Australia Drowning Statistics

A total of 313 lives were lost to drowning in the year ending June 2026, down from 356 the year before but still 10% above the 10-year average.¹ Each year below is a financial year ending 30 June, so 2026 means July 2025 to June 2026. All years use the revised totals in the 2026 report, so some differ from what was first published.

• In 2019, the number of deaths stood at 254.¹ By 2020, fatalities declined to 246, reflecting a 3% decrease, likely due to reduced recreational water activity during the pandemic.
• In 2021, deaths rose to 288¹ as restrictions eased and water activity resumed. The year 2022 recorded 323 deaths, at the time the highest figure since at least 2002.
• Although there was a decrease to 266 deaths in 2023, this was short-lived.¹
• In 2024, drowning deaths rose again to 313, an increase of approximately 18% compared to the previous year.¹
• In 2025, deaths climbed to 356, the highest total of the past decade, before falling 12% to 313 in 2026.¹

New South Wales recorded the highest number of drowning fatalities in Australia in the year ending June 2026, with a total of 109 deaths.¹

• Queensland followed with 80 reported drowning deaths, while Victoria and Western Australia recorded 53 and 35 deaths, respectively.¹
• South Australia, Tasmania, and the Northern Territory collectively accounted for 35 drowning fatalities, with 18 in South Australia, 10 in Tasmania, and 7 in the Northern Territory.¹
• The Australian Capital Territory reported the lowest number of drowning deaths nationwide, with fewer than five fatalities (the exact number is withheld for privacy).¹

Which state has the highest drowning rate?

Measured per head of population, the Northern Territory had the highest drowning rate in the year ending June 2026, at 2.63 deaths per 100,000 people, more than double the national rate of 1.13.¹

• Tasmania (1.73), Queensland (1.41), New South Wales (1.27) and Western Australia (1.15) were also above the national rate.¹
• South Australia (0.95) and Victoria (0.75, the lowest of the six states) were below it.¹
• Over the 10 years from 2016/17 to 2025/26, the regions with the highest drowning rates were Torres and Cape in Queensland (6.07 per 100,000) and the Kimberley in Western Australia (4.17).¹

Drowning risk outside the cities and when travelling

The largest share of people who drowned lived in major cities (38%), but people from outside the cities drowned at much higher rates: 2.2 times the city rate for inner regional areas, 2.8 times for outer regional areas and 3.9 times for remote and very remote areas.¹

• 14% of people who drowned did so 100km or more from home, often while travelling.¹

11 children aged 0–4 drowned in Australia in the year ending June 2026, or 4% of all drowning deaths. That is 27% fewer than the year before and 39% below the 10-year average of 18, a fatal drowning rate of 0.73 per 100,000 children.¹

• Swimming pools were the most common location (55%), and most young children drowned after an unintentional fall into water (73%).¹
• One-year-olds were the most affected age, with seven drowning deaths.¹
• Among children aged 5–14, there were 13 drowning deaths, 18% above the 10-year average.¹

Rivers and creeks accounted for 22% of all drowning deaths in Australia in the year ending June 2026¹, making them the most common location for fatal incidents.

• Beaches followed closely with 21%¹, while the toll at rivers and creeks highlights the ongoing danger of inland waterways, particularly in regional and remote areas (see also our crocodile attack statistics).
• Oceans and harbours were responsible for 20% of deaths¹, often involving boating, rock fishing, or swimming in unpatrolled coastal areas (see also our shark attack statistics).
• Swimming pools contributed to 14% of fatalities¹. People aged 65 and over made up 55% of pool drownings and children aged 0–4 made up 14%, and two thirds happened in home pools.
• Other environments including lakes and dams (7%), rocks (6%), and bathtubs or spas (5%) also posed significant risks, while 3% of cases occurred at unknown locations.¹

Beach drowning statistics in Australia

A total of 66 people lost their lives at Australian beaches in the year ending June 2026, a 19% decrease from 81 the year before (figures as revised in the National Drowning Report 2026).¹

• In 2019, there were 69 beach drownings. When the COVID-19 pandemic emerged in 2020, the number decreased to 44, representing a 36% drop from the previous year.¹
• As restrictions eased in 2021 and water activities resumed, fatalities rose to 62.¹
• Beach drownings continued to increase in subsequent years, reaching 68 deaths in 2022, 71 in 2023, 80 in 2024 and a decade high of 81 in 2025.¹
• The 66 deaths recorded in 2026 are the lowest total since 2021 but still 5% above the 10-year average of 63.¹
• Rip currents contributed to at least 47% of beach drowning deaths; whether a rip was involved was unknown in a further 15% of cases.¹

How many people drown in swimming pools in Australia?

44 people drowned in swimming pools across Australia in the year ending June 2026.¹

• In 2019, there were 32 pool drowning deaths. The number fell to 27 in 2020 and 29 in 2021, then to a decade low of 23 in 2022.¹
• Pool deaths rose again to 29 in 2023, 37 in 2024 and 35 in 2025 (figures as revised in the National Drowning Report 2026).¹
• In 2026, fatalities climbed to 44, a 26% increase on the previous year, 33% above the 10-year average and the highest total since 2016.¹ Two-thirds (66%) occurred in home swimming pools.

Yes, especially for young children. Drowning deaths among children aged 0–4 were 39% below the 10-year average in the year ending June 2026, a fall Royal Life Saving credits to pool fencing laws, public education, advocacy and enforcement.¹

• Progress is uneven: drowning rates among 15–34-year-olds have stayed persistently high for a decade.¹
• Royal Life Saving’s projections show Australia is not on track to meet the goals of the Australian Water Safety Strategy 2030.¹