BETWEEN THE FLAGS By RON LANE
FOR the Noosa Heads Surf Life Saving Club, Wednesday 18 February will certainly be one to remember, for on that day, the Governor of Queensland, His Excellency the Honorable Paul de Jersey AC, in his capacity as Patron of Surf Life Saving Queensland made a visit to the club.
This was in response to the club being named the 2013 State and National Surf Life Saving Club of the Year and the 2014 recipient of the nationally awarded Community Education Program.
While there, the Governor met the Noosa club president Greg Cowie, Seahorse Nipper co-ordinator Steve Mawby, participants and parents involved in the winning Seahorse Nipper Program. This acknowledged the inclusive and unifying nature of the program as well as the work of the Noosa Heads Surf Life Saving Club.
With erratic weather pounding our beaches at the weekend many were closed on Saturday but the majority were back to normal by Sunday. Under the leadership of David McLean some members of our State Emergency Group based in clubs on the Sunshine Coast, were on standby for 24 hours.
“We had a lot of our people on standby but happy to relate there were no major call outs,” Mr McLean said.
“The helicopter was informed of a possibility of two missing boys but this turned out OK.”
Despite that very little is heard of this team, the fact that they can be called on any time night or day and are prepared to go in harm’s way speaks volumes for the dedication and courage of these people. They are what life saving is all about.
One club to take full advantage of the cyclonic conditions was Sunshine beach.
“Conditions at our beach were very rough,” club captain Scott Summers said.
“Saturday morning our beach was closed but we took full advantage of these conditions to complete our IRB training.
“As a result nine crewies and two drivers have now finished their course.
“By training tough in bad conditions we know that our IRB teams will be capable of doing their job regardless of the conditions.”
While their club mates were undergoing IRB training, another seven members were completing their Advanced Resuscitation Certificate (ARC) at the Noosa club.
“This is definitely a good training scheme with the two clubs working in conjunction,” Mr Summers said.
“It gives our people a chance to get to know each other and after all we are all doing the same job.”
Well it is definitely now official. The 2016 Australian Surf Life Saving Championships will be held on the Sunshine Coast. Maroochydore, Alexandra Headlands and Mooloolaba will be the host beaches. The dates for this event will be Saturday 16 to Sunday 24 April.
Surf Life Saving Australia president Graham Ford said that planning for the Aussies has already commenced.
“The Aussies are the biggest event of the surf life saving season and a national showcase of the skills needed by our volunteers to ensure that they are rescue ready,” Mr Ford said.
Sunshine Coast Council’s economic development-tourism, sport and major events councillor Jason O’Pray said that he looked forward to hosting such a significant and important event for the surf life saving community on the Sunshine Coast.
“Surf life saving is synonymous with the Sunshine Coast lifestyle – we are a perfect location to host the Aussies and we are keen and ready to welcome competitors, their supporters, friends and family with open arms to our special part of the world,” Mr O’Pray said.
I have always said that surf carnivals bring publicity and business into our communities and the biggest of them all is the Surf Life Saving Championship of Australia. Bring it on.
