58 drownings and counting, but South Coast lifesavers' call for help unanswered

People from across the world flock to the remote and spectacular coastal strip from Warilla to Durras (just north of Batemans Bay), but many of the beaches in this area are unpatrolled.

Since 2004, three people have drowned in the Shellharbour local government area, nine in Kiama LGA and 46 in Shoalhaven LGA.

"Since the end of the peak 23/24 Christmas/New Year holiday period, we have had four drownings at remote locations," Surf Life Saving South Coast Branch president Stephan Jones said.

Most of the drownings during the 20-year period were at remote and isolated beaches.

"The majority of drownings are non-swimmers or non-nationals," Mr Jones said.

"Everyone comes to Australia because all our beaches are promoted, but unfortunately when they go to the beach a lot of them can't swim."

Mr Jones said lifesavers patrol beaches with limited resources and the installation of emergency response beacons (ERB) - permanent fixtures with direct links for the public to Surf Life Saving's support operations centre - at drowning hot spots would help save lives.

Last month, the NSW Government announced three new ERBs for Illawarra's beaches and coastline, this is in addition to six already in the region, but the South Coast missed out.

South Coast Branch lifesavers are stretched with just nine surf clubs for a 171 kilometre stretch of coastline. By comparison there's 17 surf clubs along the Illawarra's 50km coast.

There are only four ERBs in the South Coast, they're located at Shellharbour South Beach, Blowhole Kiama, Kendall Beach and South Bombo.

There are no ERBs in the Shoalhaven where the majority of drownings have occurred.

The state government will install 32 ERBs during the next four years, but a SLS spokeswoman said no information was available on which, if any, South Coast regions were under consideration.

"Our calls have been unheard," Mr Jones said. "I'm absolutely mystified.

"Based on the significant number of drownings that we have had in the southern area of our branch, I would have thought it would have been higher on the agenda compared to the other locations that already have been installed in my branch."

Educating people, especially visitors, about the dangers of swimming along the coast, rips and rock ledges is vital, Mr Jones said.

"People take unnecessary risks and it has a lot to do with their non familiarity with the ocean," he said.

"All too often you could be standing on a rock ledge close to the water line and the wave motion and the motion of the sea looks nice and calm but out of nowhere, a wave can come up and hit you."