Vigilance and service

Women in surf lifesaving in Australia

Surf lifesaving was one of the last organisations in Australia to hold out against the women’s movement. Last year, Surf Life Saving New South Wales celebrated 40 years since women were allowed to actively participate in patrols and rescues along the state’s coast, writes Anne Doran.

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SINCE THE FIRST VOLUNTEER LIFESAVING CLUBS were formed in 1907, women have been vital members in behind-the-scenes roles such as cleaning, cooking and fundraising. Many wishing for more physical involvement in surf culture eventually found ways to create their own competitions, such as swimming and rescue and resuscitation drills. Women from my former club, Helensburgh Stanwell Park, sought permission to form a distinct Ladies Surf Club in 1956, which was granted on the proviso that no reference be made to lifesaving in the title or in their activities.

Women were banned from training for the Bronze Medallion, the passport to actively patrolling beaches. They were considered to be physically incapable of performing rescues, and the idea of female lifesavers went against the perception of an army of well-drilled, physically fit men keeping the beaches safe. There also was concern that female members would disrupt the status quo and the close bonds of mateship within the clubs.

01 Ruth Cook of Port Kembla SLSC was one of the first women to receive her Bronze Medallion in 1980, allowing her to actively patrol beaches and conduct rescues. All images Surf Life Saving NSW 02 Kristen Ross, Julie Farmer and Ula Dalton (nee Callen), pictured in 1994–95, were the first female IRB (inshore rescue boat) crew at Nobbys SLSC, Newcastle, NSW.

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Interestingly, during World War II women around Australia filled the role of lifesavers while men were away fighting. Many were initially non-swimmers and had to learn to swim before training to be lifesavers. During the week many of these women were involved in important war work, then gave up every Sunday to patrol the beaches during the summer season – only to have to renounce their involvement once the men returned home from war.

Declining membership in the 1960s led to a new program called Nippers for pre-teen boys and later girls. This succeeded in bringing families to the clubs and many boys went on to become patrolling members – but this was not the case for girls. They could continue into their own competitions as ‘Nipperettes’, go into the traditional roles or leave.

But changing circumstances forced the organisation’s hand. The advent of the women’s movement, pressure from women in auxiliary roles and parents of Nippers, and still-declining memberships meant that it was time for a discussion. In 1974, South Australian Premier Don Dunstan demanded that surf clubs admit women or face withdrawal of funding from the South Australian lifesaving body. Six years later, on 1 July 1980, women were finally permitted to qualify as active lifesavers and undertake patrols. Some clubs held out, citing a lack of women’s facilities as a reason, and many of the first female Bronze Medallion holders faced discrimination and bullying from dissenting members of their club. Things were different at my club, the Helensburgh Stanwell Park SLSC; after a lively discussion about the matter, women were accepted straight away, and the council provided bathroom facilities from day one. Currently in New South Wales, women make up 37 per cent of patrolling members, and many have executive roles in their local surf clubs.

On 1 July 2020, Surf Life Saving celebrated the 40-year anniversary of women’s involvement in active lifesaving. Steven Pearce AFSM, Chief Executive Officer of Surf Life Saving NSW, says that he finds it ‘bizarre and extreme’ that women were not formally allowed to participate in patrols until 1980: As CEO of Surf Life Saving New South Wales and an active patrolling lifesaver at Stanwell Park Surf Life Saving Club, I see and hear regularly the amazing and outstanding rescues that women lifesavers perform on our beaches up and down the coast. In fact, the patrol I am attached to at my club has eight members, five of whom are female and regularly perform rescues and active lifesaving … and this is done without fanfare or on a gender equity platform. It’s just who we are now … an organisation of women and men protecting and saving lives. For more about the first female lifesavers, see nfsa.gov.au/latest/australias-first-female-lifesavers

Anne Doran is an Assistant Curator of Special Projects at the museum. She became involved with her local surf club as a child. In 1983 she was one of six girls from her local club aged 15 to receive her Bronze Medallion. She later gained her IRB (inshore rescue boat) crew certificate and patrolled beaches regularly for several years.