Around 70 Marine Rescue NSW volunteers and staff from the Hunter Central Coast region will take to the water and this Saturday, 14 June, as part of a large-scale, multi-agency Search and Rescue Exercise (SAREX) off the coast of Newcastle.
Volunteers and vessels from six Marine Rescue NSW units — Newcastle, Lemon Tree Passage, Port Stephens, Lake Macquarie, Norah Head and Brisbane Water — will be joined by NSW Police Marine Area Command, Surf Life Saving NSW, aerial assets from NSW Police PolAir, Life Saver Rescue Helicopter and the Westpac Rescue Helicopter, for the coordinated simulation.
Marine Rescue NSW Central Zone Commander Dan Duemmer said an exercise of this magnitude has never been held before on the Hunter Central Coast.
“This is a live activation exercise with multiple search areas designed to test real-time response capabilities and coordination across multiple agencies.
“This training exercise is vital for all agencies — it brings us together to combine our efforts and training into one large-scale, multi-agency search and rescue operation.
“It is a perfect opportunity to ensure our crews are rescue-ready and can respond effectively to real-life emergencies.
“There will be six Marine Rescue NSW vessels and four rescue watercraft involved along with other assets from our partner agencies,” he said.
The live activation simulation will see vessels tasked to designated locations to commence searching at 8:45 am Saturday. Crews will cover an extensive offshore area from Stockton Bight south to Swansea Heads, and up to five nautical miles (9 km) out to sea. The four Marine Rescue NSW rescue watercraft (RWCs) will focus on inshore locations.
“Crews will be given a realistic search-and-rescue scenario before deploying to locate targets like manikins and simulated debris — scattered across the designated search zones,” Zone Commander Duemmer said.
“The rescue vessels will move in coordinated lines, replicating real search grid patterns, it’s a simulation of what we do.
“Some of our volunteers haven’t yet participated in a major multi-agency operation, so this exercise provides invaluable hands-on experience.”
Zone Commander Duemmer reassured the community that the significant number of rescue vessels visible from the Newcastle coastline should not cause alarm.
“The public will have great viewing opportunities from various elevated points along the coast. You’ll see vessels in formation, actively searching — it’s all part of the exercise,” he said.
While crews are searching offshore, more than 20 Marine Rescue NSW volunteer radio operators from across the region will hone their skills by monitoring and assisting the exercise at the Marine Rescue Newcastle base.
“The desktop exercise helps our radio operators refine their skills under simulated pressure, ensuring they can effectively support rescue operations with clear, timely communication,” Zone Commander Duemmer said.
Despite the scale of the exercise, Zone Commander Duemmer said that all Marine Rescue NSW units will maintain full operational readiness to respond to real emergencies across the Hunter Central Coast region.
“Our crews, vessels, and communication teams remain fully equipped and prepared to respond to any real incidents that may arise,” he said.
Marine Rescue NSW is a volunteer based not-for-profit professional organisation dedicated to keeping boaters safe on the water and supporting local communities.
