Starting next Thursday (December 19), professional lifeguards will patrol at Kingscliff North beach for the first time. It is part of a trial, which will run up until January 12, in response to an increase in the number of people swimming at the beach.
The beach has increased in popularity as the Kingscliff North Holiday Park has become more popular and possibly also because of the high-profile beach erosion further south.
But Tweed Coast Holiday Parks executive manager, Richard Adams, said the change in beach behaviour had caused caused concerns about public safety.
‘We only have anecdotal reports of increased numbers using the Kingscliff North beach and this trial will assess whether these numbers justify a beach patrol service,’ he said yesterday.
Tweed Coast Holiday Parks will conduct the trial in conjunction with the Australian Lifeguard Services, which Tweed Shire Council already contracts to operate lifeguard patrols at the Kingscliff/Cudgen, Casuarina, Duranbah, Fingal Head, Cabarita Beach, Salt, Hastings Point and Pottsville beaches.
The trial patrol at Kingscliff North will operate from 9am to 6pm and the lifeguards will record statistics about beach usage, any preventative actions, rescues and other assistance they provide.
‘At the end of the trial, the service will provide the Tweed Coast Holiday Parks and Tweed Shire Council with a formal report and recommendations about whether it’s justified to have permanent patrols there,’ Mr Adams said.
‘We would then need to look at how this additional service could be funded.
‘We encourage people to use the beach safely by swimming between the flags during the patrol periods.’
The locations of each patrolled beach in the Tweed and when patrols operate is available by visiting www.tweed.nsw.gov.au/Beaches.
