The stony beach is considered dangerous and signs are in place warning people not to swim.<\/p>\n
Witness Glen Collins, on holiday from Australia, said he did not see how the four people came to be in the water.<\/p>\n
He said at first he didn\u2019t register what was happening, but quickly realised it was an emergency.<\/p>\n
He said the man in the water managed to get to the boy, aged about 3 or 4, and they made it back to land.<\/p>\n
A woman in the water was next to emerge from the rough seas, after being \u201cviolently cartwheeled\u201d in the surf.<\/p>\n
The small dog also managed to scurry back onto land.<\/p>\n
However, an older woman, aged about 50 to 60, remained stuck in the surf, he said.<\/p>\n
He said a bystander and \u201cabsolute legend\u201d risked his life to try and get to her, but the wild surf knocked him around. <\/p>\n
Another bystander was on the phone to emergency services.<\/p>\n
The witness said he considered going in himself, but knew he couldn\u2019t get to her even if he tried. <\/p>\n
He said it was the most helpless he\u2019d ever felt.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe just watched this poor lady try with all her might. <\/p>\n
\u201cShe would go under and we couldn\u2019t see where she would resurface.\u201d<\/p>\n
Fortunately, the current eventually brought her close enough to shore that the young hero and the man, who had previously been in the water, were able to pull her ashore.<\/p>\n
He said the injured woman was breathing but was exhausted and cold, and they lay jackets on her to try and warm her as emergency services arrived.<\/p>\n
He said it was a horrible ordeal, but could have been much worse.<\/p>\n
\u201cI know for certain the young man deserves a commendation; he risked his life.\u201d<\/p>\n
He said it appeared the four people caught in the ordeal were a family.<\/p>\n
A St John ambulance spokesman said they responded to the incident with two ambulances and a rapid response vehicle.<\/p>\n
Four patients were assessed at the scene by ambulance crews. <\/p>\n
Two of those patients were taken to hospital, one in a critical condition and one in a moderate condition. <\/p>\n
Police also attended after receiving a report that \u201cmultiple people\u201d had been pulled from the water.<\/p>\n