Thousands of volunteer surf lifesavers are returning to beaches across New South Wales as the 2026–27 patrol season begins, with authorities preparing for increased beach visitation during a forecast hot and dry summer.
Volunteer patrols will operate across NSW beaches through to 26 April 2027, with lifesavers urging swimmers to choose patrolled beaches, stay between the red and yellow flags and check local conditions before entering the water.
Surf Life Saving NSW says more than 22,000 volunteer lifesavers are involved across the state, with volunteer patrols operating at 129 beaches on weekends and public holidays during the season.
More Rescue Equipment for the Summer Season
Surf Life Saving NSW teams will enter the season with upgraded rescue equipment including:
- Jet skis
- Drones
- Emergency Response Beacons
- Other rescue and surveillance technology
The equipment is intended to help patrol teams identify hazards earlier and respond more quickly when swimmers or other beach users are in distress.
The start of the patrol season follows several recent drownings along the NSW coastline, including incidents at unpatrolled beaches, prompting renewed warnings about swimming at locations monitored by lifesavers or lifeguards.
$120 Million Shark Management Program
Beach safety measures will also be supported by the NSW Shark Management Program, backed by approximately $120 million over two years.
Around $50 million of that investment is being directed towards expanded drone-based shark surveillance.
The latest summer program will involve more than 70 drones covering more than 90 beaches, with longer surveillance hours and additional coverage during the NSW spring school holidays.
The broader Shark Management Program also includes:
- 305 SMART drumlines across 19 local government areas
- 51 shark nets across eight LGAs between Newcastle and Wollongong during the 2026–27 season
- 37 tagged shark listening stations at ocean beaches
- Two tagged shark listening stations in Sydney Harbour
- Shark mitigation support and trauma-response equipment.
New Shark Listening Stations in Sydney Harbour
Two new Tagged Shark Listening Stations have been installed in Sydney Harbour near Balmoral and Lady Bay.
The stations detect specially tagged sharks and send near real-time alerts through the free SharkSmart app when a tagged animal passes nearby.
The SharkSmart app also provides information about shark sightings, incidents and detections from the broader network of listening stations, drones and SMART drumlines.
Authorities Urge Swimmers to Stay Between the Flags
Surf Life Saving NSW is encouraging beachgoers to:
- Swim at patrolled beaches
- Stay between the red and yellow flags
- Follow instructions from lifesavers and lifeguards
- Check weather and surf conditions before entering the water
- Use SharkSmart information where relevant
Surf Life Saving NSW CEO Steve Pearce said hot and dry conditions were expected to bring large crowds to the coast, increasing demand on volunteer patrols and rescue services.
The 2026–27 patrol season will continue through the warmer months and conclude after the Anzac Day public holiday period in April 2027.
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