Surf Lifesaving

 2007 is the Year of the Surf Lifesaver

Surf Lifesaving had it's origin when Mr William Gocher at Manly Beach, Sydney, New South Wales, in September 1902, defied the law of the time by bathing during daylight hours. Other people followed his lead, and the pastime of daytime swimming in the ocean and surfing the waves became part of Australia's national culture. 

'Surf lifesaving' became a necessary adjunct to this surfing as the unknown dangers of the seas were realised, and experienced surfers needed to come to the aid of people who got  into trouble.

Surf Lifesaving clubs were formed in 1907, and there is some controversy among Surf Lifesaving Clubs here in New south Wales as to who started the first club. North Bondi and Manly Clubs (north of the Sydney Harbour) both claim to be the first. The Lifesavers were all volunteers, and a training regime was developed to teach others the techniques, and inter-club competitions for Surf Lifesaving were held on all the main beaches. This has become a glamorous part of Australia's summer beach scene.

Surf Lifesaving Australia now has more than 112,000 members, of all ages, in 305 Surf Lifesaving clubs around the Australian coastline.

Since 1907 Australia's Surf lifesaving clubs have saved more than 520,000 lives.

Local Councils have sponsored the Surf Lifesaving Clubs, so that now there are Life Guards, professional lifesavers who patrol the beaches 7 days a week, and Lifesavers, volunteers who work with the Life Guards on weekends and busy periods.

A Life Guard is on the beach for 9 hours a day. Flags in green and yellow are planted in the sand each day to mark the area which is safe for swimming, depending on the tides and sea conditions. You must swim between the flags.

45,000 to 50,000 people will be on Bondi beach on a hot day, and Surf Lifesaving workers could rescue up to 230 people. Instead of using slow, cumbersome rowing boats, these days they rescue people by putting to sea in fast jet skis, inflatable dinghies, or on surfboards.

The beaches will be closed when the conditions of tides and rips are not safe, but the Surf Lifesavers are still on patrol, because people (not only tourists) who do not always understand and heed the warnings, take risks. Then the Life Guards endanger their own lives when they have to rescue the foolhardy swimmers or board riders.

Surf Lifesaving calls one famous bad rip current at the south end of Bondi beach "The Backpackers Express" because if caught in it, you could easily finish up at Bronte, the next beach to the south, and, hopefully be rescued by the Surf Lifesaving group there!

Tamarama beach is notorious for bad 'rips' because it is narrow and has high headlands on either side around which the sea swirls . It could be closed to swimmers when all the other beaches around Sydney are safe. This Surf Lifesaving club does a great job.

The Surf Lifesaving Association of Australia provides education and training services. It is a common sight to see Surf Lifesaving Clubs holding their 'Little Nippers' group meetings on weekend mornings on the beaches for young children to have fun learning basic surf safety skills and the ways of the waves. 

It is due to the Surf Lifesavers that New South Wales beaches are amongst the safest in the world. 

Surf Lifesaving's motto is still as relevant today as it was at the beginning – 'Vigilance and Service'.

Read more about sharks 

 Look up the newsletter of the Surf Lifesaving Club Association on www.slsa.asn.au

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