More than 1000 deaths were prevented by officials on Australia's coastlines in the past 12 month, as warnings ring out for caution at the beach this summer.
Surf Life Saving Australia's (SLSA) annual report was released on Friday and found a concerning 29 per cent spike in preventative actions needed by its volunteers last season.
The study found that men were far more likely to drown than women, with males making up a whopping 86 per cent of drownings.
There were 258 coastal deaths in the past season, with 150 of them due to drowning.
But the organisation found its drowning burden could have been closer to 1700 without its lifesavers, with more than a thousand critical injuries prevented by their actions.
SLSA CEO Adam Weir said the number of drownings was "alarming" and should cause everyone heading to the beach this summer to take notice.
“I am however incredibly proud of the work of our volunteer surf lifesavers across the country who performed a record number of preventative actions which has ensured this drowning number was not significantly higher,” he said.
“As the Australian population continues to grow, more and more people are visiting the coast, and swimming away from Surf Life Saving services remains a major risk."
Coastal drowning deaths were 64 per cent higher in February and March, and nearly a quarter above average through winter.
Swimming and wading drowning deaths also increased by 49 per cent from the 10-year average.
Lifesavers performed nearly 8900 rescues across the season, with 2.4 million preventative actions taken by volunteers to keep beachgoers safe.
“We want to ensure everyone can enjoy our coastline safely and return home to loved ones,” Mr Weir said.
“Our message remains simple: swim at patrolled locations, know your limits and be aware of your actions and decisions around the water."
