On Australian beaches , the red and yellow flags have become a symbol of safety.
Lifeguards repeat the message every summer: swim between the flags .
Despite decades of warnings and public awareness campaigns , Australians are still drowning outside patrolled areas at alarming rates .
Surf Life Saving Australia recorded 154 coastal drowning deaths in the past year, with every death occurring either outside patrol times, away from the flags , or on unpatrolled beaches.
For some visitors and migrants, the issues are not necessarily recklessness, but confusion .
Surf Lifesaver and North Wollongong Chief Training Officer, Manuel Schuldt says risky behaviour at Australian beaches is often driven by convenience, as much as confidence.
He says many beachgoers choose the closest entry point to the water rather than walking further toward patrolled areas, particularly during busy weekends and holiday periods .
Using the Wollongong coastline as an example, Manuel Schuldt points to locations like Puckeys Beach near Stewart Park, where families often gather around nearby barbecue facilities before entering the water at the nearest access point.
“Why would we walk another 500 metres to go to the patrolled area?” he says.
Mr Schuldt says what may appear calm from the shoreline can quickly become dangerous once people enter the surf, particularly for those unfamiliar with ocean conditions or rip currents.
“Rips and currents aren’t always easy to spot,” he says .
A lack of awareness, combined with overconfidence in swimming ability continues to place many Australians at risk.
Mr Schuldt says younger males, in particular, often underestimate the dangers of the ocean while overestimating their own capabilities.
The issue becomes even more complicated for tourists and migrants unfamiliar with Australia’s beach safety systems .
Mr Schuldt has explained that while Australians commonly associate the red and yellow flags with safety, the red warning flags signal danger in some countries.
He also recalls speaking to beachgoers who misunderstood the phrases ‘swim between the flags’, believing it did not apply to strong swimmers.
“These are things Australians might see as obvious,” he says.
”But for some people they’re completely unfamiliar.”
Despite ongoing awareness campaigns, Mr Schuldt believes education around beach safety remains one of the biggest challenges facing surf lifesavers, particularly as Australia’s coastal population continues to grow.
The latest coastal safety data suggest these behaviours are contributing to a growing national issue.
Surf life saving Australia recorded 154 coastal drowning deaths in 2025, with every death occurring outside the flags.
Men accounted for 87 per cent of coastal drowning deaths, while Australians aged over 55 represented more than half of all recorded fatalities.
Public holidays and long weekends also saw drowning risk more than triple, reinforcing concerns around overcrowded beaches, alcohol consumption and risk-taking behaviour.
Rip currents continue to remain the leading coastal hazard in Australia, contributing to at least 37 per cent of the drowning deaths nationwide.
For surf lifesavers, the statistics reflect a broader issue that extends beyond swimming ability alone, highlighting how familiarity, convenience and confidence can continue placing beachgoers at risk.
Where Coastal Drownings Occurred in Australia (2025)
Surf Life Saving Australia’s 2025 National Coastal Safety Report found all recorded
coastal drowning deaths occurred either outside patrolled hours, outside flagged areas, or on unpatrolled beaches.
Surf Life Saving NSW senior researcher Chris Twine says coastal drowning risks are often shaped by a combination of experience, confidence and understanding of ocean conditions.
Experienced surfers may intentionally enter hazardous surf conditions.
Mr Twine says broader drowning patterns continue to show males are significantly more likely to take risks.
Twine says many drownings continue occurring outside patrolled locations because Australia’s vast coastline means only a small percentage of beaches are actively monitored.
“People often do not want to travel large distances to get to a patrolled location,” he says,.
“Particularly if there are nearby beaches that appear to be safe.”
While surf lifesavers continue witnessing these behaviours firsthand, national drowning statistics has revealed how widespread the issue has become.
The latest figures from Surf Life Saving Australia has suggested risky decision making, unfamiliarity with ocean conditions and swimming outside patrol areas remain central factors in coastal drowning deaths nationwide.
That sense of confidence is something surf lifesaving experts continue warning about.
Surf Life Saving Australia Coastal Safety Manager Shane Daw told the ABC that more needs to be done to stop risk-taking behaviour.
“There’s a big disconnect where we need people to stop overestimating their ability,” he says.
Despite decades of public awareness campaigns, coastal drowning deaths continue to occur outside Australia’s patrolled beaches.
For surf lifesavers, the issue is rarely caused by a single factor alone, but rather a combination of overconfidence, convenience and unfamiliarity with ocean conditions.
While many Australians view the beach as part of everyday culture, experts warn that familiarity can often create a false sense of security around unpredictable surf conditions and rip currents.
For Mr Schuldt the message remains simple but critical: swimming between the red and yellow flags can significantly reduce the risk of drowning.
