Bondi Rescue is a popular Australian factual TV show that’s been broadcast on Network 10 since 2006. The idea of following the daily lives of Waverley Council’s professional lifeguards arose after local filmmaker Ben Davies took a summer-job lifeguarding, before joining forces with local documentary maker Michael Cordell. Each episode is about some of the 1500 rescues the lifeguards undertake during the Sydney summer.

The lifeguards wear a blue uniform so they’re easily distinguishable from the volunteer lifesavers, who wear the iconic red and yellow. The lifeguards have very strong water skills, and use rescue boards, jet skis, rescue tubes to navigate the surf and manage water safety at Bondi. Original concept creator, Ben Davies, was himself a part-time lifeguard.

Bondi Rescue episodes are book-ended by Australian band Thirsty Merc’s 2004 hit single In the Summertime and narrated by Bronte local Osher Günsberg. Viewers get up close and personal with the charismatic crew members as they do everything from retrieving a struggling swimmer from ‘Backpackers’ Rip’ to applying ice to a nasty bluebottle sting. Other beach operations include looking for lost children; managing shark scares; performing life-saving resuscitations; treating injuries; breaking up fights; and apprehending sexual deviants, thieves, and intoxicated beach goers.

Surf safety both in Australia and internationally has significantly improved as a result of Bondi Rescue, which is broadcast in 100 countries as well as Australia. The show has won several Logie Awards between 2008 and 2017. A spin-off, Bondi Rescue: Bali, screened briefly in 2008.

Courtesy Michael Cordell, Ben Davies, Andrew Reid and the Waverley Library Local Studies Collection.