Year: 2022

A timely reminder that we are coming into the busy part of the season. All that training and proficiency work will start to pay off as crowds start coming back to the beach in numbers this summer.

Well done to the lifeguards for saving this man’s life.

#firstsurfclub #bondisurfclub #surflifesaving #noliveslost #bondibeach #staysafe #love #beach #mysurflife #resuscitation

Museum Presentation
For those who didn’t get to see the presentation on the 30th November, the Heritage NSW team have put together a short video of our pitch.

You can view it here https://player.vimeo.com/video/781685209?h=632b184e99

Please watch to see how we aim to transform our hall to provide all visitors to Bondi a great space to learn more about the start of a movement, and how to have a fun, safe day at Bondi Beach.

#firstsurfclub #bondisurfclub #noliveslost #surflifesaving #surflifesavingaustralia #history #bondibeach #bondibeachsydney #bondibeachaustralia #staysafe #bondi #love #beach #beachlife #slsa

Congratulations to Mason and all the attendees!

Do you know someone who was one of the 10,000 people rescued by surf lifesavers every year?

SLSA is looking to talk to people about their experience and help promote surf safety.

Let us know if you’d be interested in participating and willing to talk to the media about it.

BOTTLES tonight will not open until 6pm due to a prebooked event

Congratulations to our 23 newest surf lifesavers!

Our third Bronze group has made it through their final assessment today, and will see an awesome addition to our patrol teams just in time for the busy holiday period.

Well done to all candidates, and thank you to the trainers for the time you’ve committed to welcoming these new members to our club.

Mason Kemeny
Director of Education

Thanks to everyone who volunteered their help on Sunday for the Bottles Christmas party…….You know who you are. lots of fun was had by all. It was great to see members of all ages having a great time together and special thanks to the long-haired Santa AKA The Shaggy Dog.

Thank you so much to everyone who participated, supported, watched and voted for the club presentation at #heritagensw PitchFest 2022.

Congratulations to the Windy Station Woolshed for winning in a tough contest – bringing life and use back to a part of our rural colonial history.

Thanks to Réka Kaponay and Jesse Lockhart Krause who represented our club so well. It is great to see such passionate young leaders coming through our movement. Thanks also to Greer Gehrt for travelling up from Canberra to provide insight into the themes and design for our museum.

Our aim is nothing less than a comprehensive world class museum that honours those who ask for nothing, but give everything, to ensure there are no lives lost on Bondi Beach.

You can view the slideshow at the link here https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/e/2PACX-1vQdX7qUw9pf0rvecsnAxEz1HyGMqEShrKlrxgv-T8PaS_8unpIFnCAxVmhJmyA3_mUA-v4i8gXlBU4l/pub?start=true&loop=true&delayms=1500 and the text from the day is below, we will have a recording of the presentation available later to use, but we would love all members to be able to tell the story of why we need support to tell one of the great stories of Australian history.

PRESENTATION TEXT
Thank you all for giving us the chance to tell you about the Bondi Lifesaver museum today. Our club acknowledges the Bidjigal, Birrabirragal and Gadigal people, who traditionally occupied the Sydney Coast, and all First Nations people living, working or visiting Bondi.

We would like to take this opportunity to share a great story of innovation and volunteering with the rest of the world.

Our surf life saving club at Bondi Beach, was the very first of its kind, but today it is part of a much larger movement, with over 300 clubs and 80 thousand active volunteers. My name is Réka Kaponay and I am one of these active volunteers, though I am also an author and I have traveled to 52 countries across 6 continents.

All around the world, the places with the highest visitor numbers also have the most sought after attractions. If you travel to Rome you will find every major site has an interpretation centre.

If you travel to Paris, it’s the same, with world class activities available to provide insight into the iconic parts of their local culture. You’ll also find options to suit different languages, with inclusive and accessible spaces, interactive displays, and support for tour groups to understand the rich history.

In Australia, the natural beauty of our harbor and coastlines takes first priority, and tourists get to see amazing views,

Bondi is the third most visited place in NSW, to quote the National Heritage listing: “Any list of must-visit locations in Australia features Bondi Beach. Modern Bondi is a reflection of multicultural Australia, its sands inhabited by all nationalities.”
but we barely make the list of activities to do!
There are no options for people who don’t or can’t swim, or don’t sit on beaches.

So right now, we have the opportunity to create a space to tell the story of a group of locals who didn’t like people drowning on their beach,
who banded together to form a club with the goal of “no lives Lost”
A group dedicated to training for dangerous rescues in an unforgiving sea.
A group who became a symbol of the self sacrifice, volunteerism and duty that forms part of the country’s self image.
According to the National Library “Along with the digger and the bushman, the surf lifesaver holds an iconic place in Australia’s cultural imagery.”

Jesse is also a club lifesaver and the architect for our building transformation.

Our club is about to embark on a major transformation, embracing the Club’s position in a National Surfing Reserve and state and national heritage park that includes the Bondi Pavilion, which has been recently beautifully restored.

We are uncovering our original heritage building from 1934, with its clean lines that speak to the waves and the sea. We have had massive community support for this new design.

And we are taking what is today a dark private hall and transforming it into an exciting museum space, providing the public, easy access to a rich understanding of our heritage.

The themes in the museum will inspire future generations, providing beach safety messages, and communicating enhancements in rescue technology, the way the movement has changed to welcome women, children and new immigrant communities. We will inspire people to understand the history of Bondi, and have a safe, fun day at the beach.

As a non-profit, our museum will generate funds from Visitors joining our supporters club, funding our lifesaving operations. And in addition, a gift shop will accelerate sales of our merchandise

But the main revenue will be from tour bus operations that already arrive directly behind the surf club every day. These three income sources, will help maintain the legacy, of those who ask for nothing, but give everything, to ensure there are no lives lost on Bondi Beach.
Help us let visitors learn about our beach culture and way of life.

Help us tell a story NSW can be proud of.

Please vote for Bondi Surf Club.

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#firstsurfclub #bondisurfclub #surflifesaving #noliveslost #history #bondibeach #beach #architecture #construction #design #heritage #museum #iconicbondi #building #renovation

GO HERITAGE GRANT PRESENTATION TEAM….live now!!!

We need your help at 2pm today!

This afternoon at 2pm (first off the blocks), a team from the club will pitch to get $1m towards the museum component of the renovation.

We would like as many people there as possible in person or online at 2pm (the link to the online will be sent out to registered attendees).

At the end of the presentations there will be a voting period, and people who have registered in person or online will be able to vote – we also try to send around an SMS with a link to this voting platform the second we get it.

Please help us today to make sure we have as many votes as we can. Please join us at 2pm after registering on the below link

You can register for the online here – https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/heritage-pitchfest-2022-tickets-443897698967