Clarence City Council in southeast Tasmania has announced a three year partnership agreement with Surf Life Saving Tasmania to continue the provision of lifeguard services during the busy summer months at Clifton Beach.
Clifton Beach is one of Tasmania’s most popular beaches due to its surf and proximity to the metropolitan area.
However, it is also considered by some as the most dangerous beach in Tasmania, as it is moderately steep, often has rips every
200 metres, and has permanent rips against the rocks at each end.
The funding agreement will enable Surf Live Saving Tasmania to provide 500 lifeguard service patrol hours per season, training and management of lifeguard service personnel and broadcasting of regular beach safety messages on local radio.
Clarence Mayor Alderman Jock Campbell said Council is delighted to assist with the funding to ensure beaches such as Clifton are safer places for the local community to swim.
“Surf Life Saving Tasmania provides an invaluable service to beach users in Tasmania and with our support, that service means that Clifton Beach will have full time patrols over the summer,” he said.
“Over the last three years, the Lifeguard Service has saved 12 lives and during last year’s summer months over 500 beachgoers engaged with basic surf safety tips.”
The Lifeguard program also offers an opportunity for employment for the highly trained surf life savers during the college and university summer break by being part of the Clarence City Council Lifeguard Service.
Surf Life Saving Tasmania General Manager, Tony van den Enden, thanked Clarence Council for continuing the partnership and its support in assisting to create safe beaches for residents and visitors to the City of Clarence.
“We undertook a number of rescues at Clifton Beach last summer and though Clifton Beach is popular and easily accessible to the public, it also has potentially dangerous conditions,” he said.
“This is why it is so important to supplement our weekend volunteer patrols with midweek lifeguard patrols and we appreciate Council’s support to make the Clarence City Council Lifeguard Service a mainstay of summer.”
