By Jessica McSweeney and Riley Walter
Luca Bennett’s family have paid tribute to their “perfect son” after the 15-year-old was swept off rocks at North Avoca Beach on Christmas Eve.
Luca, a rising basketball star, was enjoying the day with friends when the group were washed into the sea. His two mates returned to land and raised the alarm, but Luca could not be found.
Missing teenager Luca Bennett with his mother Michelle.Credit: Facebook
As the search was scaled back from a rescue mission to a recovery operation, Luca’s parents Michelle and Jason thanked everyone for helping to search for their son.
“Yesterday we lost our darling beloved Luca J. Everyone is doing the best they can to search for him and bring him home to us. We are so grateful,” the statement posted on social media said.
“He was the most perfect son and we can’t believe it’s real.”
The family asked the community to “send your love out to Luca” by listening to his favourite musician, Frank Ocean.
Friends gather on Christmas Day to honour their mate Luca Bennett, who was lost off North Avoca Beach on Tuesday.Credit: James Brickwood
A Scots College student and passionate basketballer, Luca was invited to attend the prestigious US-based Phenom National Camp in California in July last year. He began high school in Terrigal before transferring to Scots, and played under-16s basketball for the Norths Bears in Sydney.
In a letter to the school community on Thursday, Scots principal Dr Ian Lambert said Luca was a “deep thinker with a big heart that cared for others”.
Lambert said Luca, who had boarded at the school in years 8 and 9, was a member of the college’s Indigenous Education Program and had strong connections to the Central Coast’s Darkinjung Aboriginal community through his Wiradjuri heritage.
“Luca often shared with staff his love for his family and how much he wanted to honour his parents by making the most of every opportunity. He mirrored his parents’ unconditional love in how he treated others, always making the people he spoke to feel valued and loved,” Lambert said.
Luca was also part of Basketball NSW’s High-Performance Program, which prepares young athletes to represent the state at the national championships.
“Luca was an exceptionally talented and passionate basketball player with huge potential, but above all else, he was a solid and reliable teammate,” Lambert said.
“He was also a skilled artist and his passion for art was contagious, often inspiring other boys in the classroom to dig deeper.”
A memorial service for Luca, who Lambert said would “forever be a part of the Scots College family and will be missed by the staff, students and all those who had the opportunity to know him”, will be held in term 1 of 2025.
Rescuers at North Avoca Beach search for the missing boy on Wednesday.Credit: James Brickwood
“We will remember him for his kindness, passion, sense of humour and beautiful smile,” Lambert said.
“We send our deepest sympathies, our love, our prayers and our support, to his family.”
On Christmas Day, Luca’s friends, including those with him when he was swept away, gathered at the beach to honour their friend with a tribute etched onto a rock face.
“Luca Bennett 2009-2024. Forever 15,” it said.
Social media has been flooded with tributes to the missing teen.
“I thank God that me and my family got to be a part of your life,” one friend wrote on Instagram.
“Man I just saw you last week, it breaks my heart so much, 2025 was gonna be big … I love you, I’ll always be here for your family, no matter what.”
One of his teammates posted a photo of them on a basketball court, writing: “I’ve had some of the best and funniest memories with you man.”
Despite the search team including Surf Life Saving, NSW Police, NSW Ambulance and the Westpac Rescue Helicopter, there has been no sighting of Luca since Christmas Eve.
“It’s a very tragic incident, and I feel for the family at this time of year. It’s just a timely reminder of how dangerous the rocks can be around the ocean and how everyone has to be really careful about what’s going on around there,” NSW Police District Inspector Benjamin Campbell said on Wednesday.
“I’ve spoken to [the family]. They’re obviously very upset at the moment, and they’re dealing with what they can.”
With Billie Eder, Cindy Yin and Clare Sibthorpe
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