History of Surf Life Saving

For over 100 years, Australia' s trained volunteer surf lifesavers have been helping to keep our beaches safe.

In that time, numbers have grown to over 34,000 active patrolling members who have rescued more than 500,000 people and provided First Aid to a million others.

Here is a brief history of how Surf Life Saving developed into the organisation it is today.

1907

First surf life saving club – the Bondi Surf Bathers' Life Saving Club – is formed, preparing the way for the emergence of the modern movement in Australia.

1910

First lifesaving Bronze Medallions are awarded to 5 men from the Coogee and Bondi Clubs. They became the first examiners for the award.

1922

Surf Lifesaver Milton Coughlan is attacked by a shark at Coogee. His rescuers, Jack Chalmers and Frank Beaurepaire, receive surf lifesaving' s first meritorious awards. Despite their efforts, Coughlan died; the attack is the first recorded fatal shark attack at a Sydney surf beach.

1923

Miss Eddie Keft becomes the first woman to qualify for the surf Bronze Medallion. She passes the exam and is given a medallion number, but is not given a medal because of her sex. She finally received the medal, age 84, after women are allowed to become qualified surf lifesavers.

1935

Red and yellow beach flags are introduced.

1938

Freak waves necessitate a rescue at Bondi – 250 swimmers are rescued, 5 die.

1946

While not the first woman to wear one, Pauline Morgan wears a bikini at Bondi and almost causes a stampede.

1954

The ' Royal Carnival' is held at Bondi for Queen Elizabeth and Prince Phillip during the monarch' s first visit to Australia.

1980

Women are allowed to qualify as active surf lifesavers, thus enabling them to undertake patrols and perform rescues.

1997

First successful use of a defibrillator by a volunteer surf lifesaver anywhere in the world, at Noosa, Queensland.

2007

Named Year of the Surf Lifesaver by the Australian government in honour of 100 years of dedicated service to the community.