IN A BOATING EMERGENCY
Call the Radio Base on
- (02) 4972 7400
Radio for help on
- VHF Channel 16
(distress and calling channel) - Call Sign: Marine Rescue Lake Macquarie
Call Emergency Services
- TRIPLE ZERO (000)
Dredging of Swansea Channel
60 Knot Maximum Speed Restriction – Towing Persons
Blacksmiths Boat Ramp upgrade
Entering Lake Macquarie
Bridge Bookings
Welcome to Marine Rescue Lake Macquarie
“Saving lives on the water”
All our highly trained members in Marine Rescue Lake Macquarie are volunteers, whose time is spent manning the radio base at Swansea Heads on a 24 hour schedule, every day of the year. Our rescue vessels, berthed at Pelican, are manned during daylight hours with night-time rescues arranged by the radio crews on a call-out basis. Our fleet includes two rescue boats and three Rescue Water Craft (jetskis).
Our Radio Operators are always available for rescues should you have the need as well as weather reports, tidal information, radio checks, bridge bookings and other information for accessing or moving around the Lake or our coastal waters. We provide a log-on/log-off monitoring service for your safety covering Lake Macquarie and its immediate coastline out to 30 NM at sea.
Our NSW Marine Rescue Network also has the capacity to track and monitor vessels cruising along the whole NSW coast and we appeal to all boaters to use our services to the maximum to avoid unwanted safety incidents. No costs are expected for rescues but donations to help our funding are gratefully accepted. Alternatively, donate with the chance of a great prize and buy tickets in our regular Raffle.
Thank you for your support
How we helped in 2025

594
Number of assists in 2025
1,201
Persons on board assisted vessels
4,584
Vessels logged on in

21,350
Radio and phone calls

2,632
Bridge Bookings
Our Raffle
The Marine Rescue Raffle is a chance for you to win a fantastic prize while helping our busy unit save lives on the water. We generally run two raffles per year, and funds raised help us keep our fleet of rescue vessels on the water and our volunteers listening out in the radio room 24/7.

Our current grand prize is a QUINTREX 310 Dart + aluminium alloy trailer in a package valued at over $12,000!
Meet Our Volunteers
Watch out for our smiling volunteers out and about in the Lake Macquarie area to buy Raffle Tickets or just to say hi. You can find us at
- Shopping centres
- Bunnings stores (sometimes with a Sausage Sizzle!)
- Festivals and Markets
- Holiday parks and boat ramps
Upcoming Events
- 18JunToronto Coles9:00 AM – 5:00 PMRaffle Tickets
- 20JunToronto Coles9:00 AM – 5:00 PMRaffle Tickets
- 25JunBunnings Bennetts Green9:00 AM – 5:00 PMRaffle Tickets
Come and say hi! We’d love to meet you.
Our Sponsors and Partners
Marine Rescue Lake Macquarie relies on grants and donations to keep our boats on the water and our radio room open. We thank the following organisations for their generous ongoing support that helps keep our services running and ready for those in need.
















