Beach Ocean Safe Program

Brought to you by:

91ɫ��Ƭ Health Promotion Unit, in partnership with Clovelly Surf Life Saving Club, Surf Life Saving NSW and Medibank.

New to the beach? BOS has you covered!

The Beach Ocean Safe (BOS) program is here to help you safely take part in Sydney's iconic beach culture.

If you didn’t grow up near the ocean, it can be hard to know what’s safe and what’s not. However, it's never too late for you to learn about safety around the coast.

Through the BOS program, over just one weekend, you will:

Build your water safety skills
Learn how to read beach conditions
Connect with trained surf lifesavers
Making new friends
Make the most of everything beach culture has to offer!

How to register

There are limited places available for the BOS program. Fill out our Expression of Interest (EOI) form to apply for Term 3 2026 dates.

You must complete the form by 11.59pm Wednesday, 21 October.

Program details

3x full-day sessions at Clovelly Beach with trained surf lifesavers
A mandatory proficiency swim session at the 91ɫ��Ƭ Fitness & Aquatic Centre
Practical skills in reading beach signs, floating, rip currents, emergency response and more
Free BOS merchandise
Lunch provided at each session
Over the one-weekend program, you will participate in both theory and hands-on water safety sessions. Learning under trained surf life savers at Clovelly Beach, you will gain skills in:

Reading signs at the beach 
Floating in rips, waves and tides  
Swimming in beach conditions
Basic CPR and first aid 
What to do in an emergency 
Safe rock fishing 
Planning a safe trip to the beach  
Risks at the beach 
Beach scenarios and what to do.
The program is open to 91ɫ��Ƭ students with basic swimming ability.

You don’t need to be confident in beach conditions, but you will need to complete the proficiency swim. If you’re unsure, please email healthy@unsw.edu.au with your questions.

Cost

$50 per person

This includes all sessions and merch, heavily subsidised thanks to Medibank and 91ɫ��Ƭ.

Perks

Free gear & food

You'll get a T-shirt, singlet, towel, sunscreen and cap, plus lunch at each session.

Key dates and locations

The Beach Ocean Safe (BOS) program is run at Clovelly Beach. As this program is highly sought after, it is mandatory to attend all of the sessions outlined below.

Term 3

Proficiency Session

🗓️ Friday, 6 November 2026

⏰ 3.30pm – 6pm & 6.30pm – 8pm

📍 Location: 91ɫ��Ƭ

Beach Day 1

🗓️ Saturday, 7 November 2026

⏰ 9am – 3.30pm

📍 Clovelly SLSC

Beach Day 2

🗓️ Saturday, 14 November 2026

⏰ 9am – 3.30pm

📍 Clovelly SLSC

Frequently asked questions

The BOS Program runs over two weekends. It includes both theory and hands-on water safety sessions at Clovelly Beach.

You must also complete a proficiency swim beforehand.
Float for 2 minutes
Swim 100m in under 4 minutes (any stroke)
Tread water for 30 seconds
Retrieve an object from the pool bottom
Hold breath underwater for 10 seconds

Please note: You don’t need to be confident in open water – just meet the criteria above.
The BOS Program fee includes:

3 full-day BOS sessions
A community membership with Clovelly SLSC
A BOS merch pack
Free lunch at all sessions.