Two teenage girls managed to get back to safety, but two others remained caught in the rip.
A man about to go bodyboarding heard screaming as people on the dunes overlooking the beach, according to a report from Channel 9.
Ben Roberts said when he saw them struggling in the rip; he simply headed for them to help.
“There was a son and a dad, they were pretty groggy, swallowed a lot of water, and were in and out consciousness,” Mr Roberts said.
“People from the top started yelling and we could see they were in another little rip and so we just ran out,” he said.
“The family were out past the rocks when they were sucked into a rip.”
Their mother was left stranded on shore watching the drama unfold as her children and partner struggled to survive.
According to Lifesaving Victoria 38 drownings between July 1 last year and January 13 is 13 more than the five-year average for the same period.
The organisation have highlighted the rising numbers of drownings, warning holidaymakers at inland rivers and dams and the beach that
The family appeared to be recovering well after being cared for by emergency services responders.
Further details from https://lsv.com.au/
Video courtesy of Channel 9.
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