With warmer weather returning beach days are finally back!
The Cook Government is partnering with Surf Life Saving Western Australia's to help keep you safe at the beach.
We’ve invested over $13 million to support SLSWA’s to deliver their helicopter, beach, and jet ski patrols along the Perth and South West coasts.
Aerial patrols have already kicked off and will continue on weekends throughout September and then move to daily from 26 September to the end of April.
The aerial patrols are a key part of the Cook Labor Government's comprehensive Shark Hazard Mitigation Strategy, providing an important early warning service for people enjoying Western Australia's beaches and oceans.
Helicopter crews can quickly alert beach users to shark activity by hovering over an area and sounding a siren when a shark is sighted in close proximity.
Last season, SLSWA helicopters conducted 707 patrols and almost 1,000 hours of flying, as well as supporting 60 search and rescue missions.
Crews reported 711 shark sightings during the season, accounting for around half of all shark sightings reported to Western Australians through the SharkSmart WA app and contributing to 83 beach closures.
More than 296,000 people have now downloaded the SharkSmart WA app, which provides information about reported shark activity, patrolled beaches and weather conditions to help people make informed decisions before heading to the coast.
