Queensland's surf life savers will boost safety at high-risk and unpatrolled beaches this summer after an increase in drownings in the past 12 months.
Figures released in the Surf Life Saving Queensland (SLSQ) 2018 Coast Safe report on Friday show there were six drownings at the state's beaches in 2017-18, up from four the year before.
The report shows none of the drownings occurred between the red and yellow flags at patrolled beaches.
Four of those who drowned were female, going against recent and long-term trends suggesting men are more at risk of coastal drowning than women.
The report also listed five coastal blackspot locations including Peregian Beach to Tea Tree Bay, and Noosa River to Double Island Point on the Sunshine Coast.
Green Island in north Queensland and Surfers Paradise on the Gold Coast are also listed as trouble spots, as is Frenchmans Beach to Point Lookout Headland on North Stradbroke Island.
SLSQ says measures such as roving patrols, mobile emergency beacons and after-hours surveillance will all be used throughout this patrol season, which begins on Saturday.
"We're looking at all avenues available to increase safety at those high-risk locations this summer, ranging from dusk patrols at Surfers Paradise through to mobile emergency response beacons at remote beaches on the Sunshine Coast," SLSQ lifesaving services manager Peta Lawlor said in a statement.
"But our main advice to beachgoers this summer is to swim only at patrolled locations, and only between the red and yellow flags."
Australian Associated Press
