13-Year-Old Australian Boy Honoured After Swimming 4 Kilometres to Save His Family

A 13-year-old Australian boy has been honoured for an extraordinary act of bravery after swimming four kilometres through rough ocean waters to get help when his family was swept out to sea.

A Family Holiday Turns Into an Emergency

Austin Appelbee was on a family outing in Quindalup, about 250 kilometres south of Perth, when conditions changed and the family was swept away from the coast.

Austin, his mother Joanne and his two siblings had been paddleboarding and kayaking when they found themselves drifting further offshore.

The situation became increasingly dangerous as the family was carried away from the shore and eventually drifted about 14 kilometres offshore.

Austin Decides to Swim for Help

With his family still out at sea, Austin made the difficult decision to try to reach land and raise the alarm.

The teenager swam through rough open water for about four hours, covering approximately four kilometres before reaching the shore.

His journey did not end there. After reaching land, Austin ran another two kilometres to find a phone and contact emergency services.

His actions gave rescuers crucial information that helped launch the search for his mother, brother and sister.

Family Spends Hours at Sea

By the time rescuers located the family, they had spent about 10 hours in the water.

The family had drifted roughly 14 kilometres offshore, making the rescue operation particularly challenging.

Emergency crews eventually located and rescued Austin’s mother and siblings. The successful rescue followed the alarm raised by the teenager after his long swim and run.

Bravery Recognised Eight Months Later

Eight months after the incident, Austin was recognised for his actions at a ceremony at Government House in Perth.

He received the Clarke Gold Medal from the Royal Humane Society of Australasia, which has recognised people who risk their lives to save others since 1874.

The society described Austin’s actions as demonstrating outstanding bravery and said his swim and subsequent run were instrumental in alerting emergency services.

His Mother Also Receives an Award

Austin’s mother, Joanne Appelbee, was also recognised for the role she played during the emergency.

She received a Certificate of Merit for making the difficult decision to send her son towards shore to seek help.

The Royal Humane Society of Australasia said her judgement and composure were important parts of the successful rescue.

For Austin, the medal represents recognition of an event that began as a family outing but quickly became a fight to bring his loved ones home safely.

Source: ABC News, October 6, 2026; Australian Defence, February 18, 2026.