Before the racing

It is easy now to think of surf boats mainly in terms of training, carnivals and results. At Avalon, that was not how the story began. 

Surf boats were part of lifesaving first. The club’s own history places Avalon’s beginnings in 1925, when the area’s growing popularity for bathing led locals to establish a lifesaving service. The surf boat came later, but it remained closely tied to rescue work and patrol duties.

Avalon’s first surf boat arrived in early 1936, when club member Wally Simmonds obtained Akubra from Queenscliff. By 1938 the club was raising money for another boat, arranging its christening and buying a trailer. This grew through local fundraising, donated support and practical member effort.

The work the boats were built for

One of the clearest reminders of the club’s lifesaving role happened in March 1956. A 34-foot sloop, Iolaire, was disabled off North Avalon after part of its mast snapped in heavy seas. 

According to reports, an Avalon junior boat crew, returning after competing at Bilgola, rowed out to the yacht, took one crew member off, and enabled help to be arranged so the vessel could be towed to safety. 

Interrupted, then rebuilt

Avalon Beach SLSC was heavily affected by the war years. Enlistments during World War II left the beach under-patrolled and reduced active membership to the point where there were not enough members to row the boat properly. After the war, the surf boat crew had to be rebuilt.

In 1945-46 the club bought Miss STC II from Queenscliff. The boat was used to train newer members, including boys from Police Boys’ Club squads, in boat handling and rescue work.

When the boat was later damaged beyond repair, the club again turned to fundraising and support for a replacement. Much of this pattern is in Avalon’s surf boat history. Boats were bought, damaged, replaced and named, but the larger story was one of persistence.

From effort to identity

By the 1960s and 1970s, the surf boat section was recording stronger results and wider support. Junior crews were doing especially well, with the 1966-67 junior crew winning every restricted carnival through the season.

Support came from many directions, including the Ladies Auxiliary and local donors. By then, the club was also becoming one of the ways Avalon recognised itself.

That sense of identity deepened in later decades. The club history notes that Avalon won the Australian Open Surfboat title in 1993. A ladies’ crew also had its beginning during this period. 

What continues…

In the 2000s, Avalon fielded world-champion surf boat crews, including the Antiques women’s masters crew, and maintained strong performances across branch, state and national competitions.  

In 2018, the club christened a new surf boat, Roland Luke, reflecting both continued success and ongoing support from sponsors and the local community.

A century on from the club’s founding, and in the season after that centenary was marked, the boats still carry more than one meaning. They are part of competition, certainly, and the 2026 Aussies are the latest stage on that path. But they also reflect a history of rescue work, post-war rebuilding and volunteer effort within the club. 

Read: Avalon Students Raising Funds For Australian Interschools Surfing Championships On Gold Coast

Avalon’s surf boat story is not only about what happened on carnival day. It is also about how a community kept renewing itself, crew by crew, season by season.

The 2026 Australian Surf Life Saving Championships, known as “The Aussies”, will be held on the Gold Coast, Queensland, from 21 to 29 March 2026, across North Kirra Surf Life Saving Club and Tugun Surf Life Saving Club. The event is the largest annual competition in surf lifesaving, bringing together competitors from surf clubs across Australia to contest a wide range of beach and ocean events. 

Published 20-March-2026

The post The Boats, the Beach and the Club: Avalon Across 100 Years appeared first on Avalon News.

Read: Community Fundraiser Builds On Avalon’s Link To Timor Leste

National Recognition Details

The honours were announced as part of a national recognition round administered by Surf Life Saving Australia, which acknowledged 212 members across the country for long and sustained service involving risk to life and property. 

The awards form part of the Australian honours system and recognise members who meet eligibility standards set by the Commonwealth. The Avalon Beach recipients were named in the latest National Medal batch released by Surf Life Saving Australia.

Avalon Beach Recipients

Avalon Beach Surf Life Saving Club members Mark Head and Wilson Gamble were recognised for meeting national service thresholds through consistent patrol participation across many seasons. 

Head received a National Medal with a 1st Clasp, reflecting service beyond the initial 15-year requirement, while Gamble was awarded the National Medal for completing the minimum period of eligible patrol service. Their recognition reflects years spent patrolling Avalon Beach, maintaining annual proficiency, and completing required patrol hours each season.

How National Medal Service is Measured

Eligibility for the National Medal is governed by federal regulation rather than club or organisational discretion. Members must complete at least 30 patrol or lifeguarding hours per season across a minimum of 15 full years, measured by recognised patrol seasons running from 1 July to 30 June. Service does not need to be continuous, though only approved and proficient patrol seasons are counted. 

Junior activities, cadet service, and approved leave periods do not contribute toward eligibility. Additional clasps are awarded for each further 10 years of verified service, with full service records reassessed at each stage.

Community Impact at Avalon Beach

Avalon Beach SLSC has a long history of volunteer patrol work, training, and community safety dating back to its formation in 1925. The club continues to support beachgoers through regular patrols, rescue response, and water safety education. 

Read: Avalon RSL To Host Stop On 360’s 2026 Regional Tour

National Medal recognition places local members among a limited number nationwide who have met long-term operational service requirements. For the Avalon community, the awards reflect the steady commitment required to keep the beach safe season after season.

Published 29-December-2025

The post Avalon Beach SLSC Patrol Commitment Acknowledged With National Medals appeared first on Avalon News.

Read: Council Proposes New Draft Plan for Avalon Beach Village

Set for Sunday, 21 March 2021, Around the Bends will start at Newport at 8:00 a.m. with the 2.5 kilometres swim challenge to Avalon, whilst another competition will kick off at 9:30 a.m. with a shorter distance of 1.2 kilometres.

Participants must take note of the courses:

The Newport to Avalon route is open for swimmers above 13 years old, whilst the journey off Avalon Beach is perfect for 10-year-old kids and above. 

Parents who are swimming with minors will need to fill out an online entry for their children before the event. Due to the pandemic threats, this year’s Around the Bends will be strictly registered. Swimmers who have not submitted their online confirmation by Saturday, 20 March 2021, at 3:00 p.m., will not be allowed to join on race day. 

Read: Avalon Beach Must Vaccinate Pet Rabbits Amidst New RHDV Release

A special division will be opened for Back of the Pack, for groups who want to enjoy a more relaxing time in the water as their time won’t be recorded. The Back of the Pack won’t be eligible for prizes at the end of the event. 

Around the Bends has a $40 entry fee, whether participants are swimming in one or both challenges. Register online to join.

The post Around the Bends: Avalon Beach’s Iconic Swim Challenge Returns appeared first on Avalon News.