THE efforts of surf lifesavers to educate the public on beach safety paid off on NSW Far North Coast beaches this summer.

Despite bigger crowds the number of rescues was down on previous years.

Northern NSW lifeguard co-ordinator Scott McCartney said there were 293 rescues on the beaches from Duranbah Beach to Clarence River over the summer season, which officially finished on Tuesday.

Rescues were down despite 130,000 people visit beaches across the Tweed this summer compared with 79,000 visitors last season.

“That rescue number is definitely down on the previous year. I think we are seeing these numbers because of a massive educational drive during winter and the start of the summer season,” Mr McCartney said.

“The two weeks of wet weather over Christmas definitely had an affect on beach numbers during a normally busy period, but then there were more people than usual on the beach when the weather was perfect,” he said.

The education program included having beach-safety brochures at hotel information boards and airports. There was also an iPhone application to give beachgoers advice about real-time beach conditions.

“One of the other things we have done is to put on our information boards ... chalk boards ... asking people to talk to our lifeguards,” Mr McCartney said.

“We've had people coming up to lifeguards asking how to identify a rip. Some are hard to identify, but our lifeguards know where they will be,” he said.

Queensland's lifeguards had a different story, as trying conditions made some beaches more dangerous. Exact figures are unavailable as the Queensland season runs to May 2.