Winter has well and truly been thrown off as the birds nest, flowers bloom and surf lifesavers and lifeguards return to our beaches en masse.
During the October school holidays, and with daylight-saving on its way, patrols have begun along the Tweed Coast from Pottsville to Fingal.
Volunteer surf lifesavers have their red and yellow flags out during the weekend while the council-paid life guards will stand guard during the weekdays during the holidays.
At Kingscliff Beach, patrolling members of the Cudgen Headland Surf Life Saving Club (SLSC) have set up their equipment as usual, despite the main patrol area in front of the clubhouse being savaged by a severe erosion event in the past 18 months.
Newly-elected Mayor of Tweed, Councillor Barry Longland, said, as with the end of last season, flags had been set up further south than usual to ensure beachgoers had a substantial stretch of sand and safe and easy access.
“Sand has been building up gradually over many months in the area which was hit by the first erosion event in front of Faulks Park,” Councillor Longland said.
“This beach area near the training wall at Cudgen Creek provides a great alternative for patrols and a safe and attractive beach for everyone to enjoy this summer season.
“It’s been a tough time at Kingscliff for the surf club and we encourage everyone to keep coming down to the beach at Kingscliff, as it’s business as usual for patrols.
“I’d also like to remind everyone how important it is to always swim between the flags on a patrolled beach to ensure everyone stays safe, under the watchful eye of our highly trained volunteer lifesavers and professional lifeguards,” he said.
Cudgen SLSC Club captain Susan Young said the club would transport equipment to the new patrol site by vehicle, and keep a permanent patrol arena chained down on the beach.
Northern NSW Lifeguard Coordinator Scott McCartney said it was wonderful to see the support Tweed Shire Council was offering both the volunteer lifesavers and the professional lifeguards in getting the message out about where the flags will be located.
“The key messages we want people to know are to swim between the flags – no flags, no swim. Never swim alone and if you are in trouble, raise your arm, don’t panic; and call for help and a lifesaver or lifeguard will be out to help you,” Scott said.
There are nine patrolled beaches along the Tweed’s 37 kilometres of coastline, with patrols conducted by a mix of volunteer lifesavers from local surf life saving clubs and lifeguards contracted by Tweed Shire Council.
The patrolled beaches are: Duranbah, Fingal Head, Kingscliff, Salt, Casuarina, Cabarita, Hastings Point, Pottsville and Wooyung. While the volunteers will be on the beach during the weekends, the Lifeguards will patrol from 9am to 5pm each week day during the NSW holidays.
Patrolled places to swim:
nSalt beach is patrolled all year round.
nAll beaches are patrolled every day in the September, Christmas and April NSW school holidays.
nDuranbah, Casuarina and Hastings Point beaches are patrolled on weekends between the September and April school holidays.
nFingal Head, Cabarita and Kingscliff beaches are patrolled on weekends between the September and April school holidays.
