A 13-year-old boy who swam four kilometres through rough, shark-frequented waters to raise the alarm after his family was swept out to sea has been hailed as a hero by emergency services.
Western Australia Police have released the triple zero call made by Austin Appelbee after he made it back to shore alone in fading light at Geographe Bay near Quindalup on Friday, 30 January 2026.
Earlier, marine authorities were unaware of the family’s peril until Austin reached land and contacted emergency services.
About 6 pm, Austin, his 47-year-old mother Joanne, and his siblings Beau, 12, and Grace, 8, were caught in strong offshore winds while kayaking and paddle boarding. Swept kilometres from shore in deteriorating conditions, the teenager made the decision to attempt the return journey alone to get help.
When his kayak began taking on water, Austin was forced to abandon it and swim the remaining distance. He later revealed the mental battle he faced in the water.
“I just said, ‘all right, not today, not today, not today’,” he told Sky News.
“I do breaststroke, I do freestyle, I do survival backstroke.
“I hit the bottom of the beach and I just collapsed, and then after that I had to sprint 2km to go get to the phone.”
Authorities said he initially swam for about two hours wearing a life jacket before removing it when it began to hinder his progress.
The South West coastline is known for frequent shark sightings, with WA’s SharkSmart website recording multiple sightings along the coast in the week leading up to the incident.
After swimming about four kilometres to shore, Austin ran a further two kilometres along the beach before reaching a phone and making the calm, clear triple zero call that triggered a major rescue effort.
A multi-agency operation was coordinated by the Water Police Coordination Centre in North Fremantle, with support from the South West District Office. The deployment included an AMSA search and rescue aircraft from Perth, the RAC Rescue helicopter from Bunbury, two vessels from Marine Rescue Naturaliste and two from Marine Rescue Busselton.
At about 8.30pm — around 10 hours after entering the water — Joanne, Beau and Grace were located clinging to a paddleboard about 14 kilometres offshore. A volunteer marine rescue vessel retrieved them and brought them safely back to land. They were taken to Busselton Health Campus for assessment and later released without serious injury.
Naturaliste Marine Rescue commander Paul Bresland described Austin’s swim as a “superhuman” effort.
“He swam in, he reckons, the first two hours with a life jacket on,” Mr Bresland told the ABC.
In a Facebook post, Marine Rescue Busselton described the outcome as a “fantastic effort” by all involved in “very trying conditions”, while warning the public to be mindful of strong offshore winds common at this time of year.
South West Police Inspector James Bradley said the family’s life jackets played a crucial role in their survival.
“Thankfully, all three people were wearing life jackets, which contributed to their survival,” he told the ABC.
“The actions of the 13-year-old boy cannot be praised highly enough — his determination and courage ultimately saved the lives of his mother and siblings.”
In a rare move, and with his mother’s permission, WA Police released audio of Austin’s emergency call in the first episode of Operation Podcast, highlighting how clear and accurate information can significantly assist first responders.
Police said while Austin is too young to join the force, his composure and decisive actions reflect the very qualities sought in future recruits.
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