Anticipating a spike in coastal visitation this coming holiday season, two organisations are going above and beyond to keep everyone safe and sound.

Ingenia Holidays One Mile Beach is partnering with Surf Life Saving NSW to provide guests with 60-minute interactive sessions designed to reinforce important messages at the beach.

“The Surf Safety Sessions give families the opportunity to learn surf safety in a fun way, while providing a timely reminder of the need to take care at our beaches over the summer period,” said the manager of the Port Stephens facility, Leah Tonks.

“Our park is right on the beach, and coming out of a large-scale lockdown, we’re expecting an extremely busy holiday season.

“Most people come here for a seaside holiday so being able to help provide them with the tools to enjoy it in a safe way and know their limits while they’re at the beach is definitely beneficial.”

The Surf Safety Sessions are designed to help kids recognise lifeguards and hazards at the beach including dangerous sea creatures and rips, while emphasising the importance of sun safety and to “swim between the flags”.

“We’ve all been in lockdown,” Ms Tonks said.

“So, kids have missed out on their swimming lessons and the excitement to get to the beach after an extended period working from home and home-schooling could lead to some complacency around water.

“These Surf Safety Sessions will help them regain their confidence, while having lots of fun meeting local lifeguards on the beach, dressing up in lifeguard uniforms, learning how to Slip Slop Slap and pack a beach trolley.”

Australian Lifeguard Service (NSW) public safety business coordinator Ruben Roxburgh said the initiative would increase guest safety.

“Eighty per cent of the Australian population resides on the coast, however not all of us know how to read the ocean and when it’s dangerous,” he explained.

“Leading into the summer season, it’s important to remind people to be safe, to think safe and to act safe.

“With everyone coming out of lockdown, it’s likely that we are going to see a huge increase in people visiting coastal communities outside of their LGAs and in places they’re not familiar with.

“This is a fantastic opportunity for the Australian Lifesaving Service and Surf Life Saving NSW to increase park patron safety at the local beaches and ingrain that safety message into children.”

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