Is Scarborough Beach patrolled?

Yes. Volunteer lifesavers from the Scarboro Surf Life Saving Club patrol in the summer season, and professional lifeguards also patrol. Always swim between the red-and-yellow flags.

When were the Australian Surf Life Saving Championships held at Scarborough?

Scarborough has hosted the Aussies several times, including 2007, 2008, 2009, 2014, 2018 and 2023.

How can I join the Scarboro Surf Life Saving Club?

Contact the club directly. It offers nippers for children, patrol training for teenagers and adults, and surf sports.

Nippers is the junior surf life saving program for children, teaching surf awareness, safety and beach sports.

What should I do if I get caught in a rip?

Stay calm, float, and raise one arm to signal for help. You can swim parallel to the beach to escape the rip, then return to shore.

What events are held at surf life saving championships?

Beach sprints and flags, board and ski races, tube rescues, relays and surf boat races.

Surf Life Saving Scarborough Beach | Scarboro SLSC & the Aussies Championships

Surf life saving at a glance

Local club: Scarboro Surf Life Saving Club, on the Scarborough beachfront.
Patrols: volunteer lifesavers in red and yellow patrol on weekends and public holidays in the summer season; council-funded professional lifeguards also patrol.
Big events: Scarborough hosted the Australian Surf Life Saving Championships ("the Aussies") in 2007, 2008, 2009, 2014, 2018 and 2023.
Swim safe: always swim between the red-and-yellow flags.

Scarboro Surf Life Saving Club

The Scarboro Surf Life Saving Club is the heart of Scarborough's beach culture. Its volunteer lifesavers patrol the beach in the summer season, perform rescues, provide first aid and run education programs, while its "nippers" program teaches children surf awareness and skills. The club also competes in surf sports — beach sprints and flags, board, ski and surf boat racing — and its clubhouse is a social hub on the beachfront. Historic Battye Library photos on our history of Scarborough page show the clubrooms in 1934.

The Australian Surf Life Saving Championships

The Australian Surf Life Saving Championships — known as "the Aussies" — bring thousands of competitors from clubs across Australia and overseas, making it one of the biggest beach sports events in the world. Scarborough has hosted the championships several times, including 2007, 2008, 2009, 2014, 2018 and 2023, with competition across Scarborough and neighbouring Brighton Beach. Events include flag races, tube rescues, relays, surf ski, board and spectacular surf boat races, with ceremonies held at the Scarborough amphitheatre.

Photos of the 2018 Aussies at Scarborough

The photos below were taken during the 2018 championships, hosted by the Scarboro Surf Life Saving Club, including Cronulla lifesavers, tube race winners from Trigg, the march past of Trigg Island and Scarboro clubs, women's relays, surf ski races, reserve surf boats and boats smashing through the waves. Copyright of photos taken at Western Australian surf life saving championships belongs to the Scarboro Surf Club; please discuss use of any close-up photos of individuals with the club first.

Surf life saving championship photos

Western Australian Surf Life Saving Championships 2007

scarborough beach surf life saving carnival.jpg (26104 bytes)

Surf life saving boat race championships

Australian Surf Life Saving Championship

Beach safety tips

Swim between the red-and-yellow flags.
Read the safety signs and ask a lifesaver about conditions.
If you get into trouble, stay calm and raise an arm to signal for help.
Learn to spot rip currents — darker, calmer-looking gaps between breaking waves.
Never swim alone, at night or after drinking alcohol.

Surf life saving links

Last updated 2 November 2026 · Scarboro.info, an independent guide to Scarborough Beach, Perth.

Surf Life Saving at Scarborough Beach