Last summer was an extremely busy time across our nation’s beaches. The hot weather and the allure of fun in the sun and the surf, meant millions of people took to our coastlines to enjoy that great Aussie tradition of a day spent at the beach. 

Watching over the public on weekends and holidays, alert even outside of patrol hours, were our heroes in red and yellow – our volunteer surf lifesavers – who performed an incredible 5,522 rescues over those hot summer months.  

That is 5,522 people given a second chance at life. 773 of these lifesaving rescues occurred in WA.  

Standing united with our volunteer surf lifesavers were our supporters, whose generosity helped protect hundreds of thousands of beachgoers across Australia and WA, and helped make every rescue possible. 

As we enter into the summer months again, we ask you to stand tall and proud next to us, united and ready to help those who find themselves in perilous danger and at the mercy of the ocean.  

A lifesaving rescue at Coogee Beach 

People like the two terrified young girls violently thrown off their jet ski, alone, nothing but deep ocean surrounding them, their jet ski out of control, and the safety of Coogee Beach a frightening blur on the horizon. 

Madoc Lanfear-Appleby was relaxing on the beach, enjoying his lunch break as he chatted with friends. The young off-duty volunteer surf lifesaver had spent the morning working at his job as a water safety officer for the Department of Education’s Interm Swimming lessons. 

Off-duty, but trained to always be on the alert, the teenager overheard fragments of conversation as people walked past. 

“They were saying two girls fell off their jet ski. Someone said, ‘ask the surf club’, and I was like ‘what’s going on?’ I immediately knew something was wrong,” Madoc recalls. 

“The girls had taken a sharp turn and been thrown off their jet ski about a kilometre offshore, and the cut-off switch to the engine hadn’t been attached to them. 

“It was out-of-control, circling them.” 

Madoc knew it was a critical situation and there was no time to waste - the girls were at the mercy of the open ocean. The unmanned jet ski posed danger not only to them, but also the other swimmers and beachgoers across Coogee Beach, oblivious to the danger lurking beyond the waves.  

Instinct took over. Madoc had two missions – rescue the girls and protect the public. 

“I quickly called (fellow Coogee Beach SLSC member) Lachie Olive at SLSWA’s head office to let him know what was happening and told him we urgently needed help to stop the jet ski. Being mid-week, it was outside of patrol hours, and he was straight onto Marine Rescue and the Water Police to get them sent out to intercept the rogue jet ski,” Madoc said. 

“I could see the girls offshore and they started waving for help vigorously and I knew I had to get out there as quickly as I could. 

“We were using the surf club buggy (ATV) for the swimming lessons, and I grabbed one of the rescue boards off the roof and raced out into the surf, paddling hard to reach the girls. 

“They had drifted about 800 metres out at that time, and I was lucky to have the easterly wind helping me. In a situation like this instinct takes over, and the whole time I was paddling I was just thinking ‘I need to get there, I need to get there.’ By the time I reached the girls, they were under stress and quite panicked. Thankfully, they were wearing their life jackets because one was wearing a thick jumper and said she couldn’t swim very well. 

“It’s so important to calm the patients down in this situation. I just kept reassuring them that everything was okay and let them know Marine Rescue and the Water Police were trying to stop the jet ski, which was fortunately heading out to Carnac Island now, importantly away from the girls and the crowded beach.  

“With two patients and limited time, I got them to hold the straps towards the back of the board, and we paddled in hard against the easterly wind. 

“I talked to them the entire way back to keep them calm and focused. The wind was strong, and I was towing the two girls which isn’t easy, but I knew I just had to keep going and get them to safety. 

“After a long paddle back, we finally reached the shore. The girls were shaken, and we got them water and a towel to warm them up. We met the Water Police, and they delivered the good news that the jet ski was recovered, and they managed to turn off the motor,” said Madoc. 

What could have been a tragic accident with young lives cut short, was narrowly avoided, thanks to the quick thinking, skill, and courage of the young off-duty volunteer surf lifesaver who reacted in seconds to come to the aid of those in perilous danger. 

“Thankfully everything turned out well in the end and the girls and the public were kept safe,” said Madoc shrugging off praise. “It’s what we train for.” 

“I’ve been part of surf lifesaving for a long time, and I've always enjoyed giving back and helping people. I've been brought up to help others,” he said. 

 

Madoc’s surf lifesaving journey began at Coogee Beach SLSC with an orange, blue and white nipper cap and a deep love for the ocean. Both his parents are involved in the Surf Life Saving community, and volunteer for the club too. 

As Madoc moved up through the age groups from under-7s through to under-14s, his love for the ocean combined with his calling to help others, and he completed his Surf Rescue Certificate (SRC) and Bronze Medallion through Fremantle SLSC, to become a volunteer surf lifesaver. 

The young hero is now back where his love for surf lifesaving began, at Coogee Beach SLSC, where he recently completed his Silver Medallion gaining specialised skills in retrieval and search and rescue – skills that proved critical in his rescue of the young girls off Coogee Beach. 

“Growing up around the water, I love open water swimming, and I’ve done the Rottnest Channel swim a few times. Being in the ocean environment is quite cool. You’re swimming in nature. I love spending time in the water. That is what I love doing.” 

Madoc’s love for the ocean and helping people, sees him not only volunteer for his beloved Coogee Beach SLSC, but also help others learn important swimming skills, working as a swim teacher at Fremantle Leisure Centre and a water safety officer for Interm Swim Lessons. 

But the busy 19-year-old doesn’t stop there. Madoc is also in his second semester of a three-year nursing degree at Notre Dame University and has big dreams for his future – all focused around his selfless calling to help people. 

“I want to pursue paramedicine after I graduate nursing,” said Madoc proudly. “I love the way you can help people and the therapeutic communication. Talking to people, and seeing the smiles on their faces, it’s such a cool thing to see.”  

Madoc has been involved in other rescues, recalling the time he and his mother teamed up to save a man’s life one Christmas Day, ensuring a family didn’t endure the horror of losing a loved one on a day of celebration and joy. 

“The man had swum out to the pontoon and panicked when he couldn’t touch the bottom. Me and Mum went out there and brought him safely into shore.” 

The humble way Madoc retells the stories of the people he has helped and the lives he has saved, captures the spirit of surf lifesaving – everyday people doing extraordinary things, often without recognition. 

Madoc stresses how important donors and fundraising are to the Surf Life Saving movement and helping SLSCs and volunteers like him carry out their mission of protecting beachgoers. In fact, he recalls how he and his parents would fundraise for the club with the iconic red and yellow fundraising tins.  

“Fundraising helps us get new rescue and communication equipment, essential equipment like rescue boards and tubes. We are so appreciative of donations, which are so important to helping us perform rescues and save lives,” Madoc said. 

You’ll recall that the rescue of the teenage girls performed by Madoc was possible because of the access he had to a rescue board to reach them quickly and the radio onboard the ATV to communicate for help to secure the jet ski. The ATV also contained a First Aid kit and other essential medical equipment which mercifully wasn’t required in this rescue but is often required to save the lives of those brought back to the beach as volunteer surf lifesavers act in the role of first responders. 

And importantly, Madoc had undergone specialist training – his SRC, Bronze Medallion, and Silver Medallion – costly training programs that were essential to providing him with the critical skills and confidence to successfully perform his mission calmly and efficiently when just seconds can mean the difference between life and tragedy.  

Without this access to vital equipment and training, two young girls might not have made it home to their families and friends that day – they may not have been part of the 5,522 lives saved last summer.  

By donating to our Seasonal Appeal, you are helping fund this equipment and training and ensuring we can continue to save thousands of lives across our beaches this summer. Madoc saving these two young girls lives epitomises why Surf Life Saving needs your help. 

Please support our heroes in red and yellow this summer. We need you to be a lifesaver too.