Port Macquarie head lifeguard, James Turnham said that over the last week, lifeguards and lifesavers have been pleased at how well people are behaving at the beach.

“Obviously the weather has not been great which has kept the beaches in the Port Macquarie– Hastings area fairly quiet, but those who have gone out into the water have listened to guards when we advised of changing conditions.

“We had to close a number of beaches due to the storms over the last few days, and given what has occurred, we are expecting visibility in the water particularly at Town Beach to be down in the coming days. That being said lifeguards will monitor the situation closely,” Mr Turnham said.

Mr Turnham also said that people should remain vigilant in the water as we head into the New Year.

“Lots of people who are unfamiliar with our beaches are coming down for a swim, so we just want to remind everyone to swim between the flags and to the conditions and listen to lifeguards and lifesavers when in the water,” he said. 

Port Macquarie Marine Rescue unit commander Greg Davies also said there were no incidents.

“Christmas Day was quiet and we had no call outs, a number of people logged their trips with us which we were grateful of and were able to ensure they were safe during their trips.

“There was also a lot of action in the rivers with people out on boats but we were pleased that everyone remained safe,” Mr Davies said.

Mr Davies also stressed that now is not the time to be complacent, and safety is key so ensure all passengers know where the safety equipment is and how to operate it.

“When going out on the water people need to ensure they are wearing life jackets, everyone on the boat knows how to use the emergency devices and log their trips with us either via channel 16 or via the app and if you get into trouble we are always here to help,” he said.