A man was filmed swimming across a flooded golf course in Palm Beach as heavy rain and flash flooding affected Sydney’s northern beaches, prompting evacuations in nearby suburbs and widespread disruption.
The swim took place during a period of intense rainfall that inundated parts of coastal Sydney over a January weekend. Floodwaters covered large sections of the Palm Beach Golf Course, leaving only a flagstick visible above the surface in footage later shared online.
Video Shared As Conditions Worsened
The video was posted to Facebook on Saturday, January 17, by Craig Finniss. It shows the man swimming freestyle across the waterlogged course while severe weather impacted surrounding areas.
The swimmer was identified locally as an Avalon man known as “Ruppy”. According to Finniss, the swim occurred after a lightning alarm interrupted a round of golf on the course earlier that day.
The footage circulated widely on social media and was subsequently shared by major news outlets in Australia and overseas.
Heavy Rainfall And Emergency Warnings
Rainfall totals varied across Sydney during the same weather system. Around 345mm of rain was recorded at the Palm Beach Golf Course area over a 24-hour period. The Bureau of Meteorology reported that 180mm fell in some parts of Sydney over the weekend.
Sydney’s Observatory Hill weather station recorded 126.8mm of rain on Sunday, making it the city’s wettest January day in nearly four decades.
As conditions worsened, flash flooding led to evacuations in several locations, including Narrabeen. An emergency warning for life-threatening flash flooding was issued late Saturday night for areas across Sydney’s northern beaches.
Emergency Response And Safety Concerns
Over a 48-hour period, emergency crews responded to 3,118 incidents across New South Wales and carried out 31 flood rescues, with more than half of the incidents recorded in Sydney.
Health authorities warn that floodwaters can be hazardous due to unpredictable currents, submerged objects and contamination risks, including sewage and other pollutants.
Finniss later said the swimmer did not ingest floodwater and showered immediately after the swim. He was reported to be unharmed.
Public Reaction
Reaction to the footage was mixed. While some viewers described the swim as light-hearted, others raised concerns about the risks of entering floodwater during an active flooding event.
Rainfall was forecast to continue in the days following the incident, with authorities advising residents to remain alert to changing conditions across affected areas, including Palm Beach.
Published 20-Jan-2026
