City of Newcastle has introduced multilingual water safety information to address a rise in beach rescues involving non-English speaking residents and visitors.
The initiative aims to ensure that culturally and linguistically diverse communities have access to essential safety messages while enjoying Newcastle’s stunning coastline.
Beachgoers can now scan QR codes installed on water safety signs from Merewether to Stockton Beach and at Newcastle and Merewether Ocean Baths.
These codes direct users to translated beach safety advice in nine languages, including Japanese, traditional and simplified Chinese, Arabic, Vietnamese, Spanish, Punjabi, Dari, and Swahili.
The translations cover crucial warnings such as swimming between the flags, high surf, and strong currents.
With international tourists and migrant communities making up a significant portion of Newcastle’s population, ensuring accessible safety information has become a priority.
Research from Royal Life Saving Australia indicates that one in three drowning victims were born overseas, with the highest risk occurring within their first five years of living in the country.
City of Newcastle’s new QR codes with beach safety advice in nine languages aims to address this risk by making safety information clear and available to everyone, regardless of language barriers. The translated guides can be accessed at newcastle.nsw.gov.au.
