Bondi Rescue Archives - Bondi Beach News

Quinn Darragh Is Swimming Through the Night at Bondi to Shine a Light on Organ Donation

Editor’s Note: Quinn’s swim has been moved to 21 March due to the weather.

Quinn Darragh has spent years keeping Bondi’s swimmers safe but this March, the lifeguard best known for his role on Bondi Rescue is asking the ocean to carry him for a change. Swimming continuous laps between North and South Bondi through the night and into the next day, Quinn is attempting what organisers describe as a record breaking feat of continuous ocean swimming never before achieved in Australia, all to raise awareness for organ donation and transplant recovery.

Read: Hope for Hartley: Bondi Families Come Together to Raise Awareness of CDKL5

On 13 March, Darragh will enter the water at his home beach and not come out for 24 hours. No rest. No breaks. Just 24 relentless hours in the open ocean. Quinn is a familiar face at Bondi. A career lifeguard, he has spent his career as a lifeguard at Bondi Beach. But over the past year, it’s been Quinn who needed watching over.

Less than 12 months ago, he underwent a life saving liver transplant after being diagnosed with Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis (PSC), an incurable autoimmune disease. His body initially rejected the donor organ, and what followed was a gruelling period of complications, setbacks and an extensive road to recovery.

The challenge is exactly what it sounds like: no rest, no breaks, just Quinn pinballing back and forth across Bondi Beach for 24 hours straight. Day and night. In the open ocean.

Organisers describe it as a record never before achieved in Australia, a continuous 24 hour ocean swim. For a man still well within his first year post transplant, deciding to take on such a physical challenge speaks to the resolve that carried him through recovery.

According to his fundraising page, his body initially rejected the donor organ after surgery, and he fought through complications, setbacks and an extensive road to recovery. Now, rather than slowing down, he has chosen to use his recovery as a platform for two causes close to his heart.

The Causes

The first is organ donation awareness. Through his swim, Quinn is supporting the Liver Foundation and Gift of Life Foundation, two organisations focused on organ donation awareness and transplant support, while encouraging Australians to understand the life saving power of donation. His advocacy is grounded in lived experience: without a donor, there is no swim, no recovery, no story to tell.

The second cause is Ocean Heroes, a charity that delivers free surfing events and ocean experiences to autistic and neurodiverse communities across Australia. Quinn has been a long time supporter of the organisation, and funds raised through his swim will go directly toward keeping those programs free and accessible for neurodivergent individuals and their families.

It’s a pairing that reflects who Quinn is. A husband, father of three, and devoted lifeguard, he has spent his career at Bondi giving back to the community around him. This time, he’s asking that community to give something back.

Read: Bondi Hero Ahmed Al Ahmed Receives City’s Highest Honour

At time of writing, Quinn’s fundraising page on GiveNow had already raised more than $7,000. Every dollar raised supports Ocean Heroes’ programs and organ donation awareness initiatives through the Liver Foundation and Gift of Life Foundation.

Published 6-March-2026

Bondi Rescue to Continue for “Many Years to Come” at Bondi Beach, Producers Confirm

Photo Credit: Bondi Rescue TV/ Facebook

Despite a star’s recent comments sparking widespread concern, the production company behind Bondi Rescue has firmly stated the beloved show about the lifesavers of Bondi Beach is not ending.

Recent reports suggesting the show’s end were triggered by an interview with lifeguard and show star Andrew ‘Reidy’ Reid. However, the production company behind the series has since clarified the situation and reaffirmed its commitment to the program.

Setting the Record Straight

*Photo Credit:* *Bondi Rescue TV/ Facebook*

Following the speculation, Michael Cordell, the creative director and co-founder of production company CJZ, addressed the cancellation rumours. He stated that while the company valued Reid, the lifeguard had been off-duty for some time and was not in a position to make announcements regarding the show’s financing or future. Cordell emphasised that CJZ is proud of the show and has ambitions to keep it running for many years.

An Australian Television Staple

For nearly two decades, Bondi Rescue has been a fixture in Australian homes and across the globe. The factual series first premiered on Channel 10 in 2006, documenting the daily challenges and lifesaving rescues performed by the professional lifeguards at one of the world’s most famous stretches of sand. Narrated by Osher Gunsberg, the program has earned critical acclaim, winning six Logie Awards and becoming an important cultural export, broadcasting in many other countries.

The Future on the Sand

CJZ confirmed it is actively working to secure the show’s return. The company is currently renegotiating a multi-year deal with Waverley Council to begin shooting a new season. Cordell noted that broadcast partner Channel 10 still wants the program and that it is expected to be delivered as planned.

He explained that the show took a welcome hiatus last season, which also allowed them to avoid filming during what was a particularly woeful summer for weather. The production team fully expects to be back filming on the beach for the upcoming summer. Cordell added that season 18 was widely seen as the best one yet, highlighting that there are still many important stories to tell about the lifeguards’ extraordinary work and the vital surf safety messages they promote.

Published Date 08-August-2025

Bondi Beach Lifeguard Appeals Sentence Following Domestic Violence Case

Photo Credit: Andrew Reid/Facebook

A well-known Bondi Rescue lifeguard is seeking to appeal his sentence after being found guilty of domestic violence common assault. Andrew Brian Reid, widely recognised as “Reidy” from the hit reality TV series, was sentenced to a 12-month good behaviour bond after an incident involving a woman in January 2024.

In December 2024, Mr Reid was found guilty of placing his hands around a woman’s neck and pushing her. The hearing revealed that there was a heated argument before Mr Reid forcefully held the woman’s neck for up to five seconds.

During a counselling session following the incident, Mr Reid reportedly admitted that he had acted in a fit of alcoholic rage, acknowledging that his actions were inappropriate. His counsellor’s notes in court recorded him saying he is not that kind of man while visibly upset.

Despite avoiding conviction, Mr Reid was placed under a 12-month good behaviour bond and remains subject to a two-year apprehended violence order (AVO).

Courtroom Dispute: Defence vs. Prosecution

Mr Reid’s defence team, led by barrister Margaret Cunneen SC, contested the credibility of the counsellor’s notes, arguing that they were recorded after the session rather than during it. However, the police prosecutor countered that the notes were written shortly after the session and aligned with the complainant’s testimony.

During the trial, Mr Reid defended himself by stating that he had taken the woman’s phone and, as she rushed toward him to retrieve it, he had merely “guided” her toward a bed with a hand on her neck. The prosecution rejected this explanation, maintaining that the victim’s testimony was credible and consistent.

Additional Allegations and Character Witnesses

Mr Reid also faced allegations of:

Biting the woman’s upper arm, leaving visible teeth marks.
Throwing a phone at her leg, causing a gash that required surgical glue.

However, these additional assault occasioning actual bodily harm charges were dismissed due to insufficient evidence proving deliberate intent.

Several of Mr Reid’s colleagues provided character references during the hearing, including former Bondi Rescue star Quinn Darragh and current lifeguard Ryan Clark, who is also a former Home and Away actor and a White Ribbon ambassador against violence towards women.

Mr Clark stated that he remains “an advocate for women’s rights” but did not believe the audio recording of Mr Reid arguing with the woman amounted to domestic violence. However, the magistrate disagreed, citing the “angry, abusive, and aggressive” nature of the recording.

Bondi Beach lifeguard — *Photo Credit: Andrew Reid/Facebook*

Next Steps: Mr Reid’s Legal Appeal

Mr Reid has formally appealed his sentence, with the case set to be mentioned in the NSW District Court in February 2025. His employment status with Waverley Council, which oversees Bondi Beach lifeguards, remains unclear, as the authorities have refused to confirm or comment on his position.

As legal proceedings continue, Mr Reid remains under the two-year AVO, and the outcome of his appeal could determine his future career and public standing.

Published 15-Feb-2025