March 2026.
This additional funding builds on top of the Minns Government's existing $21.4 million annual Shark Management Program, which already funds SLS NSW's drone surveillance at 50 beaches during the school holidays over December and January.
The boost to the state's shark mitigation program will deliver the following additional effort:
- Significantly extending drone coverage and in-air time across beaches to enhance safety for surf boardriders and swimmers.
- Stronger public awareness campaign to promote SharkSmart safety for all beach users.
- Tripling the size of the community shark bite kit rollout program at isolated and unpatrolled beaches to enhance the first aid response for anyone bitten.
Thirty-two beaches will commence drone patrols earlier than planned, starting from next weekend (13 December), increasing to 50 beaches by 20 December. SLS NSW patrols will operate drones daily over the Christmas holiday period to the end of January, and then with additional funding will now operate on weekends through to 29 March 2026.
The Government is also partnering with Surfing NSW to roll out drones and training to boardrider clubs between Newcastle and Wollongong, adding another layer of safety for local surfers and surf events.
The Government will also provide funding for an additional 150 Community Shark Bite Kits to be placed at beaches outside of metropolitan areas.
These Community Shark Bite Kits were the initiative of Danny Schouten, whose mate Kai McKenzie was attacked by a shark while surfing at Port Macquarie in 2024.
These kits contain a tourniquet, compression bandages, dressings, a thermal blanket, whistle, gloves and first aid instructions for a serious bite injury.
The new funding will also see an extensive community awareness and SharkSmart education program across social media and at coastal communities this summer to promote shark safety tips.
The SharkSmart van and the trailer will both travel up and down the coast and do pop-up sessions at beaches to deliver information and support to beachgoers.
To spread the word on safety even further QR-coded 'SharkSmart' posters will be installed at beaches in every coastal LGA so anyone can click onto safety information.
There will also be further modifications and improvements to the popular SharkSmart app to further enhance its useability and information for beach goers.
This will be delivered as a significant enhancement of the Shark Management Program already deployed in the water, which is the most comprehensive, evidence-based program in the world and covers a range of initiatives, including:
- 305 SMART (Shark Management Alert in Real Time) drumlines in 19 local government areas for year-round coverage.
- Shark nets at 51 beaches across eight LGAs between Newcastle and Wollongong, deployed 1 September to 31 March
- Tracking the movements of tagged sharks via 37 tagged shark listening stations, with at least one station in every coastal local government area for year-round coverage. When a tagged shark is detected by the station, an alert is sent to the SharkSmart app
NSW Minister for Agriculture and Regional NSW, Tara Moriarty said:
"I met with Maria and Mike Psillakis who have been tragically impacted by the death of their husband and brother, Mercury, at Dee Why Beach in September following a shark attack. We spoke about increasing protection for boardriders and recognising the role of surfers in beach safety as a legacy for Mercury.
"This is why the Minns Government is now increasing funding for Surfing NSW so they can roll-out a comprehensive drones and training program for their many clubs between Newcastle and Wollongong, as a significant contribution to honouring his legacy.
"The Minns Government is always looking to improve our shark mitigation program so that it will reduce interactions of swimmers and boardriders with sharks.
"Drones have shown to be an effective eye in the sky when it comes to early shark detection and warning beach users. This enhancement package is another important step forward in using and expanding their potential along our coastline.
"While there is no 100% safeguard to protect people from shark interactions, a mix of technologies and public awareness will increase safety. We are intensifying the operation of our SharkSmart beach visit pop-up sessions along the coast and enhancing the user experience of our popular SharkSmart app."
"A better awareness of sharks and their behaviour can help us all enjoy the beach and reduce the risk of shark interactions this summer.
Surf Life Saving NSW CEO (SLSNSW) Steve Pearce said:
"We welcome this significant enhancement to our continued partnership with the NSW Government to keep our beaches as safe as possible."
"Last summer alone, 50 Surf Life Saving NSW drones flying from Tweed to Bega completed 18027 flights over 4897 flying hours. During that time 815 sharks were sighted including 41 bull sharks, 45 white sharks and 729 unknown sharks.
"Our lifeguards and lifesavers enacted 115 countermeasures including 88 beach evacuations plus other countermeasures including beach siren, drone siren, and IRB/RWC.
Lucas Townsend, CEO of Surfing NSW said:
"For Mercury and the Psillakis family, turning a tragic event into recognition and support for the role surfers play in keeping our beaches safer is an incredible legacy.
"Boardrider clubs are the heartbeat of coastal communities, and our members are on the beach 365 days a year, at unpatrolled times and locations. Our role is to complement Surf Life Saving's patrol season. This investment helps us boost coverage in those gaps and lift our capability to keep surfers and beachgoers safer, year-round.
"Since 2022, we've been working with the NSW Government and DPIRD on surfer-led drone surveillance and shark trauma response in regional surf communities, training more than 90 volunteer drone pilots and placing more than 500 trauma kits into boardriding clubs and surf schools. This support allows us to take that program right across NSW.
Danny Schouten, Community Shark Bite Kit founder, said:
"Survival shouldn't be left up to chance or luck, we know people can be saved if a tourniquet is applied quickly. I'm stoked that the NSW Government is helping give us ocean loving Australians the resources we need to hopefully save someone's life in the future.
"We're not going to stop doing what we love, surfing and swimming is engrained in the Australian culture, we just need to be better prepared for when these accidents happen. The Community Shark Bite Kits are important to ensure our mates, families and neighbours have quick access to the right first aid equipment that could be the difference in saving a life."
