Lifesavers in the Illawarra have issued a stark warning to beachgoers after a series of dramatic rescues at Woonona Beach, pleading with the public not to put others at risk by swimming outside flagged areas.
Dramatic Rescues Within Minutes
The urgent plea follows two separate water incidents that unfolded within just fifteen minutes of each other on Thursday evening. The first emergency involved two children who were swimming near the northern end of Woonona Beach around 7:30pm.
The children were caught in a rip current and began drifting out to sea towards a rock shelf, according to Surf Life Saving Illawarra's Anthony Turner. Their father rushed into the water to save them but subsequently became caught in the same dangerous rip himself.
Fortunately, an off-duty lifesaver was nearby and managed to assist the father, bringing him safely onto the rocks. The children were also successfully returned to the sand.
Merely fifteen minutes later, a second incident occurred just north of the Woonona rockpool. A group of teenagers swimming in the area got into difficulty, with all but one making it back to shore unaided.
An 18-year-old male was caught in a strong rip current approximately 80 metres from shore. A male bystander witnessed the struggle, swam out, and successfully brought the teen back to safety. During this second rescue, bystanders activated an emergency response beacon at the beach, which alerted emergency services.
Heatwave Heightens Beach Dangers
The rescues come as the Illawarra region braces for an extreme heatwave, with temperatures forecast to soar into the mid-30s on Friday and potentially reach 40 degrees Celsius on Saturday. Mr. Turner emphasised that this dangerous weather significantly increases the risks at unpatrolled locations.
"It just highlights the inherent risks of swimming," Mr. Turner stated, pointing out that every drowning in NSW during the recent festive period, including incidents near Jervis Bay and Currarong, occurred at unpatrolled locations.
The plea for caution is further underscored by a recent near-fatal incident at a Kiama beach on January 4, where a man was left fighting for his life after being rescued.
"People are putting their lives at risk to save others," Mr. Turner said, urging the community to only swim at patrolled beaches or in designated rockpools.
Where to Find Patrolled Beaches
With an extreme heatwave alert and strong wind warning in place, knowing where and when lifeguards are on duty is critical for safety.
In the Wollongong local government area, council lifeguards patrol 17 beaches from 9am until 6pm, Monday to Saturday. Volunteer lifesavers cover Sundays and public holidays. The patrolled locations include:
- Austinmer, Bellambi, Bulli, Coalcliff
- Coledale, Corrimal, Fairy Meadow
- Helensburgh-Stanwell Park, North Wollongong
- Port Kembla, Sandon Point, Scarborough Wombarra
- Thirroul, Towradgi, Windang, Wollongong, Woonona
In the Shellharbour LGA, beaches are patrolled from 9am to 5pm daily at Shellharbour North, Shellharbour South, and Warilla Barrack-Point.
In the Kiama LGA, patrols operate from 10am until 5:30pm daily at Kiama Downs, Kiama Surf Beach, Kendalls, Bombo, Easts, Jones/Boyds, and Werri Beach.
Beachgoers are encouraged to check real-time information on patrol times, safety conditions, and closures via the BeachSafe website or its free mobile app.
Thankfully, in Thursday's incidents at Woonona, neither the children nor the teenager required medical treatment following their ordeals.
