By Phil Jarratt
Noosa’s best school-aged surfers are the stars of a new series of “infotainment” videos aimed at reducing safety and behavioural issues in our crowded surf.
Conceived and produced by the Local Stewardship Council of the Noosa World Surfing Reserve, and funded by Noosa Shire Council and GemLife resorts, the series of films was shot and edited over the past few months by Tewantin-based Panga Productions. It stars young local surfers drawn from Noosa Boardriders Club, Noosa Malibu Club and school groups.
Said director Shaun Cairns: “The films have a serious message about health, safety and behaviour aimed at all ages, but we wanted to keep it light, so we’ve used the grommets to tell the story. They’re not only great young surfers, they also totally get that we all have to follow the basic rules to avoid mayhem in the surf on crowded days.”
Titled Surf Code – Feel The Stoke, the short video and a series of one-minute webisodes, designed to teach basic safety and etiquette in crowded surfing conditions, will be made available via a wide cross-section of social media platforms and surfing-related websites, as well as being used in school tutorials. The videos are part of the Noosa World Surfing Reserve’s stewardship program, which also includes an educational signage project explaining the surfing code of behaviour and basic safety precautions, which is being assessed for a possible introduction at strategic beach locations in 2021.
Dedicated as the 10th World Surfing Reserve last February, Noosa World Surfing Reserve has been working closely with the Queensland Government and other stakeholders on the framework for proposed legislation to protect the Noosa and Gold Coast Reserves from any perceived threats, such as development that might impact the quality of the waves, and overcrowding, access and parking issues.
A spokesperson for Noosa World Surfing Reserve told Noosa Today: “For us, the most pressing issue is to ensure that we can all continue to enjoy surfing here with safety. That’s what Surf Code is all about.”
