Australia has endured an active shark season this year, with four attacks within a 48-hour period on NSW beaches.
But drowning poses a far greater threat to swimmers, having claimed 42 lives since summer began.
"As tragic as the shark incidents have been, it's a fraction when compared to the overall impact across the country of drowning," Royal Life Saving chief executive Justin Scarr told AAP.
More than 300 people drowned in Australia in both 2023/24 and 2024/25, with annual totals rising since the COVID-19 pandemic.
Last summer, 139 people died in the water, the equivalent of at least one death every day.
This summer's toll has so far been lower, with 28 fewer deaths than this time in 2025, but Dr Scarr said that should not be mistaken for progress.
"We're having a late summer," he said, adding swimmers were expected to flock to the water as weather conditions continue to improve.
With a long weekend approaching, Royal Life Saving Australia has launched a nationwide safety campaign, urging Australians - particularly young men - to take care around the water.
Men account for the overwhelming majority of drowning deaths.
About four Australian men drown for every one woman, rising to nearly 90 per cent of fatalities since December 1, 2025.
In the past decade, 2285 men have drowned, an average of more than 228 each year.
Public holidays are a particularly dangerous period, as crowds gather at unfamiliar waterways, often with alcohol involved.
Men aged 25 to 34 record the highest proportion of alcohol-related deaths, accounting for about 31 per cent of cases.
Inland waterways including rivers and lakes are especially hazardous for this group, making up about 42 per cent of drownings compared with 26 per cent for men aged 35 to 44.
These locations could appear calm but often concealed strong currents, cold water, sudden drop-offs and poor visibility, Dr Scarr said.
Royal Life Saving Australia's "Make the Right Call" campaign urges men to take responsibility not only for themselves, but for their friends and families.
"Seconds, minutes and moments matter in the water," Dr Scarr said.
"It really is the people around you that are going to keep you safe."
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