Aflex Inflatables
Aflex Inflatables are the leaders for obstacle courses, pool toys, waterparks and land-based watersides and fitness runs. They are industry leaders offering the widest range of pool, lake and beach…
read moreThe City of Wollongong has shared some statistics from their past swim season including Council Lifeguards and Surf Life Saving Volunteers having spent a total of 218 days on the sand - equating to approximately 34,710 hours supervising Wollongong’s 17 patrolled beaches, seven days a week from September 2023 to the end of April 2024.
Wollongong City Council Operations Manager Beach Services Murray Copas highlights that just talking about hours alone doesn’t capture the breadth of work done by lifeguards and volunteers.
Copas notes “this was definitely another busy and challenging summer for both Council Lifeguards and volunteers. This past swim season, we estimate we saw almost 1.5 million people visit our 17 patrolled beaches during Council operating hours. The numbers would be even higher if you take into account the Sundays and public holidays when volunteers are on patrol.
“December and January remain the busiest months of the year, with nearly 47% of all beach visitors during those months. And you can probably guess our most popular beaches; North Wollongong, Wollongong City and Austinmer.
“Duty also isn’t just a matter of watching people in the water – we also provided advice on beach safety to community, reunited lost children with their parents and carers, and encourage dog owners to do the right thing by keeping pets off the sand and out of flagged areas.”
Beach safety remains a strong focus for Council. In April 2024, Council Lifeguards gave a water safety workshop to new migrants, international students, and refugees. This program is a service offered through the Illawarra Multicultural Water Safety Network.
During the 2023/2024 swim season Council Lifeguards helped keep people safe at the beach by taking 62,135 preventative actions (offering advice to those doing the wrong thing before they get in trouble) and conducted a total 489 beach rescues.
Copas adds “to put it another way, that’s roughly two beach rescues per patrolled day. And from experience, often a rescue involves a Lifeguard helping multiple people in trouble.
“We were pleased to see that this year the numbers of beach rescues had decreased a little from last year. At the same time, our message remains the same. We need people to stay safe when at the beach.
“Please follow the rules when you visit the beach. That means only swimming at patrolled beaches, when the red and yellow flags are up and in place. If the red and yellow flags aren’t up, that means that Council Lifeguards or Surf Life Saving volunteers aren’t supervising and aren’t there to help you if you get into trouble.”
From now until the start of the September school holidays, only North Wollongong Beach will remain patrolled during the colder months. North Wollongong Beach is patrolled 9am-4pm daily. But remember, even if a beach is listed as patrolled, no red and yellow flags = no swim!
Join the team
While it is the winter season for beaches, it’s also the time of year when Wollongong Council is recruiting for next season’s Seasonal Ocean Lifeguards and Seasonal Pool Lifeguards.
Whether you’re an experienced lifeguard or a new starter, applicants of all skill levels are welcomed to apply. What matters most is your enthusiasm, reliability, and dedication to keeping beaches and pools safe.
See here for more information on the roles available. Applications close Sunday 19th May.
See here for more beach information, patrol hours and locations.
City of Wollongong swim season snapshot
Image top: Wollongong Lifeguards; Image above: Video still of Murray Copas giving a safety demonstration as part of the workshop. Credit :City of Wollongong
27th December 2023 - Enhanced accessibility and protection for North Wollongong beach
31st March 2023 - Wollongong City Council develops management program to preserve its coastline
26th February 2021 - North Wollongong Surf Club to receive much-needed refurbishment and beachfront protection
18th December 2020 - Wollongong welcomes new lifeguard recruits
5th November 2020 - Wollongong City Council develops new initiative to deliver Surf Education program
25th September 2020 - Wollongong lifeguards prepared for 2020/2021 beach and pool swim season
14th April 2020 - Wollongong to undertake new works on Towradgi Rock Pool
Support our industry news service
We hope that you value the news that we publish so while you're here can we ask for your support?
As an independent publisher, we need reader support for our industry news gathering so ask that - if you don't already do so - you back us by subscribing to the printed Australasian Leisure Management magazine and/or our online news.
Click here to view our subscription options.
The Complete Guide to Leisure Industry Products & Services.
Aflex Inflatables are the leaders for obstacle courses, pool toys, waterparks and land-based watersides and fitness runs. They are industry leaders offering the widest range of pool, lake and beach…
read moreINTRODUCTION Abel Sports is Australia’s leading manufacturer and suppliers of Goal Posts, sports ground safety netting systems and coaches boxes for Stadiums ,Sports Clubs, Councils and…
read moreWe are Aussie Strength. The ultimate supplier for Commercial Gym Equipment that's built to deliver in the toughest environments. From USA-Built hardcore weight training equipment from Arsenal…
read moreWith its sleek good looks and easy-to-use yet powerful functionality, Envibe is the premium fitness club software for the Australasian leisure, recreation and fitness industry. We are the most…
read moreWelcome to AAC – makers of the world’s best wristbands, lanyards, tickets, tokens and full-service print solutions. We are Australia’s premier global manufacturer and supplier of…
read moreWith industry leading solutions in design and durability you can improve your facilities with our access control operations, payment systems and flexible personal locker storage solutions. Your…
read moreAugmented Creative is an open organization of like-minded and highly dedicated, creative people who conceive, plan and execute visual solutions. We pursue new and innovative visual ideas to help…
read moreTechnogym is the leading company in the Wellness and Fitness field all over the world. With 2,200 employees, 14 branches in Europe, U.S., South America, Asia and Australia, Technogym exports its…
read moreGet your business noticed in our targeted directory. Viewed by 10,000 industry professionals per week!