A woman has died and a man is missing after they were swept from rocks near a popular coastal walk in Victoria.
A further two people have also drowned in separate incidents in New South Wales.
Emergency workers were called to a beach off Punch Bowl Road near San Remo, 125km south-east of Melbourne, on Friday morning after reports three people were washed into the water.
One woman managed to get back to shore while an aerial search found a second woman unresponsive in the water. She could not be revived. A search was continuing for the man.
Punchbowl Rocks beach is near the George Bass coastal walk and surrounded by high bluffs, reefs and rocks.
The incident followed a fisher dying after being swept into water at Wollongong harbour on Friday morning.
Emergency services were called to Endeavour Drive about 6.15am after reports a man was pulled from the water unconscious. The 58-year-old could not be revived. He had been fishing on a rock wall nearby when he was swept into the water, police believe.
A third person also drowned in North Sydney. Emergency services were called to Middle Head Point in Mosman after reports of concern for a man in the water.
A short time after police led an operation to find the man, a body was located in water nearby. While the body is yet to be formally identified, it is believed to be that of the man who fell into the water, police said.
Separate reports will be prepared for the coroner on all three deaths.
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Australians have been urged to take care on the water during the long weekend.
The Bureau of Meteorology issued a hazardous surf warning on Friday which will continue into Saturday for several coastal regions of NSW, including the Sydney coast and Illawarra.
The bureau warned the “surf and swell conditions are expected to be hazardous for coastal activities such as rock fishing, boating, and swimming in the following areas”.
Over the past 20 years, 118 Australians have drowned during Easter, according to Royal Life Saving Australia.
