Father died trying to save children at new city beach, family say

A "dedicated father and husband" who died at a new Sydney beach on Boxing Day was trying to save his children, his friends say.

Father-of-five Seti Tuaopepe, 35, failed to resurface at the inland beach, which only opened the week before.

Emergency services were called but Tuaopepe, who had been paddleboarding, couldn't be saved.

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"Seti Tuaopepe, unfortunately lost his life while at Penrith Beach trying to save his kids," a fundraiser for wife Mina set up by Taylah Lagaaia from Mount Druitt in Western Sydney said.

"His kids meant the world to him, and he cherished the life they had together.

His body was later found.

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Located just a couple of kilometres from Penrith's CBD, the new beach at Western Sydney Lakes was flagged as being easier for those in the area to get to, rather than paying multiple road tolls and trying to find parking at popular coastal spots including Bondi and Manly.

Tuaopepe was one of multiple who drowned in the state over the festive season.