We can always hope that history doesn’t repeat itself, but it often does, and if last summer is anything to go by, we are going to need all the lifesavers we can get on the beaches this year.
With warm dry conditions on the horizon, there’s likely to be more beachgoers, and according to last year’s stats, Brunswick Heads is one of the busiest beaches in the Byron Shire.
And also one of the most dangerous.
18 rescues last summer
The 2022/23 season saw 2,668 patrol hours, and more than 28,500 beachgoers, with 18 rescues performed.
Since covid, the Brunswick SLSC, like many other volunteer organisations, is struggling to both entice old members back, and encourage new people to join.
Last summer, patrol groups went from eight to six, and with the current membership, the club won’t have enough members to fill all the needed roles in the coming season.
Construction of their new clubhouse is about to get underway and demolition of the old one is imminent, so the upcoming season will see volunteers based out of a temporary compound.
This isn’t ideal, but it will allow the club to help keep beachgoers safe in the meantime.
More than one job to be done
But the club needs more members – and not just as life savers.
There are plenty of other positions available at the club that mean you don’t even need to get your feet, or any other part of you, wet – they hope to have a full complement of volunteers by the time the new club opens next year.
Visit brunswickslsc.org for more info.
