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Lifesavers at Sydney beaches closed due to coronavirus concerns are being "harassed" by members of the public, according to the head of Surf Life Saving NSW.
Key points:
- Bondi Beach was closed by the NSW Government on Saturday over concerns about large crowds
- Manly (south end), Tamarama, Maroubra, Bronte, Coogee, Clovelly, Dee Why, Freshwater, Long Reef and Palm Beach have also now been closed
- On Sunday morning, people were still continuing to visit Bondi Beach unperturbed
Despite continuing appeals to avoid beaches, following the closure of Bondi Beach and other Sydney beaches, people are continuing to head to the water.
Surf Life Saving NSW president George Shales said the situation was becoming "quite challenging".
"Our lifesavers are actually starting to be harassed, which is absolutely unacceptable from my position," he said.
"Some of our lifesavers are withdrawing from patrols because of the environment they're being put under.
"The minute that they feel they are at risk, they will remove themselves from that environment."
Following Bondi's closure, other councils reported high visitor numbers at other beaches prompting the closure of Manly (south end), Tamarama, Maroubra, Bronte, Coogee, Clovelly, Dee Why, Freshwater, Long Reef and Palm Beach.
This morning Waverley Council, which has Bondi Beach in its jurisdiction, launched a fresh appeal for people to stop heading to the area.
Despite tough new measures brought in by the State Government yesterday, dozens of surfers and swimmers took to the waves in Bondi this morning.
Waverley Council, in a tweet on Sunday morning, pleaded with people to stop heading to the beach and warned police would be present.
"People are still going to our beaches," it said on Twitter.
"If you know someone going to the beach today, tell them not to."
Waverley Council said Bondi Beach would remain closed today, even if there were fewer than 500 people at the beach.
Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt said, given measures to encourage social distancing, the crowds at Bondi on Friday were "unacceptable".
A spokesperson said lifeguards working with council have the authority to ask anyone on the beach to leave, and if they refuse, police may be asked to step in.
It is understood council rangers and lifeguards will patrol beaches to monitor the ban, but police can also forcibly remove crowds.
Elsewhere, the Sutherland Shire Council Mayor, Carmelo Pesce, said the council would monitor and close the beaches at Cronulla if the community did not follow the rules.
"If you come down and you see more than what is supposed to be on that beach, do not come down, just turn around and go home," he said.
"We're going to hold a hard stance. This is very, very important and the Government are putting all these measures in place for a reason."
What the experts are saying about coronavirus:
Topics: covid-19, diseases-and-disorders, health, respiratory-diseases, infectious-diseases-other, health-policy, government-and-politics, travel-health-and-safety, sydney-2000
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