THE familiar red and yellow flags came down at Byron Bay for the last time yesterday as surf lifesavers around the State called it a day for the holiday season.

The end of the Easter holidays marks the last day of surf lifesaving patrols by volunteer lifesavers and paid lifeguards for the 2010-11 season.

While Surf Life Saving NSW said the 14 drownings on NSW beaches this year was a major concern, Northern NSW Lifeguard co-ordinator Scott McCartney praised swimmers on the North Coast, where beaches remained fatality-free.

Mr McCartney attributed the result partially to the wet early summer, but also to the good behaviour of beach-goers, who he said generally followed directions and advice from lifeguards after a horror season last year, when five people drowned on Far North Coast beaches.

“We had a lot of new lifeguards this year and they performed well and we didn't have many major incidents, which was great to see,” he said.

“It looks like the public – local and tourists – were able to gain a lot more information, which was our objective and it has definitely worked. From here we'll be starting recruitments for next year, cleaning up the gear and doing inventories.”

Byron Bay SLSC president Neil Cameron said Byron lifesavers wouldn't be getting their lives back for another two weeks as they were overseeing water safety at this Sunday's Winter Whales Big Swim, and then again the following weekend for the Byron Bay Triathlon.

VITAL STATISTICS

Far North Coast Surf Life Saving statistics for 2010/11 season:

Drownings: 0

Beach visitors: 700,000

Preventative actions: 29,000

First-aid: 2200

Rescues: 300

Lost children found: 25