Australia has recorded the highest number of drowning deaths since records began, with 357 fatalities in the past year – a 27% increase on the 10-year average.
The latest National Drowning Report 2025, released by Royal Life Saving Australia and Surf Life Saving Australia, highlights the urgent need for water safety awareness as summer approaches.
While child drownings under five have fallen, drowning rates rise sharply in teens, young adults, and older Australians. Coastal waters accounted for 43% of deaths, with beaches alone claiming 82 lives, while inland rivers, lakes, and dams accounted for 34%.
Regional, remote, and disadvantaged communities remain disproportionately affected, with drowning rates nearly triple those in major cities. Newscorp reports 130 people have drowned in Cairns waterways over the past two decades.
Experts warn that declining swimming skills, an ageing population, and increased activity in remote or unfamiliar waters are driving the surge.
“Rip currents remain Australia’s number one coastal hazard, claiming more lives than sharks, floods, or cyclones combine,” Surf Life Saving CEO Adam Weir says.
