Departures of note

Matt Dee was a professional lifeguard with the Waverley Council who patrolled Bondi Beach, becoming one of the most recognisable figures on the long-running Australian factual television series Bondi Rescue. The show, which first aired in 2006, followed the daily work of the Bondi lifeguards and built a substantial national and international following, with Dee appearing as a regular cast member across many seasons and in the Bali spin-off series.

Beyond his lifeguarding career, Dee was a mental health advocate. In 2014 he co-founded FTW Revolution, an Australian organisation dedicated to youth mental health and suicide prevention, which worked alongside Suicide Prevention Australia and developed a mood-tracking app aimed at younger Australians. The charity drew on ambassadors from surfing, sport and the Bondi lifeguard community.

Dee was widely regarded as a beloved figure among the Bondi Rescue cast and its audience. His death at the age of 47 was reported in September 2026, prompting tributes from fans and colleagues connected to the show and the mental health community.