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100th anniversary of Maroochydore Surf Life Saving Club

By JOL Admin | 12 December 2015

The Maroochydore Surf Life Saving Club will celebrate its 100th anniversary in January 2016.  The club was formed on January 1, 1916, with a large crowd gathering to watch the official installation of the life saving reel. The reel had been obtained from the donations of the local community with the assistance of the Nambour Progress Association.

Maroochydore Surf Life Saving Club ca. 1920s. John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland. Neg 69353

Maroochydore Surf Life Saving Club ca. 1920s. John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland. Neg 69353

The following day the reel was put to good use as five people required rescuing from the surf during the day. In one incident three people were carried out by the current. Fortunately representatives from the Royal Life Saving Society were visiting Maroochydore providing training and assisted with some of the rescues. The Brisbane Telegraph reported - "There were several scores of bathers in the water at the time, and a number of other persons were about the beach. The situation arose through the venturesomeness of some of the swimmers, who entered the water upon a strong ebb tide with a somewhat heavy swell".

Surf lifesavers with trophies Maroochydore, Queensland. Undated. John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland. Neg 202998

Surf lifesavers with trophies Maroochydore, Queensland. Undated. John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland. Neg 202998

The Nambour Chronicle stated that although surf lifesavers were providing safer conditions of swimming, they shouldn't take unnecessary risks -  "In future therefore both the reel and squad will be an established fact, with a portion of the squad patrolling the beach all through the holidays, giving bathing a greater amount of safety. Bathers however must not run away with the idea that greater risks may now be taken".

Maroochydore A & B, Alexandra Headland and Mooloolba surf life saving teams at Maroochydore, 1928. Back row, left to right: Unknown, Arch McClintock (A.H.), Claude Prentice, Charlie Carter (A.H.), Alex Suosaari, Percy Jakeman (Mba), Unknown, John Pringle (A.H.), Fred Wilkes (A.H.), Harry Baker, Vic Crosby (Mba), Harry French, Andy Thompson (Mba), Vainor Anderson, Joe Suosaari, Frank Turner (A.H.) Front row, left to right: Edwin (Fred) Anderson, Spencer Brown, Dave Carter, Vic Suosaari, Alan Petersen, Eddie French, Bob Pringle (A.H.), Bill Parkinson (Mba), Tom Irwin (Mba), Arthur Parkyn (Mba). John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland. Neg 202982

Maroochydore A & B, Alexandra Headland and Mooloolba surf life saving teams at Maroochydore, 1928. Back row, left to right: Unknown, Arch McClintock (A.H.), Claude Prentice, Charlie Carter (A.H.), Alex Suosaari, Percy Jakeman (Mba), Unknown, John Pringle (A.H.), Fred Wilkes (A.H.), Harry Baker, Vic Crosby (Mba), Harry French, Andy Thompson (Mba), Vainor Anderson, Joe Suosaari, Frank Turner (A.H.) Front row, left to right: Edwin (Fred) Anderson, Spencer Brown, Dave Carter, Vic Suosaari, Alan Petersen, Eddie French, Bob Pringle (A.H.), Bill Parkinson (Mba), Tom Irwin (Mba), Arthur Parkyn (Mba). John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland. Neg 202982

A detailed history of club was compiled by Ralph Devlin in 1990 for the publication, Home of the black swan : Maroochydore Surf Life Saving Club 1916-1991 : a history and is part SLQ's collection.

Group portrait of Maroochydore Surf Lifesaving Club members 1920s. John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland. Neg 198745

Group portrait of Maroochydore Surf Lifesaving Club members 1920s. John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland. Neg 198745

Front cover of Queensland Figaro, 30 January 1932

Front cover of Queensland Figaro, 30 January 1932

Surfboat, Maroochydore. John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland. Neg 126193

Surfboat, Maroochydore. John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland. Neg 126193

Members of Maroochydore Surf Life Saving Club. Undated. John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland. Neg 202997

Members of Maroochydore Surf Life Saving Club. Undated. John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland. Neg 202997

Aerial photograph of Maroochydore looking north towards Noosa ca. 1950. John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland

Aerial photograph of Maroochydore looking north towards Noosa ca. 1950. John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland

Myles Sinnamon - Project Coordinator, State Library of Queensland

 

 

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