Is It Safe To Swim In Australian Waters ?

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Ozmaniac

Yes, it's safe to swim in Australian waters. Whenever you hear of Australian lifestyles, they will be centred on the beach and Australians and tourists have no problems swimming in our waters. There are sharks at beaches throughout the world and Australia has no more than in any other place. We have a very small number of shark attacks each year (maybe 3 or 4 in a bad year) and they're invariably on surfers swimming well away from the beach - that's not many for a place where millions of people swim and surf, many of them all year around.

Irikanji and box jellyfish are dangerous, but are found only in inshore tropical waters in summer. It's not safe to swim in those places at that time, but out on the Great Barrier Reef is safe and so is anywhere during winter (it's still hot then) and even in summer, each town in affected areas has netted beaches where it is safe to swim.

In Australia, if you swim between the flags on patrolled beaches, you are far safer than simply living in your home town (wherever it is) or crossing the road anywhere!

I've been swimming on dozens of beaches throughout Australia for decades and have never seen a shark or a dangerous jellyfish, much less been threatened by one. You won't be either!

EDIT:
No dangerous jellyfish at Surfers Paradise (not ever), and if you swim between the flags at patrolled beaches on the Gold Coast, no danger from sharks either. Come and relax and have a good time.

logicgirlstrikesagain

forget sharks and jelly fish; you should be more concerned about Aqus Drop Bears

yellowhamsterofdoom

That probably depends where in Australia you are..

mmdjaajl

I HAVE BEEN SWIMMING IN DAMS RIVERS & THE SEA FOR OVER 40 YEARS NEVER BEEN BITTEN STUNG OR EVEN BUMPED BY ANY THING

Elliot

Totally safe. If you see a shark, just punch it on the nose.

There aren't a lot of sharks and jellyfish, at least not on swimming beaches. Nor are you likely to come across a sea snake or a blue-ringed octopus. The most dangerous aspect of swimming at a beach is probably the water itself rather than what's in it. The best advice is just to stay between the flags. As long as you do, you probably won't encounter any nasty creatures or rip tides, and if you do there'll be someone watching to rescue you if you need it.

Actually that's a common myth that punching on the nose only works for hammerheads. In reality it works for any animal. Any animal with a nose, at least.

suncatcher

no its not safe, shark attacks are becoming more common now in Australia than before, how ever if you wish to swim pick a beach that has life savers patroling it and swim between the flags , dont go to a quite spot where it is not patroled

Liz R

Sharks
Jellyfish
Stingrays
Blue Ringed Octopus
Crocodiles
Snakes
Of course its safe to swim in our waters,what makes you think otherwise.

angle

look what happened to the steve irwin !

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