Wollongong City Council

Casual Beach Lifeguards – 2026/2027 Season

Casual Beach Lifeguards

2026/2027 Season

26 September 2026 to 24 April 2027

At Wollongong City Council, we continuously strive to create an Extraordinary Wollongong for our community. We focus on the delivery of exceptional services, infrastructure and facilities for our community. Our aim is to work toward the community's goals in the Our Wollongong Our Future Community Strategic Plan 2035.

Wollongong is a great place to work, live and play! Together, our responsibility is to create an inclusive community where everyone is welcome, valued and belongs. Our strength is the diversity of our people.

We lead with courage, openness and curiosity and believe our employees are the key to our success. Learn more about us here.

The opportunity

Are you passionate about the beach, love helping others, and thrive in the great outdoors? We're on the lookout for enthusiastic and dependable casual lifeguards to join our vibrant team, helping create safe, welcoming and enjoyable experiences across 17 stunning beaches throughout our local government area.

Whether you're a seasoned pro or just starting out, we have opportunities for lifeguards of all experience levels. What matters most is your enthusiasm, reliability, and commitment to supporting our community and ensuring everyone can enjoy our beaches safely and confidently.

As a Beach Lifeguard, you'll play an important role in connecting with residents and visitors, promoting water safety, and helping create positive beach experiences for people of all ages. Your role will include:

Community engagement and customer service - your positive attitude and communication skills will help provide, professional assistance to beach users and helping create a welcoming and inclusive environment for everyone.
Team spirit and adaptability - you'll take direction well, stay flexible, and bring a can-do attitude to every shift.

Proactive beach patrols - spotting and reducing risks before they become hazards.

Physical readiness - you'll need to be fit and capable of handling the physical demands of lifeguarding, including repetitive manual tasks.

If you're ready to dive into a rewarding role that combines purpose, teamwork, and the beauty of the coast, we'd love to hear from you!

Find out more about what we do here: Beaches | City of Wollongong (nsw.gov.au)

What's on offer?​

We're topping up our casual pool and looking for flexible and dependable casual lifeguards who are available to work on an ad hoc basis to help cover staff leave and unexpected absences across all our beaches. These positions require availability across a seven day roster, including weekends and evenings, with shifts operating between 6:00 am and 7:00 pm, Monday to Sunday.

Under Part 2, Section 6 of the Child Protection (Working With Children) Act 2012, this position has been designated as requiring a paid NSW Working With Children Check. Applicants over the age of 18 must have a Paid NSW Working With Children.

How you'll make a difference:

As a lifeguard, you'll be more than just a watchful eye, you'll be a beachside leader, keeping our coastline safe, welcoming, and full of positive energy. You'll be the go to person for beachgoers, offering friendly advice and top tier customer service, while delivering engaging Surf Education sessions to help beachgoers stay confident in the water. You'll help create a welcoming and secure space for everyone by championing child protection and workplace safety and following all protocols.

Your day will also involve keeping our beaches safe through vigilant patrols and quick responses to incidents, managing the daily operations of your assigned beach, including equipment and facilities, and staying ready to respond with calm, capable first aid and emergency care when needed. You'll complete operational reports to maintain high safety and service standards.

About you:

• You are a confident communicator with a natural flair for exceptional customer service
• You are physically fit, energetic, and ready to meet the demands of lifeguarding as outlined in the position description.
• You are a proactive self-starter with a positive attitude and strong team spirit
• You are practical, adaptable, and committed to a safety-focused culture
• You remain calm under pressure and quick to respond when needed
• You hold the relevant qualifications, licences, certifications and clearances required for the position.
• You are flexible and available to work on a casual basis, including across multiple locations, weekends, evenings and at short notice when required.
• You have a genuine commitment to living out Council's values: Respect, Integrity, OneTeam, Sustainability, and Courage-both in and out of the water.

Level 2 - Ocean Lifeguard:
This position is responsible for maintaining a safe environment for all beach goers. To be successful for this position you will:

• Have previous lifeguarding experience
• Hold a Certificate III in Public Safety (Aquatic Search and Rescue) (PUA30322)
• Hold a current Provide First Aid Statement of Attainment (HLTAID011)
• Hold a current Provide Advanced Resuscitation and Oxygen Therapy (HLTAID015)
• Current NSW Paid Working with Children Check

These positions start from $41.90 per hour (plus 25% casual loading if applicable).

Level 1 - Ocean Lifeguard:
This is an entry level position for inexperienced lifeguards who wish to develop their skills and progress through the lifeguard service. To be successful for this position you will:

• Have a foundational knowledge and understanding of beach operations
• Hold a Certificate II in Public Safety (Aquatic Rescue) (PUA20119)
• Hold a current Provide First Aid Statement of Attainment (HLTAID011)
• Hold a current Provide Advanced Resuscitation and Oxygen Therapy (HLTAID015)
• Current NSW Paid Working with Children Check

These positions start from $39.61 per hour (plus 25% casual loading if applicable)

Key Dates

Induction (1 week)

Monday 21 September 2026

Thursday 24 September 2026

Patrol Season (30 weeks)

Saturday 26 September 2026

Sunday 25 April 2027

It is anticipated the fitness and skill assessments, along with group assessment interviews will be held on Friday, 7 August 2026. If beach or weather conditions are unsuitable on that day, the fitness and skill assessment component may be rescheduled to Friday, 14 August 2026.

Why you'll love working at Wollongong City Council!

• True work-life balance
• Great working conditions
  
• Career growth and recognition

We are committed to supporting your personal and professional development. Our initiatives include a reward and recognition program, corporate learning opportunities, study assistance, and leadership development programs to help you grow and succeed

• Health, safety, and wellbeing
  We prioritise a safe workplace for everyone, every day, everywhere. Our wellbeing programs support mental, physical and social wellbeing of our people to be at their best and include an Employee Assistance Program, skin and hearing checks and discounted gym memberships.
• A vibrant social culture
  Join our Social Club for monthly activities, an annual trivia night, and fantastic Christmas events!

Participate and engage in meaningful work, and contribute to our extraordinary community, where together we make a difference.

For more information, click on 'Apply' to be redirected to Wollongong City Council's job vacancy page.

Applications close 11:59pm Monday 27 July 2026.

We invite everyone to apply no matter your identity, you'll be welcome. We encourage applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, people who are culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD), people with disability and veterans.

Wollongong Council adheres to the principles of a child safe organisation and is committed to the care and protection of all children and young people in the community.

Applicants are required to undergo a rigorous employment screening process which will include Reference, Identity and Medical History Checks, and may also include a Nationally Coordinated Criminal History Check and Working with Children Check. Employment is subject to clearance of all these checks.