Fiona MacDonald details rescue from surf at Alexandra Headland on the Sunshine Coast

A mum of two didn’t think she would survive as she and her eight-year-old son were pounded by waves while being dragged in a rip at a Sunshine Coast beach.

A day at the beach almost turned into tragedy for a Melbourne family visiting the Sunshine Coast after a mother and her son were caught in a flash rip on Sunday.

The family of four were thrilled to be out of lockdown and enjoying the good weather when mum Fiona MacDonald and 8-year-old son Hamish went into the surf between the flags at Alexandra Headland.

Ms MacDonald, 45, said she did all she could to keep holding onto her son as the waves grew bigger and the pull of a rip intensified.

Lifeguards saw the trouble unfolding and used a loudspeaker to tell them help was coming.

“I just kept thinking, I know they’re coming, I know they’re coming,” she said.

But then a set of heavy waves rolled over them.

Ms MacDonald then lost her grip on her son.

“It was set after set with no reprieve,” the mother of two said.

“I just couldn’t hold on to him anymore … I was getting so tumbled around it was like a washing machine.

“As a mother, it was the worst feeling in the world.”

Surf Life Saving Queensland lifeguards rescue a woman and boy from rough surf at Alexandra Headland on Sunday morning. Picture: Stuart Cumming

A lifeguard battled the waves on a board to get the stricken pair before another lifeguard quickly joined them.

“One of the lifeguards was saying in his 10 years on that beach he’d not seen it turn so quickly,” Ms MacDonald said.

“We weren’t in very deep, we were between the flags and it just happened so fast, one minute we were having fun and the next minute we were screaming for help.

“I managed to grab onto the handle on the board and I just remember screaming ‘my son, my son’ and the guy said ‘we got him’.”

Ms MacDonald said there were definitely moments when she thought they weren’t going to make it.

“I’m just so grateful to those lifeguards I have no doubt in my mind if we weren’t between the flags we wouldn’t of made it,” she said.

“It was touch and go as it was and it turned so quickly.

“I was hoping that my husband wouldn’t jump in to try and help and (was) hoping my youngest son would be OK.”

Surf Life Saving Queensland lifeguards tend to a woman and boy who were pulled from rough surf at Alexandra Headland on Sunday morning. Picture: Stuart Cumming

Once back on dry land, the duo were taken to the Sunshine Coast University Hospital for observation.

They were discharged late on Sunday afternoon.

Ms MacDonald said she was still struggling with nausea on Monday due to the amount of water she swallowed.

But she was incredibly grateful.

“Everyone that we dealt with were amazing,” she said.

“I keep pinching myself.

“It was an unlucky situation with the luckiest of outcomes.”

Fiona MacDonald, husband Matthew King and sons Hamish King, 8, and Archer King, 6 are heading back home to Melbourne on Wednesday after an unforgettable trip.

Surf Life Saving Queensland head of lifeguard operations Greg Cahill also praised the lifeguards for their quick response.

“Because the mother and son were swimming between the flags, our lifeguards were able to get to them quickly and bring them into shore safely,” he said.

“The ocean is so unpredictable and our lifeguards do an incredible job keeping people safe on Queensland beaches.

“This is again a timely reminder to always swim between the red and yellow flags.”

And while she was not sure if she would be going back to the beach any time soon, Ms MacDonald said her Sunshine Coast holiday had proven unforgettable.

“I’m sure Hamish will have a good story to tell at school when he gets back,” she said.