Marine Safety SA April 2026 Newsletter
- Stay safe on the water this Easter
- Safer boating, right in your hand
- Web Camera network keeps growing
- Little Rippers
- Closing the Gap
- Stay Afloat with us
- Improved safety signage at West Beach
- South East Field Days
You can subscribe to receive the Marine Safety SA quarterly eNewsletter here.
Stay safe on the water this Easter
Our Marine Safety Officers and SA Police will be on waterways across South Australia this Easter long weekend.
Extra patrol vessels will be operating from the River Murray to Yorke Peninsula and along the metro coast. We will be checking lifejackets, safety equipment and speeds – often finding one in three boats as non-compliant. We’ll also be watching jet ski behaviour, especially around swimmers on the River Murray.
With unpredictable conditions expected, boaters are urged to be prepared and always wear a lifejacket. Tragically, 24 people have drowned on South Australian waters since July 2020, and most were not wearing one.
Make safety your priority before heading out this Easter.
Safer Boating, right in your hand
We have partnered with DECKEE to give South Australian boaters real‑time, personalised safety information wherever they’re boating.
Use the DECKEE app to:
- get safety information
- let people know where you are going
- check the weather
- and more!
It’s a simple, trusted way to be prepared and stay safe on the water.
Web camera network keeps growing
We now have close to 40 web cameras installed across the state.
The cameras provide live views of seascapes, beaches and boat ramps along the coast and the River Murray.
It’s a great way to check conditions before heading out, making trip planning safer and easier.
More cameras will be added over the coming months, so keep an eye on our website for new locations.
Little Rippers
We had a splash-tastic time at Surf Life Saving SA’s Little Rippers program in Murray Bridge!
Little Rippers is a junior program on the River Murray, designed for kids aged 5-12, to build confidence and learn essential water safety skills all while having fun.
Our team shared important boating safety tips through interactive and engaging activities. From checking the weather to getting boat-ready and wearing a lifejacket, the sessions were packed with practical know-how.
Some lucky Little Rippers even got to try out an inflatable lifejacket, learning how it inflates and what it feels like to wear one.
A great reminder for everyone out on the water: always wear it, maintain it and stay safe. Your lifejacket could save your life.
Closing the Gap
The Adelaide Showground was buzzing on Thursday 19 March as we proudly took part in the Closing the Gap 2026 event.
With strong attendance throughout the day, our stall became a hub of curious questions, great conversations and shared learning.
Visitors stopped by to see our boat on display and chat about everything from boat licence testing to lifejacket maintenance tips – several attendees even enquired about applying to become a Marine Safety Officer, sparking conversations about careers in marine safety!
Our team enjoyed answering questions, offering advice and connecting with people eager to learn more about staying safe on South Australian waters.
Stay afloat with us
Our Stay Afloat clinics regularly pop up at boat ramps, sailing clubs, regattas and community events right across the state. From Port Hughes to Port Victoria, we’ve met boaters, checked gear and shared lots of safety tips along the way.
Just this year we have welcomed 83 boaters with 192 lifejackets in hand.
Unfortunately, 49 of these lifejackets failed at least one component – that’s almost one in four. The boaters were very grateful to receive replacement parts to get these lifejackets back up to scratch. It’s a great reminder that a quick check on land can make all the difference when you’re out on the water.
We have more opportunities coming up for boaters of all ages to visit clinics. See you at the next one!
Improved safety signage at West Beach
Our West Beach boaters are the next group to see a new multi‑panel information board at their local boat ramp.
The new board includes guidance on trip preparation, speeds, safety equipment, lifejacket rules, recreational fishing and local marine wildlife. With clearer, locally relevant information, boaters can make safer, more informed decisions before heading out.
The signage was created in partnership with the Department for Environment and Water and the Department of Primary Industries and Regions SA.
It’s the latest location in our push to modernise and simplify boating safety information at boat ramps across the state. This initiative was also backed by strong community feedback from the Recreational Boating Safety Strategy 2025–2030 consultation, where 86% of respondents supported consistent signage.
South East Field Days
Thank you to everyone who visited us at the South East Field Days 2026!
We had a great time talking with more than 300 people about boating safety, licensing, lifejacket wear and safety equipment requirements.
It was great to also see our next generation of boaters taking our safety messages, and a Marine Safety SA stamp, onboard as part of the Blue Yakka Trail.
Congratulations to Kylie from Mundulla as our lucky winner of the event’s lifejacket competition!
Next up: we’ll be at the Eyre Peninsula Field Days in Cleve this August and the Riverland Field days in Barmera this September. See you then!