Awareness Article – National Drowning Report
Every school holidays, I hear fantastic stories from Cranbrook students and families about their adventures at the beach, rivers, and pools, taking time to celebrate and spend time together. But behind these joyful moments lies a sobering reality. The recently released National Drowning Report 2025 paints a confronting picture: drowning deaths are rising sharply after years of gradual decline. In the past year alone, 357 people lost their lives to drowning across Australian waterways, a 27% increase on the 10-year average and the highest number since records began in 1996. Alarmingly, the report also highlights that drownings among people from higher socio-economic backgrounds are rising year on year, challenging the misconception that risk is confined to disadvantaged or regional communities. This trend reinforces the message that no family can afford to be complacent about water safety.
The report makes it clear who is most at risk. Males accounted for 81% of all drowning deaths, a pattern seen consistently across age groups and environments. Risk-taking behaviour, overconfidence in the water, and higher exposure to aquatic activities are all contributing factors. The coastline remains the most dangerous environment, with 43% of drownings occurring in coastal locations, including 23% at beaches and 11% in harbours. Tragically, many of these deaths occur during holiday periods, with December and January accounting for 30% of all drowning fatalities. This peak coincides with school holidays, when families often travel to unfamiliar locations and relax their usual safety routines. Among young people aged 15–24, deaths increased by 28% compared to the 10-year average, with males making up an overwhelming 93% of cases.
At Cranbrook, these national statistics take on a personal dimension. In Term 4, 2024, we ran the Junior School Swimming Intensives, where we tested the proficiency of 477 Junior School students. The findings were concerning: 14% of students did not meet the Royal Life Saving Society’s minimum water safety standards, meaning they may not be able to save themselves in difficulty. The most alarming figure came from Year 6 2024, where 35% of students were below average proficiency. This is particularly troubling as these boys are moving into adolescence, just as drowning risk begins to rise sharply.
In response, Cranbrook introduced a Year 7 swimming test during O-Week in 2025, which revealed that 24% of students were below the minimum standard. This included students who held onto the lane rope, stopped on the wall, or took longer than 1 minute 30 seconds to complete a 50m lap. These results highlighted a significant gap in water competency, raising concerns not only for participation in the Year 7 PDHPE swimming unit but also for their safety in and around water, especially given our coastal environment. To address this, 39 students were invited into a free, school-supported program focused on water safety and stroke development. Of these, 22 enrolled and 18 completed the full 8-week course. Remarkably, all 18 students went on to meet or exceed the 10 Royal Life Saving outcomes. Most notably, every student was able to swim 400 metres continuously, tread water for five minutes, and retrieve a manikin from 2.2 metres, a transformation from struggling to complete 50 metres to surpassing national safety benchmarks.
Our data also shows a strong correlation between consistent lesson attendance and proficiency. Of the 60 Cranbrook Junior School students who fell below standard, 85% had not participated in regular swimming lessons. Encouragingly, those who returned to consistent lessons quickly caught up to their peers, reinforcing a simple truth: swimming is a skill that requires continuity and practice. Stopping lessons too early can leave children underprepared for real-life aquatic environments, even if they once appeared “safe enough.”
At the other end of the scale, 59 Cranbrook students exceeded standards for their age. Significantly, 90% of these students actively participated in our weekly swimming program. Forty-two are currently in the program, 11 had been involved in the past six months, and only six achieved exceptional results without recent participation. Of those six, three train with IPSHA swimming, and five are part of the Cranbrook Water Polo team, leaving just one student excelling without regular aquatic training at Cranbrook. This makes clear that consistent exposure to swimming and aquatic sport is the driving factor behind outstanding water safety outcomes.
The lesson is simple: learning to swim early gives children the greatest advantage. The trajectory of learning slows as they grow older, and once they reach adolescence, acquiring strong water skills becomes much harder. At Cranbrook Aquatics, the Teen Learn to Swim programme has quickly become Cranbrook’s fastest-growing initiative as more and more families are not seeing Swimming skills as a priority. This matches the data across Australia, many teenagers are reaching high school without strong swimming skills, and this programme gives them a second chance to build water confidence in an age-appropriate environment. At the same time, the evidence shows the importance of beginning lessons as early as possible. At Cranbrook, we recommend starting from 6 months or as early as possible, when children are developmentally ready for structured learning and progress rapidly.
The alignment between national and local data is striking. Cranbrook’s male student body places our boys in the demographic at highest risk. Our proximity to Sydney’s beaches means families are often in environments where rip currents and unpatrolled areas amplify danger. The timing of summer holidays matches the period when drowning deaths spike nationally. And within our own data, Year 6 students, just before the age of greatest national risk are showing the greatest gaps in ability.
Cranbrook is responding with focus and commitment. Our Learn to Swim programme caters for children from 6 months old through to Year 12, ensuring no student leaves School without confidence in the water. Our core learn to swim programme runs 48 weeks of the year and the new Teen Learn to Swim initiative provides a crucial pathway for those who missed out earlier, while our intensive holiday programmes accelerate progress at the exact time of year when risk is highest. These efforts are supported by community education that encourages families to remain vigilant about supervision, recognise the importance of continuity, and understand that swimming proficiency is not something children can “grow into” later.
As summer approaches, the message is clear: there is no better time to act by joining lessons now. With drowning deaths rising nationally and risk peaking in December and January, families should prioritise water safety now. Enrolling in lessons is not just about preparing children for the beach, it is about giving them the foundation for lifelong safety, confidence, and enjoyment around water.
The statistics in the National Drowning Report 2025 are sobering and highly relevant to our Cranbrook community: 81% of drowning victims are male, 43% of fatalities occur at the coast, and one-third of deaths happen in the summer holidays. But behind every statistic is a preventable tragedy.
For further details on joining the Cranbrook Learn to Swim programme please visit our website here.
To contact our Learn to Swim team for further details please email:
learntoswim@cranbrook.nsw.edu.au
To access the 2025 Royal Life National Drowning report please visit here.