The National Search and Rescue Council is a cooperative body that is responsible for the national search and rescue response arrangements in Australia.
The Council members are from the Australian Maritime Safety Authority, the Australian Defence Force and state, territory and federal police.
These organisations signed an Inter‑Governmental Agreement confirming its role as the national coordinating body for search and rescue.
50 years of national search and rescue
In 2026, we mark 50 years of nationally coordinated search and rescue, recognising the enduring collaboration between Commonwealth, state and territory agencies, Defence, industry and volunteers.
