Marine Rescue Forster Tuncurry

04/06/2026

Our radio operators - Monica and Diane - witnessed their first whale breaches of the season Wednesday afternoon - with very good binoculars - off our beautiful Macquarie coastline. The weather change has certainly signalled that whale season has begun.

With more whales now moving through our waters, it’s a good time to remind all water users that NSW law requires vessels, jetskis and paddlers to keep well clear. These magnificent animals deserve space, respect and a safe passage as they migrate.

This is their home, and we’re just visitors passing through.
Give them space. Give them respect. Enjoy the magic of whale season safely.

03/06/2026

This weekend some of our fundraising volunteers are on the tongs at not one but TWO venues!

This Kings Birthday weekend Sunday 7 June, there’s something for everyone.

🔥 Mid Coast Motorfest, John Wright Park, Tuncurry
Our BBQ Van will be firing up from 8am (or earlier 😉) with all your favourite BBQ classics. Great Lakes Historic Automobile Club Inc.

🔧 Bunnings Forster - 9am to 4pm
Our ‘bbq chefs’ will be busy cooking up awesome sausage sangas for the hungry crowd!

Come say hi, grab a feed, and enjoy everything these two amazing events have to offer.

Motor vehicles + hardware = a great day out!

03/06/2026

We have a bit to share.

Weather wise - the next few days for the Macquarie Coastal Waters : Smoky Cape to Seal Rocks, mentions wet weather daily. We remind boaters - local or visitors, to Log On with Marine Rescue Forster Tuncurry whether it’s inshore or offshore. Log Off when you’re home safe too - we know you’re okay when you complete the ‘circle’.

Weather Situation : A deep, complex low near Tasmania is driving gusty westerly winds today and Thursday. A vigorous south to southwesterly flow is forecast from Friday as a strong cold front and trough cross the coastal waters.

Thursday 4 June 💨 Strong Wind Warning
West to northwesterly 15 to 25 knots, reaching up to 30 knots south of Port Macquarie in the evening.
Seas : 1 to 2 metres, decreasing to 1 to 1.5 metres around midday, then increasing to 1.5 to 2.5 metres by early evening with the Swell : Southerly below 1 metre.
Weather : Partly cloudy. 50% chance of showers/ thunderstorm in the afternoon and evening.

Friday 5 June 💨 Possible Gale Force Winds
Winds ::Westerly 20 to 30 knots tending southwesterly 25 to 30 knots in the middle of the day.
Seas : 2 to 3 metres, increasing to 2.5 to 4 metres offshore south of Crowdy Head.
Swell ::Southwesterly 1 to 1.5 metres, increasing to 2 to 3 metres during the morning, then tending southerly 3 to 5 metres during the afternoon.
Weather : Partly cloudy. 80% chance of showers offshore, 50% chance elsewhere. The chance of a thunderstorm in the late afternoon and evening.

Saturday 6 June
Winds : Southwesterly 20 to 30 knots.
Seas : 2 to 3 metres.
Swell : Southerly 3 to 5 metres, decreasing to 2.5 to 3 metres during the afternoon or evening.
Weather : Partly cloudy. 70% chance of showers/ thunderstorm in the morning.

Please be aware : Wind and wave forecasts are averages. Wind gusts can be 40 per cent stronger than the forecast, and stronger still in squalls and thunderstorms. Maximum waves can be twice the forecast height.

02/06/2026

First Winter Assist Off Cape Hawke - Tow for Three Fishermen

A morning outing came to an unexpected end for three fishermen today after the skipper of an open runabout requested assistance. The distressed vessel, in offshore waters near Cape Hawke, had suffered battery failure and lost power.

A VHF Sécurité was issued to alert nearby boaters, our rescue vessel was exiting the channel . With fair bar conditions, FO30 and crew Peter N, Tony C and Steve headed out, located the vessel, and completed a safe tow back to Forster Boat Harbour, then returning to berth without further incident.

Great work by radio operators Terri, Peter P and trainee Kez for keeping comms running smoothly throughout the assist.

A reminder to Log On and Log Off - specially in changeable weather conditions. - Use VHF CH16, Phone 55561600 or use our Marine Rescue App.

Volunteers Saving Lives on the Water

01/06/2026

On a more serious note …

❄️ Winter on the Water - Cold Water can kill
When the temperature drops, the risk rises fast.
If you end up in the water, cold shock and hypothermia can hit within minutes.

🧥 Wear extra layers
Clothing traps heat and buys you precious time if you fall in. Life jacket is a must.
Even simple extra things like:
* thermal base layers
* spray jackets
* beanies
* gloves

These can all make a life‑saving difference. And before going out on the water …

🛟 Log On. Log Off. Stay Safe.
Use the Marine Rescue NSW app, your marine radio VHF Ch16, or call your local MRFT base on 5556 1600.
If something goes wrong, we know where to start looking! 🛥️

Volunteers Saving Lives on the Water

31/05/2026

Macquarie Coastal Waters: Smoky Cape to Seal Rocks
Winter is off to a settled start, with improving conditions. A strong cold front linked to a deep low in the Bight is expected to enter southwest NSW today, crossing the state Tuesday into early Wednesday. This will bring fresh to strong west to northwesterly winds along the coast.

Monday 1 June : Sunny
Winds : Southwesterly 15-20 knots, reaching 25 knots offshore early. Becoming variable about 10 knots late afternoon, then northerly 10-15 knots late evening.
Seas : 1-2 m, easing below 1 m during the afternoon.
Swell : South to southwesterly around 1 m inshore, building to 1-1.5 m offshore around midday.

Tuesday 2 June : Mostly sunny, possible offshore thunderstorm late
Winds : Northerly 15-20 knots, tending northwesterly in the evening.
Seas : Around 1 m, rising to 1-1.5 m during the morning.
Swell :Southerly 1-1.5 m, easing to around 1 m through the morning.

Wednesday 3 June : Sunny
Winds : Northwesterly 15-20 knots, shifting westerly 15-25 knots during the afternoon.
Seas : Around 1 m, increasing to 1-2 m offshore.
Swell : North to northeasterly 1-1.5 m, tending east to northeasterly around 1 m in the afternoon.

⚠️ Please be aware : Wind and wave forecasts are averages. Gusts can be 40% stronger, and stronger again in squalls or thunderstorms. Maximum waves can be twice the forecast height.

29/05/2026

Make the most of your weekend on the water. Log On with Marine Rescue - Radio VHF. Ch16, Phone 55561600 or use the Marine Rescue App - 24/7 - safety is knowing someone has your back when you’re venturing onto waters.

Macquarie Coastal Waters BOM Forecast: Smoky Cape to Seal Rocks : A low pressure system over the the Tasman Sea is moving away to the east whilst a ridge of high pressure is building from the northwest, bringing fresh to strong south to southwest winds to the coast today, A cold front will move through the state during the weekend maintaining fresh to locally strong west to southwest winds through to Monday.

Forecast for Saturday : mostly sunny ☀️
‼️ 💨 Strong Wind Warning for Saturday for Macquarie Coast
West to southwesterly 15 to 20 knots, reaching up to 30 knots offshore south of Port Macquarie early in the morning.
Seas : 1.5 to 2.5 metres, decreasing to 1 to 1.5 metres during the morning with the 1st Swell Southerly 1.5 to 2.5 metres and the 2nd Swell : Easterly 1 to 1.5 metres, decreasing to around 1 metre around midday.

Sunday 31 May : Partly cloudy. 50% chance of showers/ thunderstorm offshore in the late afternoon and evening.
‼️ 💨 Strong Wind Warning for Sunday for Macquarie Coast
West to southwesterly 15 to 20 knots, reaching up to 30 knots offshore in the late evening.
Seas : 1 to 2 metres with the Swell Southerly 1.5 to 2 metres, decreasing to 1 to 1.5 metres during the morning.

Please be aware : Wind and wave forecasts are averages. Wind gusts can be 40 per cent stronger than the forecast, and stronger still in squalls and thunderstorms. Maximum waves can be twice the forecast height.

29/05/2026

Marine Rescue Forster Tuncurry extends our sincere appreciation to the members of Lions Club of Hallidays Point for your outstanding support to us and to the wider community so far this year.

Your dedication to community service, your reliability, and your generosity have strengthened our ability to serve the public safely and effectively.

While our in kind assistance to your organisation is modest, your financial support gifted at last nights Changeover Dinner, will be invaluable and deeply appreciated by our entire Marine Rescue volunteer team. Your contribution directly enhances our operational capability and helps ensure our volunteers have the resources they need to continue their lifesaving work.

We look forward to the next six months with genuine enthusiasm. Working alongside such committed, like minded community volunteers is both motivating and rewarding, and we are grateful for the strong partnership we share.

Thank you once again for your remarkable support and dedication

28/05/2026

Need a Boat Licence?

Marine Rescue Forster Tuncurry is running a Boat Licence Course this Sunday, 31 May, from 9:00am to 2:00pm.
Spots are still available. Marine Rescue NSW, ACN 138078092, ABN 98138078092, RTO # 70223 is approved by NSW Maritime to provide training and knowledge testing for NSW general boat driving licences

To secure your place, please call 55561600 or complete the application form as soon as possible.

📍 Venue: Marine Rescue Forster Tuncurry Base
Dolphin Parade, Forster (Southern Breakwall)

Boat & Personal Watercraft Licence Courses Marine Rescue Forster Tuncurry conducts boat and PWC (Personal Watercraft) licence courses, including additional safety information and licence tests. We run the license courses from 9am to 11am on the 3rd Sunday of each month, at the Marine Rescue Forster....

27/05/2026

It’s still not the best weather for your fishing trip over the next two days. Maybe line up a tv movie or show about reeling in the big 🐟, or catch up on a bit of mechanical 🚤 tinkering instead.

Even MRFT’s tiniest vessel FO0.00001 wasn’t impressed with today’s cranky ocean. If this is how the swell treats the little ones, boaties, imagine your vessel - check the forecast, plan ahead, and stay safe out there.

If you do head out on the lake (forget the ocean for a bit 😉), LOG ON with Marine Rescue! 🎤 Radio VHF Ch16 📞 55561600 📱 Marine Rescue App : simple’s!

Macquarie Coastal Waters : Smoky Cape to Seal Rocks
Weather Situation : https://www.bom.gov.au/nsw/forecasts/macquariecoast.shtml

Thursday 28 May : ⛈️ Cloudy - Near 100% chance of rain and a thunderstorm.
Winds : Variable about 10 knots becoming easterly 10 to 15 knots in the evening. Winds reaching up to 20 knots north of Port Macquarie in the late evening.
Seas : Below 1 metre with the Swell Easterly 2 metres, decreasing to 1.5 metres later in the evening.

Friday 29 May : ⛈️ Cloudy - Near 100% chance of rain and a thunderstorm in the early morning.
Winds : Northeast to southeasterly 10 to 15 knots tending west to southwesterly 15 to 25 knots in the morning then becoming southwesterly 25 to 30 knots in the late evening.
Seas : Around 1 metre, increasing to 1 to 2 metres during the afternoon with the 1st Swell Easterly 1.5 metres, increasing to 1.5 to 2 metres during the morning and the 2nd Swell Southerly around 1 metre.

Please be aware : Wind and wave forecasts are averages. Wind gusts can be 40 per cent stronger than the forecast, and stronger still in squalls and thunderstorms. Maximum waves can be twice the forecast height.