Perth Safety Information

Enjoy outdoor activities without the risk of sun damage.

Wear a long-sleeved shirt, a broad-brimmed hat, and take care to apply sunscreen to exposed skin. Reapply sunscreen after two hours, especially if you have been in the water.

Avoid being outside in the middle of the day and take care to drink plenty of water in the warmer months.

Swimming in Perth is great at all times of the year. Surf lifesavers supervise swimmers at the beach and their advice must be followed.

• Always swim or surf at patrolled beaches.
• Always swim between the red and yellow flags.
• Always swim under supervision.
• Read and obey the signs.
• If you are unsure of surf conditions, ask a lifeguard.
• Do not venture out far if swimming in a yellow flagged area. Yellow flags stand for 'Caution'.
• Do not swim alone or at beaches that are not patrolled by lifesavers.
• Do not swim immediately after a meal.
• Do not swim under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
• Do not swim if the beach is closed. Red flags will indicate 'Danger'.
• Never run or dive in the water, even if you have checked before, as water conditions can change.
• If you get into trouble in the water, stay calm. Raise one arm to signal for help, float and wait for lifeguard assistance.
• Learn how to spot a rip and keep clear of it. A rip can be spotted by the presence of sand-coloured or rippled water moving out to sea where the water on either side is generally cleaner. The waves may also be larger and breaking further out to sea on both sides of the rip.
• If you are caught in a rip, stay calm and raise one arm to signal for help, or swim diagonally across the rip rather than struggling against it.
• Keep the beach clean, put your rubbish in a bin and keep off the duned areas. They are there to preserve the beach environment.

Visitors to Australia are often more fearful of sharks than anything else in the country. This fear is exaggerated and unnecessary. The 'JAWS' movies of the 1980s spread misleading information to the western world, portraying sharks as highly dangerous creatures with a bloodlust for humans.

The reality is vastly different. The chances of encountering a shark at a beach in Perth, let alone being attacked by one, are so low it is barely worth mentioning. With less than one shark attack per year in Australia, there is more chance of a piano falling from a high-rise building and squashing a pedestrian.

To help avoid the possibility of a shark attack, here are some commonsense rules to follow:

• Always heed the warnings of lifeguards at the beach
• Do not swim at night
• Do not swim in murky waters
• Do not swim in canals
• Do not swim if you are bleeding
• Do not throw food scraps into the water
• If fishing, do not discard fish scraps or guts into waters where people swim

Western Australia's warm climate and coastal location increases the risk of bushfires and cyclones. Perth's cyclone season extends from November to April. If a cyclone approaches, you should listen to a radio for more information.  

Although both of these occurences are uncommon, please be aware of the safety procedures. Safety information is available from Fire and Emergency Services Authority of Western Australia (FESA).