Last summer, 84 per cent of people rescued at the south coast were from the ACT.
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One Canberra organisation has been doing its best to ensure that figure comes down in future generations, and it's project is about to get bigger.
The Canberra Nippers have successfully partnered with the Broulee Surf Lifesaving Club for the past two summer seasons so Canberra children don't miss out on being part of Australia's iconic surf life saving education program.
The Canberra Nippers are expanding for the upcoming season, announcing a new partnership with the Mollymook Surf Lifesaving Club.
Canberra Nippers founder Bethany Williams said she wanted to expand the program to an area that would be embraced by Canberrans.
"I was looking at a club that would welcome new members," Ms Williams said.
"I wanted to look at places that Canberrans go, with accommodation close to the beach.
"Mollymook has a great beach, a great surf club and is a really great place to set up the new club."
The Canberra-Broulee Nippers program proved popular in its first two seasons with all age groups at capacity.
The program offers children the opportunity to learn life saving skills like ocean rescue techniques and CPR, and to compete in traditional beach events like sprints and flags. The Canberra Nippers train once per week at the Canberra Olympic Pool and travel to the south coast for training one weekend a month during the summer season.
"The skills people learn from surf life saving are skills for life," Ms Williams said.
"Someone could be having a heart attack in the street and the skills will kick in to help them.
"It can really help the community and that's where it's so amazing."
Matt Woods has been a volunteer with the Canberra-Broulee club since its inception, watching over his daughter, 10-year-old Anastasia, and son Michael, 7, as they learn new skills that could one day save a life.
Mr Woods said as a parent, and an age manager with the club, he appreciated that it wasn't a sport where you just drop your children off and leave them to it.
"It's really highly involved and that's what is so great about it; you become a part of the community," Mr Woods said.
"And hopefully by the end of it the kids continue competing, or patrolling or at the very least, they've developed all these life skills."
Mr Woods said the seed to get his children involved in the program was planted when they were quite young as he watched groups of nippers having fun at the beach.
He said having his children involved with nippers had given him a lot more peace of mind when they played in the surf.
"They're now very aware of rips and currents and have a lot more confidence and just common sense," Mr Woods said.
"I have more confidence that if they got into trouble [in the surf] they could get out of it."
Ms Williams said the Canberra-Mollymook Nippers would be kept purposefully small in its first season, about 10 children per age group, to help get it set up before looking to expand down the track.
The club offers levels from under eights to under 14s.
For further information, email canberramollymooknippers@gmail.com
