Tasmanian man establishes GoFundMe claiming it will go to WA teen hero Austin Appelbee

Hundreds of people touched by the heroism of Austin Appelbee, the 13-year-old West Australian who made news around the world for swimming 4km through rough sea to save his stranded family, have donated to a fundraiser to say “thank you”.

The exhausted teenager raised the alarm last Friday that his mum Joanne and siblings Beau, 12, and Grace, eight, were clinging to paddle boards in wild ocean off Geographe Bay after a punishing four-hour physical feat in the water followed by a 2km run to get to his mum’s phone.

After more than nine hours in the ocean, Joanne, Beau and Grace were rescued about 8.40pm in a multi-agency mission involving the Water Police Coordination Centre in North Fremantle, South West Police, local marine rescue groups and the RAC Rescue helicopter.

In the wake of the ordeal, Austin has been feted nationally and globally for his incredible bravery, with thousands praising his selfless efforts to save the lives of his mum, brother and sister.

On Wednesday, a GoFundMe was opened by Tasmanian James Bennett, who originally listed the fundraiser’s goal amount as $7500 — it has already grown to $40,000 as pledges flood in.

The goal, which may have been adjusted automatically based on the organiser’s settings, continually shifted upwards and by the end of Wednesday was $12,000.

It was then adjusted twice on Thursday, first to $22,000 then to $40,000.

At noon on Friday, more than 800 people had donated over $30,700.

Mr Bennett’s connection to the family is not known. He has been contacted for clarification.

On the fundraiser’s page, Mr Bennett asked that donors “help say thank you to a true young Aussie hero”.

“At just 13 years old, Austin Appelbee showed courage well beyond his years,” he wrote.,

“When his family became stranded at sea, Austin didn’t hesitate. He swam for hours through rough conditions to get help and bring rescuers back to his mum and siblings.

“His actions quite literally helped save his family.

“We’d love to raise a small amount so Austin can get himself something special to remember this moment by.

“A gesture from the community to recognise an extraordinary act by an ordinary Aussie kid who stepped up when it mattered most.”

WorkSafe has confirmed that it is investigating Club Wyndham, the South-West hotel that hired the kayak and two paddleboards to the family. The hotel denies any wrongdoing.

The Appelbees hired the sports equipment and entered the water about 11am but were dragged out to sea in gradually deteriorating conditions.

Despite several hours of paddling, they were no match for the wild wind and unrelenting swell and after almost three hours, Joanne asked her eldest son to try to get back to shore on a kayak.

“I knew it would be a long way but the kayak kept taking on water,” Austin said.

After about two hours, Austin decided to discard the kayak and shortly after, took his life jacket off and swam.

“I was fighting rough seas, the kayak dumped me a million times, I thought I saw something in the water and I was really scared but I was just thinking I was going to make it,” he said.

Austin rotated between survival backstroke, breaststroke and freestyle for the next two hours before making it back to shore near Toby’s Inlet, 2km up the beach from where they had set off.

But his ordeal wasn’t over. He sprinted back to the hotel where, at about 6pm, he used his mum’s phone to call triple-0.

A search was launched but it wasn’t until about 8.40pm that a rescue the helicopter spotted the family. By then they had drifted approximately 14km out to sea.

The family received first aid onboard before being transferred to ambulances and later Busselton Health Campus for medical assessment.

They all avoided major injuries and are recovering at home in Gidgegannup.

GoFundMe has been contacted over the legitimacy of the fundraiser.