Calli's mother, Stacey Snookes, said her daughter struggled for about 15 minutes in the rip to help Michael.
"One minute, they were swimming and fine, and the next they were getting pulled out further and further. Calli said, 'Let's go in it. It's just getting stronger.'
"She said it felt that if another minute or two went by, both of them would have gone under.
"They were exhausted and she couldn't hold him up - she was trying to push him forward ... It was just like a never-ending game."
Michael's mother, Monique Verwey, said she had been watching the children and walked to the water's edge to tell them to come closer in but the rip was already dragging them out. "It was the scariest afternoon of my life".
She said she ran along the beach looking for help, stopping several people before finding someone with a mobile phone, on which she called 111.
"I'm not a strong swimmer so there was no point me going in. I was better to go and try and get help because who else was going to."
Once the children were brought to shore, she ran to gave Michael a hug.
"He just looked at me and said, 'Oh Mum, I wasn't going to die'."
The drama started at 1.30pm off an area of beach between Parton Rd and Taylors Rd reserve when a "flash rip" suddenly formed where the two young friends were swimming.
The man who swam to Michael kept his head above the surface, and the woman calmed Calli and taught her how to tread water.
Lifeguard Matt Strange said that when a surf patrol boat reached the pair, "the boy was in the water with just the top of his head showing, and about to be submerged, while the girl had her head just above the water".
"Those two people who went out there pretty much saved their lives."
Michael said: "I'm shocked that we are still alive."
To their rescuers Calli said: "Thank you so much for coming to help us."
