A Canberra parent together with the Broulee Surf Life Saving Club hope to bring Nippers to the shores of Lake Burley Griffin this summer.
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The children's program, run for decades on beaches, teaches kids surf awareness, water safety, first-aid and rescue techniques.
"It's a really good introductory piece for children to get used to the surf environment, a lot of it's about self-survival and self-awareness," far south coast director of life saving, Andrew Edmunds, said.
"[And] what to do to keep themselves safe."
Last year 53 people died from drowning in coastal NSW, one of the worst years on record. Inland Australians are also a high-risk group.
Errol Price, from Bonner, and whose youngest is in Nippers and whose eldest has graduated to cadet, said the two boys have learned a lot about the ocean since getting involved with the Broulee club in 2010.
"Most Australians go to the beach or go to the coast for their holidays, and it's totally different to being in the pool," he said.
The kids learn about rips, for example, and learn to use them to their advantage to carry them out into the ocean during competitions.
"They dive off the rocks and swim to the beach" to learn if you're ever blown off the rocks that's the safest way back to shore, he said.
"You feel more confident, they feel confident."
He said his boys, Craig, 15, and Nathan, 10, had also developed leadership skills, and Craig after graduating to cadet was able to give back to the community by volunteering in beach patrols.
Children don't have to be IronMen or IronWomen, Mr Edmunds said, but there will be a pool swim to check competency in the water.
They must also commit to one weekend a month at Broulee.
Bethany Williams loved the idea of her kids learning surf safety but wasn't able to commit to every weekend down the coast.
"I grew up in Broulee ... [but] whenever I take my kids down the beach I get really nervous that they don't have the necessary ocean skills."
She's now managing the Canberra-based Nippers program, and hopes to enrol her children Aidan, 10, and Audrey, 8 if it gets the numbers.
Ms Williams said there's a social aspect for parents too, gathering together for barbecues at the designated coast weekends.
It's expected the program will run from late October and early November through to March each year, Ms Williams said.
Registrations for the upcoming season will close on October 15. Interested people can get in touch at canberranippers@gmail.com
