A Kiwi man who drowned has been praised for a heroic final act - saving his children.
Seti Tuaopepe, 35, died on Boxing Day at Penrith's newly opened beach and spent his last moments holding his three children above the water.
Tuaopepe, a New Zealand national who studied in Aotearoa, grew up in Samoa and moved to Australia for work.
A father of five, Tuaopepe took three of his children into a designated paddleboarding area at the beach. He was last seen trying to push his children to the surface before disappearing himself about 20m offshore.
John Savill, who lives in Penrith, told the Daily Telegraph he talked with Tuaopepe soon before he disappeared into the water.
"He had his three kids, I think they were all around 10 years old, a year or two either side of that," Savill said.
"None of them could swim and the kids started panicking and pushing him under.
"By the time I got there we got all three kids onto the paddle board and he was less than a metre away from me and then a second later he had disappeared."
Savill said he handed the children to his father-in-law who took them to shore before looking for Tuaopepe with a dozen more beachgoers.
A search and rescue operation was organised after the call for help went out about 2:35pm.
Tuaopepe's body was found at about 6:15pm. There were initial concerns for a child but they were taken from the water uninjured and did not need to be looked at by paramedics.
There has since been an outpouring of grief for Tuaopepe online.
"You were kind, silent and a very gentle classmate," one friend wrote on Facebook.
"You're a hero, my uso, rest in love," said another.
The beach was closed for the rest of Boxing Day and Wednesday but reopened on Thursday.
It only officially opened last week and it's believed the New South Wales government rejected a tender from Surf Life Saving to provide lifeguards for the new swimming spot, 7 News reported.
Only three Royal Life Saving Australia lifeguards were on duty when Tuaopepe died.
Acting New South Wales Premier Prue Car said the drowning was a "very tragic set of circumstances" and not a question of whether the beach was safe for visitors.
"We don't believe there are any other safety concerns at the beach… there are lifeguards there ensuring people are swimming between the flags and we take every safety precaution possible," she said, as reported by 7 News.
Craig Roberts, the general manager of drowning prevention and education at Royal Lifesaving NSW, told The Guardian inland waterways were the leading location for drowning deaths in the state, with hidden dangers including branches, snags and currents.
"Every waterway is different," he said.
"It's really important that individuals assess the conditions before they go in; understand the risks and they also know your limitations in any waterway, whether it be a backyard pool, a river, creek, dam or the ocean."
