Spectacular beaches and waterways in NSW national parks look like idyllic places for a cooling summer swim, but many national park beaches, creeks, rivers, lakes and waterholes are remote and don't have lifeguards.
NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) is collaborating with Surf Life Saving Australia to highlight the dangers of swimming or rock-fishing at remote, unpatrolled beaches and waterways.
According to the National Drowning Report 2024, New South Wales has the highest drowning rates of any Australia state, and 25 per cent of people who drown are born overseas.
With Mandarin being the second most spoken language after English in New South Wales, for the first time, NPWS is running a water safety awareness campaign in simplified Chinese and Mandarin across print and radio. See more at nswparks.info/beachsafetychinese
This National Water Safety Day (Sunday, 1 December), everyone is urged to follow Surf Life Saving Australia's advice: Stop, Look, and Stay Alive.
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Visitors need to watch out for hidden hazards including rip currents, cold water, rocks, submerged objects and sudden drop offs.
Water safety tips
If you get caught in a rip current, stay calm and conserve your energy. Try to:
- seek help. Raise your arm and call out.
- float with the current. It may return you to a shallow sandbank
- swim parallel to the beach or towards the breaking waves. You may escape the rip current.
Going rock fishing?
Remember to:
- wear a life jacket and appropriate footwear
- check the weather forecast, tides and swell before setting out
- never fish in exposed areas during rough seas or storms
- spend time watching the ocean, scan for changing conditions
- never fish by yourself
- never turn your back on the sea
- have an exit strategy in case you're swept in.
Quotes attributable to Naomi Stephens, NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) Executive Director Park Operations Coastal:
"Just because the sea seems relatively calm, it doesn't mean it is safe.
"Do you know what a beach rip looks like? Get informed by looking at the Surf Life Saving Australia videos.
"Please be aware that many national parks and reserves do not have mobile phone service - and for those that do, help may take time to arrive. We want everyone who visits a NSW national park to go home alive."
Quotes attributed to Surf Life Saving Australia Chief Executive Officer Adam Weir:
"Over the past 12 months there were more than 16 million coastal visitations and tragically there were 150 deaths due to drowning.
"As we rapidly approach summer, we are strongly encouraging everyone who plans to visit the coast to make personal safety a priority."
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