Volunteer lifesavers have pulled up their flags for the last time this surf season, ending a horror seven months in which eight people drowned at beaches across the south coast.
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The region's drowning deaths accounted for nearly a quarter of the state total, and made the season one of the deadliest on record for the south coast.
Volunteers made 264 rescues and carried out over 2000 preventative actions, managing to prevent any loss of life on patrolled beaches.
The volunteers watched over an estimated 99,000 people on beaches at Malua Bay, Broulee, Moruya, Narooma, Bermagui, Tathra and Pambula, spending 19,500 hours on patrol.
There were 33 drowning deaths across NSW, a result significantly worse than last year, when 22 people died in the state.
But the result is still better than the 39 drownings in 2009-10, and the 46 coastal drownings in 2008-09.
Far south coast branch director Andrew Edmunds said lifesavers were looking forward to a well-earned rest after the ''challenging'' season officially ended yesterday.
But Mr Edmunds said the branch desperately needed additional funding and sponsorship to ensure the deaths weren't repeated next season.
He said the branch only had one corporate sponsor, which contributed $5000. He said while the money was greatly appreciated, it didn't go far. ''The individual clubs have their own sponsors as well, but our call-out resources, like jet skis, [and] support teams, don't receive any sponsors, which makes it challenging,'' Mr Edmunds said.
He said the branch managed to increase its volunteer numbers and added new assets on the water in the past year.
The bulk of rescues on the south coast were made during the typically busy Christmas holiday period.
But the south coast was hit by tragedy just over a week after the lifesaving season began.
Four members of the Sgroi family drowned when their boat capsized near Batemans Bay in early October.
The last death of the season was recorded when a 44-year-old Canberra man drowned in a rock fishing accident in February.
At least 7608 rescues were made across the state, and there were an estimated eight million people visiting NSW beaches during the season.
Surf Life Saving NSW president Tony Haven said lifesavers were also regularly called to after-hours emergencies or incidents on unpatrolled beaches by the Surf Rescue Emergency Response System.
''We've rescued people from rip currents, from rock platforms and upturned boats, all because this system enables the rapid deployment of lifesavers and lifeguards to black-spot locations and after hours, following a call to police,'' Mr Haven said.
Volunteer lifesavers will still be on emergency call through winter and paid lifeguards will still patrol some beaches in the region.
The next surf lifesaving season will begin on September 22.
