Woman, 66, dies after being pulled from surf at unpatrolled beach south of Sydney

A woman has died after being pulled unconscious from the surf at an unpatrolled beach on the NSW south coast in a horror start to Christmas period.

Emergency services were called to a section of Werri Beach near Gerringong about 9am on Saturday after reports a woman had been pulled from the water.

Officers from Lake Illawarra Police District arrived to find members of the public and local surf club conducting CPR before NSW Ambulance paramedics took over.

Tragically, the 66-year-old woman could not be revived and was pronounced dead at the scene.

Police said a report would be prepared for the information of the coroner.

It comes as thousands of people descend on NSW’s idyllic south coast, including the Illawarra region, for the holiday period.

In March, a 43-year-old woman tragically died after being caught in a rip at Pebbly Beach north of Batemans Bay.