Backward Glance - No Holding Back at the 2018 Queensland Surf Life Saving Championships
Welcome to all Queensland surf lifesavers and their families as they arrive on our Sunshine Coast for this year’s State titles.
Welcome to all Queensland surf lifesavers and their families as they arrive on our Sunshine Coast for this year’s State titles.
Around 2000 competitors from clubs across Queensland will battle it out in surf and sand events, with their “eye on the prize” – to be the best in Queensland.
Surf lifesavers volunteer their time to patrol beaches and keep beachgoers safe.
The rule for everyone swimming is to stay between the flags. If lifesavers can’t see you, they cannot save you.
The early days of surf lifesaving on the Sunshine Coast are filled with interesting tales.
Did you know Petrie Creek was once Nambour’s swimming pool? It was a place where locals learnt to swim whilst enjoying the cool waters.
The lifesaving movement invited the renowned Australian freestyle swimmer Andrew “Boy” Charlton to the region in the early 1930s to demonstrate his swimming style.
The “Boy” visited Nambour and won against all who tried to out distance him. No one could beat that great Aussie champion and the crowds that lined Petrie Creek marveled at his style.
Spectators were equally enthusiastic during further racing technique demonstrations at Cotton Tree and Gympie.
Around this time, another swimming wonder was reported in the town.
Nambour solicitor Mr Bushnell became known as “the unsinkable man”. He was renowned for his floating abilities and once gave a floating display whilst reading a book.
History shows that there have been some remarkable surf lifesaving organisers in our region, such as Jack Spender, who migrated to Australia from Scotland in 1926.
He joined the Metropolitan Caloundra Surf Life Saving Club in 1936 and went on to become the president of the Royal Life Savers in 1954 and elected president of the Surf Life Saving Association in 1958.
In 1985, he was awarded the Order of the British Empire (OBE) for his services to the Royal Life Saving Association.
Jack was honored with life membership at club, branch, state and national levels of surf lifesaving.
Early Royal Life Saving and later surf lifesaving trainers, Queensland breast stroke champion Frank Venning and Joe Betts, took over the Maroochydore Beach patrols almost exclusively as the local boys left for World War I.
Joe came to be known as Professor Betts because he was a genuine Cockney, born at Mile End, Bow in 1885.
In 1950, Joe was honored with life membership of the Surf Life Saving Association of Australia and secretary of the Queensland State Centre from 1946-1957, Surf Life Saving Association of Australia and secretary of the Queensland State Centre from 1946-1957.
In earlier years, Joe was the manager of the old Brisbane Gymnasium and was the husband of Lillian Betts, who had been a breaststroke champion of the East London School, as well as a champion runner.
Joe was also a foundation member of Maroochydore Life Saving club.
Lillian introduced Joe to Frank Venning, a partnership was formed and together they changed lifesaving methods in both Surf Life Saving and Royal Life Saving.
Frank Venning was the leading inspiration behind the formation of Mooloolaba Surf Life Saving Club.
The Venning family were swimming teachers and competitors, and they taught swimming near Cotton Tree.
Venning Street, Mooloolaba is named after this lifesaving family.
Another well-known Queensland surf lifesaver from Mooloolaba was Jack Dearlove.
Hard working and devoted to the cause, in 1966 he was elected Surf Life Saving Australia (SLSA) chief superintendent, a first for Queensland.
He and other members of SLSA became the catalyst for change in areas such as the introduction of the rescue helicopter, a revolution in surf lifesaving in the early 1970s, and other more modern techniques.
In the mid-1920s, many early lifesavers were young men and women who lived on the district’s farms but found it difficult to reach the beaches due to lack of transport.
Venning and Betts organised training sessions for the hinterland lifesavers, who caught the train to Cooroy where they met at the Cooroy Railway Hotel and learnt techniques.
Under the direction of SLSQ’s headquarters at Cleveland, surf lifesavers and lifeguards are continually learning and up skilling.
Good luck to all Queensland clubs and competitors this weekend, and enjoy your stay with us on the Sunshine Coast.
Thanks to Sunshine Coast Council’s Heritage Library Officers for the words and Picture Sunshine Coast for the images.
You can listen to the oral history of Jack Spender, known as Mr Life Saving, who did so much for the surf lifesaving movement as well as the Royal Life Savers. https://heritage.sunshinecoast.qld.gov.au/Stories/Oral-Histories/Jack-Spender
Image Captions
Hero: Gordon Jeffreys and Trevor Hennesy, Metropolitan Caloundra S. L. S. C. members, winning the Double Ski race, Coolum Beach, 20 December, 1959
Image 1: Ladies Life Saving Team, Winners of the Neptune Cup, Mooloolaba Beach, 1 April 1929
Image 2: Members of the Mooloolaba Surf Lifesaving Club departing Buderim for Mooloolaba Beach, ca 1930
Image 3: A .C. Wilkinson, President of the Maroochydore Surf Life Saving Club congratulating members of the Club's Boat Crew, Maroochydore, 1959
Image 4: Foundation Members of the Maroochydore Surf Life Saving Club taken during the Club's Golden Jubilee, 1965.
Pictured (l to r), back row: O.H.Youngman, R.Nichols, H.Wells, P.Wells; Centre row. M.Espin, T.Prentis, J.Youngman, J.J.Betts; Front row: F.O.Venning, J.Parry. Additional Foundation Members unable to be present: O.Anderson, C.Prentis.
Image 5: Alexandra Headland Surf Life Saving Club boat crew competing in the North Coast Branch S.L.S.A. Championships at Mooloolaba, 1958.
Image 6: Maroochydore S.L.S.C. members in front of their temporary clubhouse, Maroochydore Beach, ca 1956
Image 7: Josh Hopkins, lifeguard and renowned boat sweep for North Caloundra Surf Life Saving Club, 1999. The Club was established in 1950 and later renamed Dicky Beach Surf Life Saving Club.
Image 8: Alexandra Headland Surf Life Saving Club members, Australian Champions, 1964-1965. Pictured back L-R: Tony Perkins, Dennis Flannigan, Bruce Mapleston, Noel Kelk and Hayden Kenny. Front L-R: Fred Wilkes, Terry McLardy, Lyle Gibson and Fred Murray.
Image 9: Maroochydore Surf Life Saving Club members, Maroochydore, 1920s. Pictured standing L to R: Axel Suosaari, Joseph James Betts (Chief Instructor), P.J. Moriarty (Chief Examiner), Bob Anderson and George Hill. Seated L to R: Spencer Browne, Harry French, Ernie Ambrose, Fred Anderson, Charlie Carter and Vic Suosaari. Vic Suosaari.
Image 10: Coolum Beach SurfLifeSaving Club members with belt and reel, Coolum Beach, ca 1956. Pictured include: Jim Rafter, Ian Pringle, Les Wilson, Les Siemon, John McEwan, Bill Knight, George Sarzweski, 'Blue' Warren, Bob Costigan, John Salter and Alan Casey.
Image 11:Graham Ashton, MaroochydoreSurfLifeSavingClub Member, with his long board, Maroochydore Beach, 1955. Ashton won the Queensland Long Board Championship held in Bundaberg in 1955.
Image 12: Lifesavers in Bundaberg for the Queensland State Surf Championships, 1938 (Maroochydore SurflifeSaving Club members pictured in the Club's blazer with a motif of a reel and line).