Traveller’s guide to beach safety in Australia

Australia boasts some of the most beautiful, breathtaking beaches in the world. It's exciting to experience and face the tremendous and incredible waves of these beaches. However, we must use caution when encountering the raw power of these wonders of nature, which can quickly and without warning become unpredictable and dangerous.

Whether you're visiting for a surf, a snorkel, a swim, or to play with your children at the beach, knowing which beaches you can do these activities is essential. You also need to understand the safety precautions to enjoy the beaches and keep yourself safe.

To find the safest beaches to swim in and which Lifeguards and Surf Lifesavers patrol, research the local patrolled beach closest to you. Beachsafe is a website that enables you to do this, as does their Beachsafe app.

Even some of Australia's most famous and beautiful beaches have hazards, and if you've ever seen an episode of Bondi Rescue, you'll know just how easy it is to underestimate the dangers of even well-known and popular swimming beaches.

Most popular beaches are staffed by lifeguards who patrol the beach and set out flags indicating safe swimming spots. You can ask them questions if you see them on shore and take down their phone number in case. If you're out swimming and feel uncomfortable in the water, wave your hand to catch their attention so they can assist.

Look for red and yellow flags and always swim between them, as they indicate where there is a lifesaving service operating and supervising the area. If there are no flags, it's best not to swim there or check with lifeguards if they are there.

Sometimes the flags are there due to a permanent risk. Other times the flags represent a specific risk for that day or time.

Rip currents (or simply "rips") are the top coastline hazard in Australia. According to Surf Life Saving (SLS), rip currents account for more deaths each year than sharks, floods and cyclones combined. Knowing how to spot a rip can help prevent getting into a dangerous situation. Surveys show that three in four people can't spot a rip (National Coastal Safety Survey 2018).

When beach water runs back to the open ocean, a rip forms. When that water heads back out to sea, it creates a channel moving at such a fast speed that even the strongest swimmers will find it challenging.

Surf Life Saving (SLS) provides the main signs to look for in a rip:

• Deeper or darker water
• Fewer breaking waves
• Sandy-coloured water extending beyond the surf zone
• Debris or seaweed
• Significant water movement

SLS's website says, "Sometimes it can be easier to look for where the waves are breaking consistently, and then look to each side where they don't break consistently. Those areas are rip currents."

If you get caught in a rip current, SLS advises to:

• Stay calm
• Seek help by raising and waving your arm and calling out so the lifeguards may see and come to your rescue.
• Floating with the current may return you to a shallow sandbank

Swimming parallel to the beach or towards the breaking waves may help you escape the rip current.

It can help to understand waves, so you know what to look out for and avoid. Trent Maxwell, a Bondi lifeguard, tells Australia.com, “On the beach, watch the water to see how the waves roll in, watch for any waves that are not breaking and avoid these as they could be a dangerous rip.”

SLS explains that there are three types of waves:

1. Dumping waves are hazardous and, as the name suggests, can pick someone up and 'dump' them with great force. They create hollow tubes when they break.
2. Surging waves can suddenly appear as they approach the water's edge and may not ever break as they do. They knock people over and then drag them back into deeper water. These are found mostly near rock platforms and beaches with steep shorelines.
3. Spilling or rolling waves near flat shorelines that break onto the wave face itself are generally the safest.

Visitors to Australia will be keen to experience activities that involve seeing and getting close to beautiful sea animals, whether through snorkelling or scuba diving. Tours would be the safest way to see these. According to SLS, most of them are harmless if left alone, and they are not aggressive. However, it's always best to follow the "no touch" rule if you come close to any such animals.

Some sea animals, including sea urchins, sharks, sting rays, and box jellyfish, may sting or bite. Box jellyfish, which are highly venomous, are found in northern waters between November and May.

In other parts of Australia, the bluebottle jellyfish is common. Though not deadly, they can give a nasty sting. Many lifeguard-protected beaches will erect warning signs when there is an influx of bluebottles and sometimes even close down popular beaches if there's a hazardous amount of them.

Many popular beaches are fitted with underwater netting to keep sharks away, and patrolled beaches monitor the waters for sharks. They will warn swimmers using a loud alarm if they spot one. Therefore, to reduce your chance of encountering a shark, swim at a patrolled beach, and swim between the flags. Avoid swimming at dusk and dawn, when you can see people fishing.

Australia.com’s website states that crocodiles only live in the tropical north. If visiting the beaches in this region, there will be croc warning signs, and it's recommended to stay clear.

SLS has a Coastal Safety booklet that contains images and information about dangerous marine life, how to avoid them, and what to do if you get hurt.

In addition to the advice above, here are some general tips to help you stay safe at Aussie beaches.

• Most beaches will have signs at the entrance that provide information about the local area, amenities, and the meaning of signs on the beach.
• Always swim with someone else, never alone.
• Never swim if you're affected by alcohol or have just eaten a big meal.