Surfrider Foundation Annual Report 2013-14

SURFRIDER FOUNDATION AUSTRALIA ANN UA L R EP ORT F I NA N C I A L Y E A R 2 0 1 3 / 1 4

OUR MISSION Surfrider Foundation Australia is dedicated to protecting oceans, waves and beaches through Conservation, Activism, Research and Education (C.A.R.E.).

WHAT WE DO Surfrider Foundation Australia knows oceans, waves and beaches. We act true to our mission and partner with corporations, communities and individuals who support our ongoing work caring for the coastlines we all love and enjoy. When Surfrider Foundation is involved, there is a genuine effort to strive for the best outcome for all parties.

Through events, activities, demonstrations and meetings, Surfrider Foundation provides the knowledge, tools and motivation to empower and enable volunteers across Australia to directly participate in the protection of our oceans and coastlines. Surfrider Foundation is the voice for our oceans, waves and beaches, represented by the people to whom beaches and waves mean so much.

HOW WE DO IT – C.A.R.E. Surfrider Foundation has four key areas of activity: • Conservation – of our oceans, waves and beaches through on-ground activities including dune regeneration works, beach clean-ups and water monitoring programs.

• Activism – actively speaking up and lobbying for the protection, enhancement and management of our waves and beaches locally and nationally.

• Research – investigating and reporting on significant issues affecting our coasts.

• Education – raising awareness about coastal processes, threats and opportunities to encourage a proactive and collaborative approach to the protection of our coastlines.

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PHOTO: joliphotos.com

Standing up for our oceans, waves and beaches ain’t no spectator sport Dear Friends of Surfrider,

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nergy, that’s what it’s all about. That’s why we surf. We tap into that endless source of windgenerated water power that brings so much joy.

During my 15 year involvement with the organisation I have never seen energy levels higher than they are today, with all of us working for the enjoyment and protection of our precious oceans, waves and beaches. We have three new branches in Newcastle Hunter, Eurobodalla on the NSW south coast, and Crescent Head… WELCOME! All of our branches are also now in regular link-ups with the national office and each other to better activate our mission.

Energy too in Jess Hensman our Operations Manager who took the reigns from Karen Raubenheimer (now concentrating on her PhD in Policy Framework of Marine Debris). Boomerang Bags have ‘hit the street’ and are spreading throughout the country thanks to the efforts of Jordyn de Boer who has also agreed to be our Partnerships Manager...more energy. We have a newly established Marketing and Fundraising working group which embodies a spectacular skillset to better equip us in engaging with our stakeholders.

Campaign results are generally positive but have been overshadowed by the tragic loss of Bastion Point, breaking many a local heart. It represents a primal fear every surfer faces – the loss of a favourite break, and so we will use this inappropriate development to grow a stronger Foundation. We are fighting hard to save The Other Side (South

PHOTO: Luke Sorenson, ‘Save Our Spit Rally’

Straddie) from the effects of wild over-development in the Broadwater. North Narra has seen significant improvement in surf quality and progress is being made in the long-term management of Bells.

The Rise Above Plastics Campaign is building every year, and necessarily so with an estimated 700 pieces of plastic per person (7.2 billion x 700!) floating in the world’s oceans, making it the biggest environmental issue after global warming. Our Sunshine Coast branch’s Double Island Point cleanup and our new partnership with Contiki/Treadright are two highlights of 2014.

Congratulations to all of our branches and volunteers, particularly the award winners listed inside the back cover of this year’s annual report – the surfing and beach-loving public are in debt to you. Thanks to the Surfrider Board members past and present who continue to inspire new ways of activating C.A.R.E. for our coasts.

Special praise goes to the herculean efforts of retiring board members Paul Maddock and Rex Campbell. The effort of these two good friends working towards a more sustainable and rigorous Surfrider Foundation cannot be overstated.

They are, in my opinion, living Surfrider National Treasures!

Finally, if you can spare some more time for Surfrider, we will put it to good use, after all coastal conservation ain’t, as they say in the classics, a spectator sport!

Brendan Donohoe B.T.P. (UNSW) Chair

2014 ANNUAL REPORT

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PHOTO: Luke Sorenson, ‘The Other Side’

ENDANGERED WAVES From sewage outfalls to seawalls, cruise ship terminals to sand pumping, Surfrider’s endangered waves campaign is all about protecting the waves we love.

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any of Australia’s best waves are endangered.

Yet unlike endangered wildlife there are no surf break protection laws in Australia. Nor are the impacts on surf breaks considered in planning and infrastructure developments. Surfrider’s endangered wave list exists to draw attention to surf breaks that are under threat.

Our Current List of Endangered Waves includes: • South Stradbroke Island (Qld) • Kirra Point (Qld) • Bastion Point (Vic) • Bells Beach (Vic) • North Narrabeen (NSW) • Ball Bay (Norfolk Island) • Western Port Bay (Vic) • Tam O’Shanter Bay (Tas)

Bastion Point The point break known as Broken Boards now has a breakwall and boat ramp running through the middle of the break. The break was destroyed by a project funded by the East Gippsland Shire and the Victorian State Government. The campaign against the development was one of Surfrider’s longest running 4

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and while we delayed the development for many years the final destruction of the break highlights the importance of Surfrider’s endangered waves campaign.

Kirra Point After close to 20 years of campaigning the Kirra groyne has been returned to its original length, with works completed in December 2013. Since then there have been a couple of memorable sessions with Kirra Point showing signs of its former self. While Kirra remains on the list it’s promising to see such enormous progress and effort by the local community as well as dedicated campaigners Wayne Deane, Wayne Rabbit Bartholomew and Surfrider.

Capricorn Coast One of Australia’s northern-most surf spots comes off the list following a successful Surfrider campaign against the development of major port infrastructure adjacent to the area’s best surf breaks. The campaign team were successful in demonstrating the significant environmental impact of the proposed port development and the state government has subsequently withdrawn its support for the project,, removing the threat to Capricorn Coast waves and beaches.

OUR CAMPAIGNS RISE ABOVE PLASTICS In 2014, it was estimated that more than 5.25 trillion pieces of plastic, weighing 269,000 tonnes, now exist in our oceans, resulting in calamitous effects on our marine ecosystems and food systems worldwide.

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s stewards of the big blue, we are committed to rising above the plastic that plagues our oceans.

Plastic is all around us. Almost everything we eat, drink or use is packaged in (often toxic) petroleum plastics – designed to last forever – but usually used once and discarded within seconds. Only 5% of plastics are ever recovered or recycled and nearly half of the remaining plastic ends up unaccounted for, eventually finding its way into our waterways and oceans.

The impacts of plastic on our marine environment are enormous, with an estimated 1 million seabirds and 100,000 marine animals dying each year from plastic entanglement or ingestion. Furthermore, plastics act as a sponge for other toxins and are often toxic when they break down, having deadly impacts on the marine food web.

The Rise Above Plastics (RAP) mission is widely recognised among the international Surfrider community. Through this mission we collectively strive to reduce the impacts of plastics in the marine environment by raising awareness about the dangers of plastic pollution and advocating for a reduction of single-use plastics and the recycling of all plastics.

The Surfrider Foundation Australia has been passionate about keeping our enormous and unique coastline clean for more than 20 years – with volunteer branches all around the country who regularly undertake beach cleans and local activities. We contribute to Tangaroa Blue’s database in support of the Australian Marine Debris Initiative, and have: • Collected more than 71,000 pieces of rubbish.

• Weighed around 60 tonnes of rubbish.

• Worked on over 141,000 metres of Australian beach.

We also recognise that while cleaning the coastline is a way of reducing marine debris and plastic pollution already present in the marine ecosystem, the real cure is prevention at the source.

In 2014 our local branches united to create a nationally coordinated strategy to educate and empower local coastal communities by creating practical and preventative solutions. One of our major RAP successes in 2014 included our Boomerang Bags program, launched by our Gold Coast Tweed branch, which aims to reduce plastic bags in local communities by providing a free, sustainable alternative.

Hundreds of dedicated volunteers from the east coast to the west coast have participated in sewing bees to create thousands of Boomerang Bags using secondhand, donated materials. It’s about local communities working together in a grassroots movement. Reuseable Boomerang Bags are free to ‘borrow and bring back’, and have proven to be a powerful way to create real change.

Our local branches also remain passionate about leading community-based activities and programs, including Ban the Bag and 10c Recycle Refund schemes; building local partnerships with organisations such as Patagonia, Responsible Runners, Responsible Cafes, Take 3, Tangaroa Blue, local schools, government and more. It’s an exciting time for Surfrider Foundation Australia’s RAP campaign as the movement to rise above plastics continues to grow and gain momentum.

PHOTO: Arnold Furnace

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FINANCIALS Financial information (1 July 2013-30 June 2014) Surfrider Foundation Limited is a non-profit organisation. As a Deductible Gift Recipient, The Surfrider Foundation Fund is able to receive tax deductible donations from supporters.

There was also a minor adjustment to the allocation of expenses to reflect the salary of the operations manager, but overall the focus of the organisation remains clearly focused on campaigns and education.

In the 2013-14 Financial Year we saw an improved financial position for Surfrider Foundation Australia.

Note: For the full 2013-14 Director’s Report and Financial Statement, contact info@surfrider.org.au

2013-14 INCOME

$

Sponsors

(9%) $9,868

Donations

(45%) $47,543

Membership & Merchandise

(1%)

$1,270

2013-14 EXPENSES Admin /Accounting

(21%)

Education

(27%) $23,875 (5%)

$4,431

(7%)

$6,555

(34%)

$30,678

(6%)

$5,088

(100%)

$89,255

(31%) $33,184

Fundraising Costs

Fundraising Events

(13%)

National Campaigns

Total Income

(100%) $105,895

$18,628

Insurance of Branches

Grants

$14,030

$

Branch Projects Total Expenses 2013-14 INCOME Net Income

$ $16,640.24

PHOTO: Darren Noyes-Brown

Campaigns & Education

67%

Administration, Insurance, Fundraising

33% 6

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OUR PEOPLE BOARD OF DIRECTORS • Simon Branigan (Vic) [since 2011) • Rex Campbell (Chair) (Vic) [since 2008) • Brendan Donohoe (NSW) [Since 2009] • Gene Hardy (WA) [since 2010] • Barton Lynch (NSW) [since 2010] • Paul Maddock (NSW) [since 2008] • Sarah Vann-Sander (WA) [since 2013] • Dan Ware (Qld) [since 2013]

STAFF • Jess Hensman (Operations Manager)

Life Members (financial) Joel Parkinson; Stephanie Gilmore; Mick Fanning; Dean Morrison; Gordon Merchant; Wendy Harmer; Barry Steele; Eddie Mercuri; Angus Watt; Richard Finlay Jones; Paul Steinmann; Robert Hughes; Craig McGregor; David Oitmaa; Clayton James; Barnaby Hurrell; Murray Turner; Matt Butel; David Minnears; Chris Tola; Stephen Hawker; Steve Perry; Adam BennettSmith; Victor Tilley; Brett Davis; Joanne Cooper; Ellis Cooper; Paul Maddock; Rex Campbell; Brendan Donohoe; Glen Neilsen; Mark Haynes.

Honorary Life Members Greg Howell; Bruce Thom; Tom Kirsop; Michael Legge Wilkinson; Bob Moffatt; John Foss; Stuart Ball.

MAJOR SUPPORTERS • Coastal Watch

Others who assisted

• Treadright & Contiki

Individuals: Ozzie Wright; Shayne Patterson; Peter Grant; Terry Fitzgerald; Paul Berry; Simon Holloway; Kim Sundell; Prue Harris; Sarah,Talia, Arki and Bronwyn Stelling; Sarah and Gary Neave; Dale Hunt; Anthony Hill; Alice Forrest; Brendan Frawley; Mary Finkelsen; Jack McCoy; Geoff Toovey; Wendy Harmer; Dave Thomas; Ronnie Blakey; Tom Carroll; Rob Bain; Karl Atkins; Paul Burnett; Susie Crick; Marley and Maeve Donohoe; Eloise Morath; Bronwyn Stelling-Wood; Vespacific Cafe; Arnold Furnace; Froth Wax; Wicks Surf; Rip Curl Narrabeen; SW Coastalwatch; FCS; Avalon Bowling Club; Burleigh Brewing Co.

SUPPORTERS

In kind support: Coastalwatch; Surfing World; FCS; Realsurf; Deck Bar - Dee Why; Psillakis Surfboards; Barefoot Wines; Stem Media; Arnold Furnace (Creative); Rip Curl Shops Manly and Narrabeen; Wicks Surf; Stickit Wax; The Perfect Wave; Havana Beach Cafe.

• Surf Organic • Spaceships Campervan Rentals • Tradewind Surf • Etiko • 1% for the Planet • Bausele • Eco Chic • Eldon and Anne Foote Trust • Allan Hall Business Associates

OUR BRANCHES Surfrider Foundation has 13 branches across Australia. To locate your nearest branch, visit www.surfrider.org.au Credits and Acknowledgements: Design: John Sampson.

Photography: Peter (Joli) Wilson ( joliphotos.com); Darren Noyes-Brown (noyesbrownphotography.com); Arnold Furnace; Luke Sorenson; Andy Morris (18seconds.com.au).

SURFRIDER ANNUAL AWARDS NOMINATIONS Branch of the year

Fundraiser of the year

Winners

• Perth Branch • Sunshine Coast Branch

• Northern Beaches Branch – ISD, Simon Holloway

Volunteer of the year

Campaign of the year

• Capricorn Coast Branch, Endangered Waves Campaign – Save the Reef • Branch of the year – Perth Branch • Volunteer of the year – Jordyn de Boer, Gold Coast Branch President • Fundraiser of the year – Northern Beaches Branch, ISD Event, Simon Holloway

• Jordyn de Boer (Gold Coast) • Chris Glenny (Sunshine Coast) • Craig Macintyre (Sunshine Coast) • Richard Bennett (Surf Coast) • Will Gold (Sunshine Coast) • Susie Crick (South Coast) • Allen Grimwood (Eurobodalla) • Simon Holloway (Northern Beaches)

• Capricorn Coast Branch, Endangered Waves Campaign - Save the Reef • Northern Beaches Branch, Endangered Waves Campaign - North Narraabeen • Gold Coast Tweed Branch, Endangered Waves Campaign - TOS

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Surfrider Foundation Limited 681 Barrenjoey Road, Avalon NSW 2107 PO Box 968, Mona Vale NSW 1660 Ph: +612 99657372 PHOTO: Andy Morris – 18seconds.com.au

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Email: info@surfrider.org.au www.surfrider.org.au ACN: 061168527