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Water Safety

Water Safety

In a country like Australia, water safety isn’t optional. From backyard pools to surf beaches, here’s what every family needs to know — based on guidance from Royal Life Saving Australia, Surf Life Saving Australia, and Kids Alive Do The Five.

The Australian water safety reality

Each year, Royal Life Saving Australia publishes the National Drowning Report. The figures consistently remind us why this matters: drowning is one of the leading causes of preventable death for children under 5, and a significant cause of death across all age groups.

The good news? Drowning is preventable. Education, supervision, barriers, and swimming ability work together as layers of protection.

Home pools: the four-sided rule

If you have a backyard pool, every Australian state and territory requires four-sided isolation fencing that separates the pool from the house and yard. This isn’t bureaucracy — it works. Studies show isolation fencing reduces child drowning by around 80%.

  • Check your fence and gate weekly — gates are the most common point of failure
  • The gate must self-close and self-latch from any position
  • Keep furniture, pot plants and toys at least 900 mm clear of the fence
  • Empty paddling pools and buckets immediately after use
  • Have CPR signage clearly displayed in the pool area

Kids Alive Do The Five

The Kids Alive Do The Five program is one of Australia’s longest-running and most recognised water safety messages. The five steps are:

  1. Fence the pool — Isolation fencing saves lives.
  2. Shut the gate — A gate is only as good as its latch.
  3. Teach your kids to swim — it’s great — Lessons build skills and confidence.
  4. Supervise — watch your mate — Active, undistracted supervision.
  5. Learn how to resuscitate — CPR knowledge can save a life.

Beach and surf safety

Australian beaches are among the most beautiful — and most dangerous — in the world. Rip currents, sudden depth changes, and shore breaks catch out tourists and locals alike. The single most important rule:

Always swim between the red and yellow flags at a patrolled beach.

Surf Life Saving Australia patrols hundreds of beaches around the country. The Beachsafe app and website (run by SLSA) shows you which beaches are patrolled and the conditions on any given day.

If you’re caught in a rip

  • Stay calm — rips don’t pull you under, they pull you out.
  • Float on your back to conserve energy.
  • Raise an arm to signal for help.
  • If you can swim, head parallel to the shore to escape the rip, not against it.

Active supervision

Royal Life Saving’s research consistently shows that the majority of toddler drownings happen during a brief lapse in supervision — often less than five minutes. Active supervision means:

  • Within arm’s reach for children under 5
  • No phone, no distractions — eyes on the water
  • Designate a clear “watch” rotation if multiple adults are present
  • Don’t rely on flotation aids as a substitute for supervision

Resources we trust

  • Royal Life Saving Australia — National drowning prevention organisation
  • Surf Life Saving Australia — Beach safety, Beachsafe app
  • Kids Alive Do The Five — Home pool safety education
  • AUSTSWIM — Industry body certifying learn-to-swim teachers

learntoswim.net.au/ is an independent directory and is not affiliated with these organisations. We point to them because their guidance is excellent.