Wollongong City Council looks after 17 patrolled beaches and 9 public pools between Stanwell Park and Windang. Swimmers are kept safe with patrols six days a week, and on Sundays there are volunteer lifesavers from Surf Lifesaving Australia.
Click here to see the beach patrol hours.
If you want to know more about beach and pool safety, this is the link for you.
The beaches aren’t just for swimming, either. Whether you want to surf, sailboard, scuba dive or play volleyball, you’ll find a beach to suit. Plus, eight of the area’s beaches have rock pools to explore.
When you do visit our beaches, we’d encourage you to help us keep them looking good. There are recycling bins at Stanwell Park, Austinmer, Thirroul, Bulli, City and Port Kembla beaches. So, do the right thing…
Public Pools
If you prefer pools to waves, try one of Wollongong’s many public swimming pool options. We’ve got rock pools, saltwater pools, freshwater pools and, at Beaton Park Leisure Centre, an indoor pool.
Click here, to see the public pools and their opening hours.
Wollongong City Council Lifeguard Service
Professional lifeguards have been patrolling our beaches since 1912 when the first paid lifeguard took up a position at Austinmer beach to protect summertime visitors.
Council employs up to 75 professional ocean lifeguards to protect residents and visitors to the city’s 17 patrolled beaches.
The season operates from the September school holidays right through to 25 April, or Anzac Day. North Wollongong Beach is patrolled 365 days a year.
You can easily spot Council’s lifeguards – their uniforms are blue and white shirts and blue shorts.
What do lifeguards do?
A lifeguard’s job is all about making sure swimmers can go for a swim in a safe way. The lifeguards:
- Set up a safe swimming area by judging the surf conditions and marking out the best spot with the red and yellow flags. The black and white flags are for surf craft.
- Place rescue equipment at strategic points on the beach.
- Perform rescues and carry out first aid, including resuscitation, when necessary.
- Share information on beach and surf conditions with the public, and present beach and water safety lectures to schools and community groups.
- Help keep the beaches clean by overseeing litter and waste management.
Council employees a mix of permanent, seasonal and casual lifeguards for the full swimming season. If you’d like to be a lifeguard, you need to be skilled in surf lifesaving or being a professional lifeguard, and have experience and knowledge of the beach and surf conditions. You also need a First Aid Certificate, Advance Resuscitation Certificate, Gold Medallion or equivalent such as the Professional Ocean Lifeguard Award. It’s also good to have a PWC Waterways Licence.
If you apply to be a lifeguard, you’ll also have to complete a physical test that includes:
- 800 metre pool swim in under 14 minutes
- Complete a ‘M’ shape course that includes a 600m ocean swim, 600m sand run, 600m rescue board and 600m sand run while negotiating a surf break.