UNSW safety research shows volunteer surf lifesavers have sole responsibility for patrolling NSW beaches just 14.4% of the time

Significant new research led by the UNSW (University of NSW) Beach Safety Research Group has revealed that volunteer surf lifesavers typically serve in a support role to professional lifeguards and are solely responsible for patrolling beaches in NSW just 14.4% of the time.

By contrast, the preliminary research shows that directly employed council lifeguards undertake more than half of all beach patrols (52.3% of the time) and that that the Australian Lifeguard Service (ALS), a commercial subsidiary of Surf Life Saving NSW (SLSNSW), is responsible for almost a quarter (23.8%) of patrols on the state’s beaches.

The independent study, the first quantitative description of patrol hours provided by local government lifeguards and volunteer surf lifesavers, found that overall the supervision of swimmers and bathers at beaches in NSW were the sole responsibility of lifeguards employed or contracted by local government for 76.1% of the time, while volunteers typically serve in a support role to professional lifeguards.

The report goes on to show that the majority of beaches are patrolled between October and April with an even larger number of patrols during December and January.

Patrol hours by local government area
It also reveals that Sydney’s Northern Beaches Council provides the largest total patrolled hours (31,800 hours) followed by Wollongong (28,900 hours), Central Coast (25,000 hours) and Waverley (16,000 hours) and that most local government areas in heavily populated regions in Sydney, Wollongong, the Central Coast and Newcastle are patrolled by local government lifeguards (non-ALS) with support from volunteer surf lifesavers.

ALS lifeguards contracted by councils patrol some of the northern beaches of Sydney, but mostly patrol beaches in rural areas.

Volunteer surf lifesavers provide the most hours independently on the Central Coast (7,620 hours), Northern Beaches (4,507 hours) and Wollongong (4,143 hours) beaches. They are relied upon the most in the Royal National Park providing 47% of all patrol hours, Shoalhaven (43%), Mid Coast (42%) and Richmond Valley (41%).

Given SLSNSW receives significant levels of funding from government, as do all state surf lifesaving groups, the research may lead to questions being raised about the allocation of government funds for beach and ocean safety.

On Sunday, the NSW Government confirmed that during the four years from 2023/24 to 2026/27 it invested $71.2 million in Surf Life Saving NSW.

The preliminary report may also have caused the UNSW Beach Safety Research Group some embarrassment as it has been quietly released on its website.

The UNSW Beach Safety Research Group has previously been contracted to undertake research on behalf of surf lifesaving bodies.

The study, PRELIMINARY REPORT: Lifeguard and Lifesaver Patrol Hours on Beaches in New South Wales is the first independent study to provide a quantitative description of patrol hours provided by local government lifeguards and volunteer surf lifesavers on beaches in NSW.

The preliminary report provides some of the key findings in advance of a more detailed report that will be published later in 2024.

Click here to view the study.

Main image: A professional lifeguard and a volunteer life saver in Wollongong. Credit: Wollongong City Council. Figure courtesy of the UNSW Beach Safety Research Group.