Swimmer drowned at Coffs Creek, Park Beach in rough ocean

As treacherous conditions lash the coast a woman was swept out of Coffs Creek and into powerful surf and drowned.

An eyewitness to a tragic incident at Park Beach on Monday afternoon described how a woman got to her feet in Coffs Creek and appeared to be safe - seconds later she was gone.

Tony said the woman had been carried by the current but managed to stand in a place where the water was only just above her knee.

“I thought she’ll be all right - but then she was just pulled under and swept out,” he said.

The area where the creek meets the ocean is notorious, and was especially dangerous due to king tides and storm surge.

Nearby volunteer lifesavers were able to bring the woman back to the beach and began cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), until NSW Ambulance paramedics and paramedic specialists arrived and took over.

“Despite their best efforts they were unable to revive the 47-year-old,” NSW Ambulance Inspector Joel Casey said.

Mr Casey paid special thanks to the volunteer lifesavers.

“They do a phenomenal job. There’s been a number of events in the last 48 hours and they are always there to help,” he said.

Coffs Harbour Lifeguards made the decision to close the beaches due to the dangerous conditions at around 9am on Monday.

Lifeguards team leader Greg Hackfath said they had attended three incidents in the morning, the first involving two surfers at Arrawarra.

“A couple of surfers’ leg ropes had snapped as they were trying to get back in,” Mr Hackfath said.

Incredible scenes on Korora Beach captured by Evol Coutman on Monday morning around 10am.

They were assisted by lifeguards, while a bodyboard rider who had got into difficulty at North Wall managed to get back to shore.

“There’s been some very close calls and it doesn’t take much for it to go badly,” he said.

Forecast modelling suggested the huge swell will drop “pretty quickly” on Tuesday.

“Then there’s supposed to be a heap of rain which might be a blessing for us with fewer people at the beaches,” he said.

Rough seas and high tides at Yamba Main Beach on Monday, January 3.

On Sunday afternoon at Sawtell it was a close call for one man who was dragged unconscious from the water.

With some locals describing main beach as ‘one big rip’ the man was spotted in trouble by Surf Life Saving NSW lifeguards on patrol.

Coffs Harbour Lifeguards have posted a warning about conditions at the North Wall in particular where there have been a number of rescues in recent days.

“Conditions are dangerous. Unless you are a competent surfer, stay out, drink coffee, watch a movie... Just don‘t go in the water,” they posted on Facebook.