Randwick Council introduces professional lifeguarding services at two new Sydney beaches this summer

November 30, 2023

Randwick City Council is to introduce patrols by professional lifeguards at two beaches in Sydney’s Eastern Suburbs, including the site of the city’s last fatal shark attack, for summer.

Preparing for a busy summer, Malabar Beach and Little Bay Beach in the Randwick local government area will now be patrolled as of 1st December after a series of near-drownings and fatal incidents.

The Council, which had previously patrolled only Maroubra, Coogee and Clovelly beaches has now hired four full-time and 10 part-time extra lifeguards to aid water safety through what is expected to be a bust summer.

As reported by the Sydney Morning Herald, Randwick City Lifeguard Luke Twitchings, who has patrolled the beaches for 12 years, said the community had been lobbying council to extend the patrols after responding to at least one incident a day at Little Bay or Malabar last summer.

Advising said any incident that occurred at the beaches had previously forced a lifeguard at the other larger beaches to leave their post and attend to the job via jet ski, leaving the rest of their team a man down, Twitchings explained “it would take us about six minutes to respond.

“Now by putting lifeguards at both of those beaches, we eradicate that six-minute response, which can sometimes be critical. Now we will be able to respond directly.”

In February last year, 35-year-old British expatriate Simon Nellist was killed in a shark attack at Little Bay in Sydney’s first shark attack in 60 years.

There have been a number of other drowning incidents at the beaches.

Randwick Council Mayor Philipa Veitch stated “our council staff conducted a review due to some incidents at Little Bay and increasing visitors, and it was decided that introducing the lifeguard services was something we really needed to do.”

Noting that the two beaches were often visited by families and international visitors who viewed them as more suitable for less confident swimmer, Mayor Veitch added “they’re not surf beaches, however, you can still run into difficulties.

“It’s important those swimmers are also looked after.”

Main Image: Randwick City Council lifeguards at Coogee Beach.

22nd November 2023 - Perth set to host World Conference on Drowning Prevention

21st November 2023 - Surf lifesavers remind school leavers to stay safe around water

9th November 2023 - Launching its Keep Watch water safety campaign Royal Life Saving warns of child drowning risk

8th November 2023 - $5.25 million available for NSW Surf Life Saving Club upgrades

24th September 2023 - Biggest funding commitment ever announced for Surf Life Saving NSW

15th September 2023 - Latest National Drowning report reveals rise of deaths among older men

25th July 2023 - Landmarks Go Blue to mark World Drowning Prevention Day

21st April 2023 - APOLA’s 26th National Conference heads to the Gold Coast

17th March 2023 - Shellharbour City Council lifeguards recognised by APOLA

23rd January 2023 - Float to Survive message demonstrated in ocean rip at Sydney’s Manly Beach

2nd December 2022 - Randwick City and Waverley councils launch Float to Survive initiative to reduce national drownings 

26th October 2022 - Randwick City Council hosts inaugural Coastal Safety Group Conference 2022

23rd September 2022 - Float to Survive safety message to be trialled by Waverley and Randwick Councils

9th September 2022 - APOLA President Bruce Hopkins gains support for adoption of Float to Survive initiative as a national anti-drowning prevention message

17th February 2022 - Organisers advise of cancellation of Sunday’s Malabar Magic Ocean Swim

17th February 2022 - Malabar Ocean Swim event organisers ‘monitoring’ situation following fatal shark attack

7th May 2021 - Review gives ‘top marks’ to Gold Coast’s professional lifeguard services

20th April 2020 - Randwick Council amends Coronavirus closures to make beaches available for exercise

15th December 2017 - Leading professional lifeguard says swim between flags message is ‘desirable but unrealistic’

27th December 2015 - Professional Lifeguards highlight need for safety first at the beach

13th April 2015 - Malabar headland to be returned to people of NSW

30th November 2014 - Professional Lifeguards advocate safety first at Australian beaches

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.