Spring and School holidays in Kiama, and the town is full of visitors, many who have come to see the Kiama Blowhole.

Visitors ignoring the risk warning sign

As is still so common, many of those visitors are ignoring the very large and explicit SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH signs and clambering as close to the sea as they can get, often with young and older members of their family.

The Kiama Blowhole was the scene of a mass family drowning in 1992 where seven members of two families drowned when washed off the rocks into the ocean.

Too close to the ocean

Surf Life Saving NSW CEO Steve Pearce has been quoted as saying the Kiama Blowhole and surrounding areas have been the site of many drowning fatalities and major rescues of people swept off the rocks over many years.

SLS NSW Media general manager Donna Wishart told The Bugle that Kiama Blowhole has recently within two years had an emergency response beacon installed. 

“It has a camera we can control from the state operations centre, it has a siren on top, and puts the caller who pushes the button in direct contact with the state operation centre at any time ”

It is recommended if you see any emergency near the Kiama Blowhole to report it quickly using this emergency response beacon

Locals have previously expressed concerns that the warning signs should be in different languages and perhaps even areas that allow access to the rock shelf be completely fenced of, while allowing visitors access to the blowhole and the blowhole entrance.