Mum tragically drowns trying to save teenage daughter from popular NSW beach

The woman was attempting to rescue her teenage daughter from the surf at Pebbly Beach when the tragedy unfolded. 

A mum has tragically drowned at Pebbly Beach while attempting to rescue her teenage daughter from the water. 

At 1pm on Tuesday, two surfers pulled the unconscious woman from the sea at Pebbly Beach, near Batemans Bay in NSW. 

The surfers dragged the woman onto their boards and performed CPR as they waited for the Westpac Lifesaver Rescue Helicopter to arrive. 

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A woman has died trying to save her daughter from drowning at Pebbly Beach. Picture: Google Maps

Woman tragically dies saving daughter from drowning

Paramedics continued administering CPR to the woman, but she could not be revived, tragically dying at the scene. 

Speaking to reporters, Surf Life Saving NSW confirmed the woman was attempting to rescue her teenage daughter from the water. 

Paramedics also treated the teenage girl, who remains in a stable condition. 

The woman's identity has yet to be released, but it’s understood that she was in her 40s. 

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It’s also believed she entered the water to save her daughter before experiencing difficulty in the surf.  

Pebbly Beach is an unpatrolled and remote stretch of water but is also an increasingly popular spot for tourists and locals. 

South Coast Police District will prepare a report for the coroner. 

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“All of the 14 coastal drownings over summer have occurred at unpatrolled locations”

There has been a sharp increase in drowning across Australia in the last two years, with 48 people losing their lives between July 2022 and June 2023, compared to 52 people dying during the same period in 2021 and 2022. 

The tragic death at Pebbly Beach marks the 11th bystander drowning along the NSW coastline since July 2022

A bystander drowning occurs when someone dies in an attempt to rescue another struggling in the water.

Steve Pearce, chief executive at Surf Life Saving NSW, said more needs to be done about water education and stressed the importance of safety at unpatrolled beaches.t 

“All of the 14 coastal drownings over summer have occurred at unpatrolled locations,” he said. 

“It’s important we focus on education, early alerting to incidents and equipping our lifesavers with the tools they need to respond quickly.”

Originally published as Mum tragically drowns trying to save teenage daughter from popular NSW beach