Every summer in Australia, millions of people head to the beach, and every year, thousands are rescued by lifeguards or Surf Life Savers and even surfers or other bystanders. Tragically, many people lose their lives on our coasts.

The red and yellow flags, iconic to many Australians, are meant to be a simple and easy to understand message. They denote a safe and patrolled place to go in the water at the beach.

Surfers are supposed to surf outside the flags, while others swim (or wade, or frolic) between the flags.

But for many international visitors, the message is less clear. They may not make sense to people born overseas. Research shows international students often misinterpret what beach flags indicate, rely on visual cues like other swimmers, or assume calm water is safe.

These flags are not universal. Around the world, beach safety is communicated in different ways, with different colours, symbols, messages, and even patrol systems.

Despite the significant efforts of water safety organisations, drowning rates continue to rise in Australia, and people born overseas make up a substantial proportion of these deaths.

The system isn’t working.

The red and yellow flags have been a part of Australian beach culture and safety since the 1930s. They’ve been marking the patrolled area of the beach ever since.

The idea is that if someone........

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