Northern Beaches Council today reopened Long Reef and Dee Why beaches. The beaches had been closed since Saturday following the tragic incident at Dee Why Beach. 

Council Lifeguards will continue to monitor the water and conduct patrols using jetskis, with swimmer safety remaining the top priority. A drone operated by Surf Life Saving NSW will also assist in surveillance efforts to enhance coverage.

At this time of year Manly, Freshwater and Dee Why are patrolled, with other beach patrols starting at the end of September.

Mayor Sue Heins said it was a tough time for the Northern Beaches community. 

“Our tight-knit community continues to support one another through this difficult time,” Mayor Heins said.  

“We have erred on the side of caution to keep beaches closed and our teams will remain vigilant in the days and weeks ahead.

“While the debate about shark nets is inevitable following the tragedy, our focus remains on supporting our community who are still coming to terms with it. 

“We welcome the investigation underway by the NSW Government and will continue to support it in any way we can.” Mayor Heins said.  

Council will continue to adhere to usual shark sighting protocols when sharks are spotted by the public or Lifeguards or detected by the Department of Primary Industries SMART Shark capture, tagging and monitoring system. Where a shark is detected, Lifeguards alert those in the water, erect warning signage and close the beach to swimming. The beach remains closed for one hour and jetskis deployed for surveillance. If there are no further sightings or alerts, the beach is reopened. 

The final decision on the shark nets program and mitigation measures rests with the NSW Government as they have the relevant research, expertise and responsibility for this decision.