How to call for help on the water in Australia
On the water in Australia you have three ways to raise the alarm: a marine radio, a mobile phone and a distress beacon. Here is which to use, what to say, and what the official sources say about each — word for word, with links.
Life in danger: make a MAYDAY call on VHF channel 16 if you have a marine radio, and call Triple Zero (000) on your mobile and ask for Police. Say the waterway, the nearest town and your state. Offshore, JRCC Australia takes distress calls on 1800 641 792. If two-way communication fails, activate your EPIRB or PLB.
Which number or channel, when
| Situation | Use | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Life in danger, you have a mobile | 000, ask for Police | Any mobile, landline, satellite phone and some VoIP services. Coast, bays, lakes, rivers and dams. |
| Life in danger, you have a marine radio | VHF 16 (MAYDAY) | Other boats and shore stations hear it too. HF 4125, 6215, 8291 kHz; 27 MHz channel 88 is being phased out. |
| At sea, family worried, or a beacon set off by accident | JRCC Australia 1800 641 792 | National, 24 hours. AMSA: “people in distress from accidents at sea”, worried family, accidental beacon activation. |
| Mobile, but 000 won’t connect | 112 from a mobile | Reaches the same Triple Zero service. Not from a landline or satellite phone. |
| Breakdown, nobody in danger | Your local marine rescue | Queensland: 131 MRQ (131 677). South Australia: SA Police 131 444. Elsewhere: your local marine rescue unit. |
Why “ask for Police”
Triple Zero’s first question is which service you need — police, fire or ambulance. On the water the answer is Police: state and territory police coordinate search and rescue on inland waters and within port limits, and they task the volunteer rescue groups. AMSA’s JRCC Australia coordinates searches for people on or from a vessel at sea.
Call Triple Zero (000) in any life threatening situation and ask for Police.
Marine Rescue NSW, plan and log on (archived copy, 2026) · marinerescuensw.com.au
In a marine emergency or for assistance on the water call 000 and ask for the water police in your state or territory.
AVCGA, the volunteer marine rescue association · coastguard.com.au
State and territory SAR authority (police) responsibilities: coordinates SAR operations for: persons and vessels on inland waterways and waters within state and territory port limits; … coordinates volunteer rescue organisations within respective jurisdictions.
AMSA, search and rescue arrangements in Australia · amsa.gov.au
What the Triple Zero operator asks
Tell the operator which service you need – police, fire or ambulance. If asked, provide your suburb, town and state. Your call will be connected to the service you requested. Stay on the line, speak slowly and clearly, and answer questions. Do not hang up until told to do so.
Triple Zero, how to call Triple Zero (000) (archived copy, Sep 2026) · infrastructure.gov.au
Your phone may send your position automatically (Advanced Mobile Location), but Triple Zero says you should still tell the operator where you are. On the water, “where” means the waterway and a landmark, not a street address. A script that works:
- “Police. Boat emergency, I’m on the water.”
- “I’m on [waterway], near [nearest town or suburb], [state].”
- “My position is [latitude and longitude, read slowly].”
- “[Number] people on board. [What happened].”
- “The boat is a [length] metre [type], [colour], called [name].”
- Stay on the line until the operator tells you to hang up.
VesselSOS shows this script filled in with your position in words when you tap “Yes, life in danger”.
No signal? Emergency camp-on
If your initial call doesn’t connect in around 5 seconds, hang up and try again immediately. On subsequent attempts, stay on the line for up to 60 seconds to give your phone the best chance to connect via another network.
Triple Zero, how to call Triple Zero (000) (archived copy, Sep 2026) · infrastructure.gov.au
A 000 call can use any available mobile network, even without a SIM (“emergency camp-on”). But Triple Zero is clear about the limit: “if there is no mobile coverage on any network, you will not be able to reach Triple Zero from your mobile phone.” With no service, use your marine radio or activate your EPIRB or PLB.
You can’t text 000
You cannot contact Triple Zero (000) by SMS (also known as Short Message Service).
Triple Zero (archived copy, Oct 2026) · infrastructure.gov.au
106 is only for people who are deaf or have a hearing or speech communication difficulty and call through a TTY (textphone). It can’t be used from a standard mobile, a landline or by SMS. The National Relay Service has other options for registered users.
112, and the US number
In Australia, you can also dial the international standard emergency number (112) from a mobile phone, which will direct you to the same Triple Zero (000) service. This number (112) cannot be called from a fixed landline or satellite phone.
Triple Zero (archived copy, Oct 2026) · infrastructure.gov.au
Do not use 911 in Australia. Calls to 911 will not be redirected to 000.
Triple Zero, using other emergency numbers (archived copy, Oct 2026) · infrastructure.gov.au
JRCC Australia: the national maritime rescue line
JRCC Australia is AMSA’s rescue coordination centre in Canberra. It runs 24 hours and is a public line, not only for beacon reports.
Call search and rescue if you need help with: people in distress from accidents at sea or air; sea and land search and rescue activities; concern about the welfare of family or friends at sea; accidental beacon activation.
AMSA, search and rescue · amsa.gov.au
use your mobile phone to call Triple Zero (000) or the Joint Rescue Coordination Centre (JRCC Australia) on 1800 641 792.
Transport for NSW, alerting rescue services · nsw.gov.au
JRCC Australia doesn’t handle inland waters — police do. From outside Australia, AMSA lists +61 2 6230 6811.
A phone doesn’t replace a marine radio
A mobile phone does not replace a marine radio. But it can be used in a life-threatening situation if you have reception – call Triple Zero (000).
Transport for NSW, essential safety equipment · nsw.gov.au
Do not rely on your mobile phone as your only means of communication on the water.
AMSA · amsa.gov.au
A MAYDAY on VHF 16 is heard by other boats and shore stations at once; a phone call reaches one operator. Use “MAYDAY” (three times) for grave and imminent danger and “PAN PAN” for an urgent message when you’re not in immediate danger. How to make a MAYDAY call · Marine radio channels in Australia.
The most effective means of alerting SAR authorities is by two-way communication: mobile phone, radio, satellite phone. … If two-way communication is unavailable, activate your beacon.
AMSA, things to know before you go · amsa.gov.au
Not an emergency: breakdowns and tows
- Queensland: Marine Rescue Queensland, 131 MRQ (131 677) “For assistance”.
- South Australia: SA Police 131 444 for emergencies that need a volunteer marine rescue response; 000 if life-threatening (SA SES).
- Elsewhere: call your local marine rescue unit on its published number or on your radio.
Logged on before you left? Marine Rescue NSW, Marine Rescue Queensland and Western Australia’s marine rescue groups say they take action if you don’t log off or return as planned. How logging on works.
VesselSOS on Australian waters
- Life in danger? Tap “Yes, life in danger” and the app dials Triple Zero (000). The screen shows your GPS position in words and a word-for-word script that starts “Police. Boat emergency, I’m on the water.”, then the waterway, the nearest town and the state.
- The rescue-centre list also has JRCC Australia (1800 641 792), the national maritime rescue line for offshore, as a second Call button, and a VHF Channel 16 MAYDAY text filled with your boat’s details for you to read on your own radio.
- A live link for family ashore (Plus, free during the beta): your position, speed, course and phone battery in any browser, no app needed on their end. You send it by text yourself.
What it doesn’t do: it doesn’t log you on with Marine Rescue or anyone else, and it isn’t connected to 000, Police, Marine Rescue or AMSA. Nobody is alerted automatically if you’re late: the return-time check only asks “Are you OK?” on your own phone. Marine rescue log-on services do follow up when you don’t log off, so log on with them as well. A phone doesn’t replace a marine radio, an EPIRB or PLB, or the safety gear your state requires.
iPhone only, in invite-only TestFlight beta. Not in the App Store yet, no Android. Australian support (000 routing) is in beta version 1.5 and later.
Quick answers
Should I call 000 or use VHF 16 on a boat?
Both if you can. Marine Rescue NSW: “Make a MAYDAY call on your marine radio and call Triple Zero (000) on your mobile phone.” A radio call is heard by other boats and shore stations; a mobile only works with coverage.
Does 112 work in Australia?
Yes, from a mobile phone: it reaches the same Triple Zero (000) service. It can’t be called from a landline or a satellite phone.
What is JRCC Australia’s number?
1800 641 792 for maritime search and rescue (24 hours), or +61 2 6230 6811 from outside Australia. It’s run by AMSA in Canberra.
Can I text 000?
No. Triple Zero can’t be contacted by SMS. 106 is a TTY service for people who are deaf or have a hearing or speech communication difficulty.
Sources
- Triple Zero (infrastructure.gov.au)
- Triple Zero — how to call 000
- Triple Zero — using other emergency numbers
- AMSA — search and rescue
- AMSA — search and rescue arrangements in Australia
- Transport for NSW — alerting rescue services
- Marine Rescue Queensland — safety information
- SA SES — volunteer marine rescue
Checked October 2026. Rules change — confirm with your state’s marine safety agency before you go.
This page summarises the rules for planning; it isn’t legal advice. Where this page and the official text differ, the official text wins. Spotted an error? Email support@vesselsos.com.