New figures show our most popular, and most dangerous beach last year
With crowds returning to beaches as Covid restrictions lifted, find out where lifeguards were needed the most, and which beach was most popular
Grafton
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The Clarence Valley’s beaches have had an influx of visitors in the past year, thanks mostly to the lifting of previous Covid restrictions.
New figures revealed in a Clarence Valley council report show just where everyone has been, and which of our beaches has had the most rescues.
The report was compiled by the Australian Lifeguard Service, who provide professional lifeguard services during peak seasons. Their figures do not include when volunteer surf lifesavers patrol beaches such as Main Beach Yamba and Minnie Water on weekends.
The lifeguards patrol seven beaches, including Iluka, Turners, Main Beach, Pippie, Brooms Head, Minnie Water and Wooli across the Clarence Valley.
See all of the figures here:
It will be of little surprise that the most visited beach in the Clarence Valley is Main Beach in Yamba with 40,185 recorded visitors, and Pippi Beach just behind on 36,879.
However, the beach with the most incidents needing intervention, such as rescues and first aid was Turners Beach, with 16 rescues and 281 First Aid treatments administered. A total of 34 rescues were performed across all the beaches in the year.
One of these incidents included an incident on April 9, 2021 where lifeguards at Turners Beach advised the State Operations Centre of a 40yo male with a fin chop to the head. NSW Ambulance was tasked, and the bleeding was quickly controlled by lifeguards.
The patient was then transported to Maclean Hospital to further undergo medical treatment.
The lifeguards were kept busiest again on Main Beach, with 6,482 preventive actions taken over the year and 188 law enforcements.
According to the report, the beaches were closed during the year for a total of 127 hours, with poor surf conditions accounting for 119.5, with shark closures just four hours.
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