Surf Life Saving Australia (SLSA)
Australia’s peak coastal water safety, drowning prevention and rescue authority
Surf Life Saving Australia, opens in a new tab (SLSA) is Australia’s peak coastal water safety, drowning prevention and rescue authority. SLSA exists to save lives, and they are committed to reducing coastal drowning rates.
BeachSafe, opens in a new tab. SLSA maintains a web and mobile app-based information service as part of their commitment to education and safety in the aquatic environment. The site includes current information and conditions for every beach in Australia. It shows patrol services, hazards and facilities as well as weather, swell and tide details. It also provides safety advice and information about flags, signs, rips, waves and more.
National Coastal Safety Report
The National Coastal Safety Report 2024, opens in a new tab is a comprehensive summary and analysis of SLSA research and presents evidence relating to participation, perceptions, lifesaving service delivery, coastal drowning and other coastal fatalities around the country. This report complements the National Drowning Report 2024, opens in a new tab released in partnership with the RLSA.
In 2023-2024, the number of coastal drowning deaths in Australia increased to 150 from 123 in 2022/23. 56% of coast drowning deaths occurred on beaches, and 19% offshore. 86% of people who drowned were male. An additional 108 coastal deaths (from non-drowning causes) were recorded.
Value of Surf Life Saving Australia
A key report released by SLSA documents the contribution of surf life saving to community safety and wellbeing.
Between the red and yellow flags: The social and economical value of Surf Life Saving Australia, opens in a new tab, Deloitte Access Economics, (August 2020). Through its coastal safety, lifesaving, education, sport and recreation programs and services, SLSA generates significant social and economic benefits for the Australian community each year. In generating these benefits, the organisation receives a significant proportion of its funding from external sources. These include government grants, fundraising, corporate sponsorships and community donations. To promote understanding about the outcomes achieved with the support of these funding sources, SLSA has periodically undertaken and commissioned work to estimate the contribution, or value, generated by its activities for the Australian community.
- The total net benefit of SLSA to the Australian community is $97 billion over 15 years.
- For every $1 invested into SLSA, a return of $20.20 is achieved for the Australian community.
Sport and recreation activities
SLSA also serves as the National Sporting Organisation, opens in a new tab for surf sports as competitive and recreational activities.
In 2015-16 SLSA undertook a national review and consultation process, opens in a new tab to understand how sport and recreation programs and products could be better leveraged to increase the effectiveness of surf lifesavers to deliver on the Surf Life Saving (SLS) core purpose to save lives, create great Australians, and build better communities. As a result of the review, four key components were recommended to enable both sport and recreational participants to flourish as members of SLS, and therefore strengthen the physical competence of surf life savers around Australia:
- Reset surf sports as the competitive edge of SLS; a sporting community that raises the SLSA profile, inspires young athletes to achieve, and is supported by the broader SLS community as a pinnacle of surf-based athleticism.
- Launch recreational memberships to attract less competitive ‘coastal lifestylers’ and families, with supporting professional programs for primary and secondary schools and for fitness programs of all communities and ages, and a range of potential coastline activities.
- Re-package, re-energise, and present surf sport and recreation to members and the public with user driven and engaging modern digital media and information technology platforms.
- Develop and reinforce the SLSA culture as one that celebrates the diverse capacities, ambitions and skills that make for strong surf communities and safe beaches.
Several reports are available from the process:
