Sunshine Coast Council, together with Surf Life Saving Queensland, has extended daily lifeguard services at Happy Valley Beach, Caloundra, until May 2025.

Professional lifeguards will continue to watch over the popular swimming area daily.

Additionally, they will put up the red and yellow flags when the tide allows vehicle access.

The 7-day service will then reduce to weekends, public and school holiday coverage across the winter months.

Location signage will also be updated to reflect the new arrangements.

Sunshine Coast Division 2 Councillor Terry Landsberg said it had been a busy holiday season and, with the foreshore generally protected from large surf and the large sandbars exposed at low tide, this beach continued to draw an increasing number of bathers.

“In previous years, a Tier 4 service level was provided, only covering weekends, school and public holidays,” Cr Landsberg said.

“With the changes to the landscape, increased visitation and growing number of incidents over the last few months, we decided to maintain a higher level of service in this location.”

Surf Life Saving Queensland State Regional Operations Manager Aaron Purchase said the service change was a proactive step by Council and SLSQ to increase bathing safety in the area.

“The use of the patrol flags will make it easier for the public to identify the best place to swim in the area and will, in turn, make it easier for Lifeguards to manage the area,” Mr Purchase said.

Council-funded Lifeguard Services for the region are guided by the Surf Life Saving Queensland – Sunshine Coast Council Lifeguard Service Plan 2023-2028.

This Plan was adopted at the August 2023 Ordinary Meeting.

Year-round services are provided by Council’s contract partner Surf Life Saving Queensland (SLSQ), with provisions to adjust services able to occur based on changes in the Australian Beach Safety and Management Program (ABSAMP) Rating.

An Aquatic Risk Assessment for Bulcock Beach and Happy Valley Beach, was recently conducted in accordance with the ABSAMP Rating.

Based on an increased risk level at Happy Valley Beach the service levels changed as follows:

• Bulcock Beach – moves from Tier 2 (seasonal service patrolled 7 days a week from September school holidays to the first Monday in May plus weekends, school and public holidays during Winter) to Tier 4 (patrolled weekends, school and public holidays – September – May).
• Happy Valley Beach – moves from Tier 4 to Tier 2.

Changes were trialled over the Christmas and New Year holiday period and SLSQ received no negative comments from the public.

These changes will now continue and signage will be updated to reflect the new arrangements.

Council’s $6.7 million investment in lifeguard services this financial year delivers patrol services with more than 120 professional lifeguards across permanent, part-time and casual positions and covering 21 beach locations, from North Coolum to Bulcock Beach.

It also provides our professional lifeguards with vital equipment they need to perform their duties, including jet skis, rescue boards, flags and first aid kits.

Sunshine Coast beaches are patrolled by volunteer lifesavers every weekend and on public holidays from 7am to 5pm during the summer season.

This vital service supports lifeguard patrols which occur year-round.

For more information on patrolled beach locations, times and conditions visit www.beachsafe.org.au.