All beaches on the peninsula will resume surf patrols this weekend kicking off the 2023/24 season.

Manly Beach has its flags up all year round and Dee Why and Freshwater have been patrolled since the beginning of September, the remaining beaches will start patrols on Saturday 23 September.

Professional lifeguards from Council and the Australian Lifeguard Service share the responsibility of keeping our beaches safe with volunteers from 21 Surf Life Saving Clubs.

Throughout the week, on weekends and public holidays, a combination of volunteer surf lifesavers and our lifeguards manage beach safety. They work together to ensure visitors and residents are safe and comfortable whether on the sand or in the water.

Last year over 10.8 million people visited our beaches with 1,427 rescues and 4,300 first aid cases requiring attention.

There were also 425,000 preventative actions undertaken by the lifeguards and volunteer lifesavers primarily involving directing swimmers to swim between the flags, away from rips, and directing board riders to steer clear of the flags.

Along with keeping visitors safe and comfortable, all lifeguards and lifesavers seek to increase the knowledge, skills and awareness of beach users.

We remind beachgoers to know their capability, swim between the flags, read the water conditions, follow the direction of lifeguards and lifesavers and obey beach signage.

And don’t forget to slip, slop, slap to cover up from the sun’s harmful rays.