Surf Life Saving Australia releases 2024 National Coastal Safety Report

Over the past 12 months volunteer surf lifesavers saved over 1,600 lives. This statistic is one of many highlighted in Surf Life Saving Australia’s 2024 National Coastal Safety Report released today.

New research also reveals that over the past 12 months there were more than 16 million coastal visitations, 258 coastal deaths - 150 due to drowning (58%).

The report highlights that the coastal drowning burden would have been over 1,684 and a further 1,010 critical injuries could have occurred if it wasn’t for the dedication of volunteer surf lifesavers and lifeguards across the country who performed a record 2.4 million preventative actions.

As more than 45,000 volunteers gear up to patrol Australia’s beaches again this season, the National Coastal Safety Report reveals that 8,857 rescues were performed across the country’s coastline in the last 12 months, as well as more than 2.4 million preventative actions by surf lifesavers and lifeguards to keep beachgoers safe. This was an increase of 29% from last season.

Surf Life Saving Australia Chief Executive, Adam Weir said surf lifesavers are committed to keeping people safe at the beach but urged all Australians to make surf safety a personal priority.

Weir shared “we are deeply saddened by the drowning numbers this past year, each one was preventable and one death is one too many. 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. Never before have our surf lifesavers been asked to do so much. Our research shows that our efforts represent a $9.5 billion dollar value to the community.

“As the Australian population continues to grow, more and more people are visiting the coast and swimming away from Surf Life Saving services remains a major risk. Drowning incidents along our beaches are extending beyond the traditional holiday periods with summer extending well into March with drowning incidents 64% above average.

“We want to ensure everyone can enjoy our coastline safely and return home to loved ones. Our message remains simple: swim at patrolled locations, know your limits and be aware of your actions and decisions around the water”.

The National Coastal Safety Report 2024 insights include:

• Males were 6.5 times more likely to drown than females, accounting for 86% of the coastal drowning burden

• Swimming and wading drowning deaths increased by 49% from the 10-year average.

• Beaches were the leading drowning location with 1 in 3 beach drowning deaths due to rip currents, which remain the number one coastal hazard

• Coastal drowning deaths were 64% higher in February and March, and 24% above average in Winter.

• 16.6 million Australians visited the coast in the last 12 months

• 8,857 rescues and 2.4 million preventative actions were performed across the Australian coastline in the past 12 months

Click here for the 2024 National Coastal Safety Report.  

LIFESAVING, COASTAL DROWNING & FATALITY STATISTICS 2023/24

NATIONAL

• No. patrolling members - 45,236 

• No. of rescues - 8, 857

• No. of preventative actions - 2, 482, 013

• No. of first aid treatments - 49, 331

• Volunteer patrol hours - 1,462,533

• Value to community - $9.5+ billion

• No. of coastal deaths – 258 coastal deaths, including 150 due to drowning (58%)

• No. of coastal drowning deaths – 150, a 22% increase from last year (n=123), and a 18% increase from the 10-year average of (n=127).

• High drowning risk groups - 21% 40-49 year olds, 10% 20-24 year olds, 86% male

• Where drowning deaths occurred - 69% >1km from Surf Life Saving services

• Coastal drowning occurred mostly while swimming/wading (41%), followed by boating (11%), then snorkelling and falls (7% each).

NEW SOUTH WALES

• No. patrolling members – 20,878

• No. of rescues - 4,489

• No. of preventative actions - 1,114,642

• No. of first aid treatments - 18,098

• Volunteer patrol hours – 685,090

• Value to community - $4.4+ billion

• No. of coastal deaths – 99, 61 due to drowning (62%)

• No. of coastal drowning deaths – 61, a 27% increase from last year (n=48), and a 33% increase from the 10-year average of (n=46).

• High drowning risk groups - 23% 45-54 year olds, 16% 20-29 year olds, 85% males

• Where drownings occurred - 62% >1km from Surf Life Saving services, 56% beaches, 25% rock/cliff locations

• When drowning deaths occurred – 28% occurred in winter (an increase of 113%), almost equal to summer (30%)

• Coastal drowning deaths occurred mostly while swimming/wading (39%), followed by rock fishing (11%), then watercraft (7%).

NORTHERN TERRITORY

• No. patrolling members – 95

• No. of rescues - 37

• No. of preventative actions – 6,393

• No. of first aid treatments - 368

• Volunteer patrol hours – 1,759

• Value to community - $28+ million

• No. of coastal deaths – 4, 1 due to drowning (25%)

• No. of coastal drowning deaths – 1 drowning death in 2023/24, equal to last year, and a 50% decrease from the 10-year average of (n=2).

Five-year NT coastal drowning trends (2019/20 – 2023/24)

• No. of coastal drowning deaths – 7 drowning death in five years, 30% lower than the preceding five year period (2014/15 – 2018/19; n=10), and 18% below the ten-year average (n=2).

• High drowning risk groups - 29% 55-64 and 29% 25-34 year olds, 86% males

• Where drownings occurred - 86% >1km from Surf Life Saving services, 57% beaches, 29% port/marina locations

• When drowning deaths occurred – 57% occurred during the wet season

• Coastal drowning deaths occurred mostly while swimming/wading (57%), followed by falls (29%), then boating (14%).

QUEENSLAND

• No. of patrolling members – 9,072

• No. of rescues - 2,633

• Five year Beach rescue demographics – 587 were children (0-12 years), 486 young adults (13-17), 1560 Adults (18+ years), males are 1.5x more likely to be rescued than females

• No. of preventative actions - 787,366

• No. of first aid treatments - 25,106

• Volunteer patrol hours – 356,662

• Value to community – $2.9+ billion

• No. of coastal deaths – 47, 23 due to drowning (49%)

• No. of coastal drowning deaths – 23, a 15% decrease from last year and the 10-year average (n = 27).

• No. of beach related drowning deaths – 8 beach-related drowning deaths in 2023/24, the lowest in five years.

• High-risk beach drowning groups – 52% Australian born, only 10% were short-term visitors

• High drowning risk groups - 22% 40-49 year olds and 35% 6-69 year olds, 87% males

• Where drowning deaths occurred  48% offshore, 35% beaches, 70% >1km from Surf Life Saving services

• When drowning deaths occurred – 57% occurred during summer, 26% spring

• Coastal drowning deaths occurred mostly while swimming/wading (35%), followed by boating (22%), then snorkelling (17%).

SOUTH AUSTRALIA

• No. of patrolling members – 2,641

• No. of rescues - 86

• No. of preventative actions - 11,923

• No. of first aid treatments – 550

• Volunteer patrol hours – 71,288

• Value to community – $58+ million

• No. of coastal deaths – 15, 9 due to drowning (60%)

• No. of coastal drowning deaths – 9, a 50% increase from last year (n = 6), and a 8% increase from the 10-year average (n = 8)

• High drowning risk groups - 30-39 (22%), 70-79 (56%) year olds, 100% males

• Where drownings occurred – 56% at beaches, 33% offshore, 78% >1km from Surf Life Saving services

• When drowning deaths occurred – 56% occurred in autumn, 22% winter

• Coastal drowning deaths occurred mostly while boating (33%), followed equally by land-based fishing, attempting a rescue and swimming/wading (11% each)

TASMANIA

• No. patrolling members – 792

• No. of rescues - 83

• No. of preventative actions – 1,291

• No. of first aid treatments - 136

• Volunteer patrol hours – 21,773

• •Value to community - $27+ million

• No. of coastal deaths – 15, 10 due to drowning (67%)

• No. of coastal drowning deaths – 10, a 233% increase from last year (n=3), and a 70% increase from the 10-year average of (n=6).

• High drowning risk groups - 30-39 (30%) and 70-79 (30%) year olds, 80% males

• Where drownings occurred - 90% >1km from Surf Life Saving services, 60% beaches, 40% offshore

• When drowning deaths occurred – 40% occurred in Summer, 30% each Spring and Autumn

• Coastal drowning deaths occurred mostly while swimming/wading (50%), followed by scuba diving (30%) and then boating (10%).

VICTORIA

• No. patrolling members – 6,630

• No. of rescues - 849

• No. of preventative actions – 455,937

• No. of first aid treatments – 1,321

• Volunteer patrol hours – 216,098

• Value to community - $1.5+ billion

• No. of coastal deaths – 40, 26 due to drowning (65%)

• No. of coastal drowning deaths – 26, a 37% increase from last year (n=19), and a 38% increase from the 10-year average of (n=19).

• High drowning risk groups - 20-29 (27%) and 55-64 (31%) year olds, 85% males

• Where drownings occurred - 69% >1km from Surf Life Saving services, 65% beaches, 19% offshore

• When drowning deaths occurred – 69% occurred in Summer, 19% Autumn

• Coastal drowning deaths occurred mostly while swimming/wading (54%), followed by snorkelling (12%) and then scuba diving (8%).

WESTERN AUSTRALIA

• No. of patrolling members – 5,128

• No. of rescues - 680

• No. of preventative actions - 104,461

• No. of first aid treatments - 3,752

• Volunteer patrol hours – 109,863

• Value to community – $4.8+ million

• No. of coastal deaths – 38, 20 due to drowning (53%)

• No. of coastal drowning deaths – 20, a 5% decrease from last year (n=21), and a 5% increase from the 10-year average (n=19)

• No drowning risk groups- 40-49 (35%), 60-69 (20%) year olds, 90% male

• Where drownings occurred – 65% at beaches, 15% offshore75% >1km from Surf Life Saving services

• When drowning deaths occurred – 55% occurred in Summer, 20% in Autumn

• Coastal drowning deaths occurred mostly while swimming/wading (40%), followed by snorkelling (15%) and then scuba diving (10%)