Bondi Surf Bathers' Life Saving Club

Bondi
Founded1907 (1907)
ColorsNavy Blue / White[1]
Members1435 (2018)
WebsiteOfficial website

The Bondi Surf Bathers' Life Saving Club is Australia's oldest Surf Life Saving Club, founded in 1907 in Bondi, New South Wales The club is a volunteer organisation that patrols Bondi Beach from October to April every year.

Bondi Beach

Sea bathing at Bondi

The first reference to any settler entering the water at Bondi, was reported in the Sydney Gazette in 1818, "A young man of the name of Allen, clerk to Messrs. Jones and Riley, was drowned on Sunday last at Bundye [sic], by venturing within the surf, which was very high and rapid at the time."[2][3]

In 1888, what had originally been little more than a rock pool at the south-eastern end of Bondi Beach was converted into the longer, wider, and deeper ocean pool, known as the Bondi Baths, allowing pool swimming in sea water that was regularly refreshed by the tide.[4][5]

The Bondi Swimming Club was formed at a meeting, in Bondi, on 17 February 1893,[6] and its first intraclub event (100 Yards Handicap) was contested on 4 March 1893 at the Bondi Baths, its home base.[7]

Bodysurfing

According to Booth (2016, pp.26-29), the question of who was the first bodysurfer at Bondi will never be settled,[8] given the difficulty in (historically) separating the true bodysurfers at Bondi from (a) those who went to Bondi to just paddle ankle-deep at the ocean's edge, (b) those who, knee-deep, "happily splash[ed] themselves and others, without ever revealing the confidence to float, swim or surf in the water" (Jaggard, 2007, pp. 90-91), (c) those who (during the droughts of the mid-1890s) were being encouraged to conduct their ablutions in the sea (Jaggard, 2006, p.31), (d) those who were pool swimming at Bondi Baths, and (e) those who were simply open water swimming at Bondi — rather than bodysurfing.

On 2 January 1907 two 9-year-old boys were rescued at Bondi Beach, having been swept out to sea by a strong undertow. One was safely brought to shore; whilst the other was brought to shore unconscious and revived by the "restorative measures" by a nurse who happened to be at the scene.[9][10][11]

Reginald Bourne

On Sunday 10 February 1907 a number of swimmers were caught in an undertow at Bondi Beach. Two distressed swimmers were eventually rescued with the aid of the lifeline.[12] A body, later identified as Reginald Bourne, was discovered the next day floating in shallow water at Bondi Beach.[13][14]

Bondi Surf Bathers' Life Saving Club

The Bondi Surf Bathers' Life Saving Club, Australia's oldest Surf Life Saving Club, was established in 1907.[16] Although the identities and number of those who attended the 21 February 1907 inaugural meeting are not known,[17] it is certain that, based upon the subsequent (1919) award of life membership, there were 23 "original" club members.[18] A cropped version of the photograph taken at Bondi Beach on 24 March 1907 (TCJ.1) that was published a year and a half later (SSS.1) identified the 20 "original" members in the club uniform (‡) that were present at the time the photograph was taken.

"The Reel"

The Surf Line and Belt (commonly called "the Reel") was chosen as the logo of the Bondi Surf Bathers' Life Saving Club because Lyster Charles Irwin Ormsby (1885-1941),[46][47][48] one of the Club's founding members and its first Club Captain, was responsible for its creation.

Ormsby constructed a model "contrived from hair pins and a cotton reel" and took it to Olding and Parker, the Paddington coachbuilders, who built the surf reel that was displayed and first used on Bondi Beach on 23 December 1906.[49] Ormsby's apparatus — reel, cotton (coated in beeswax) line, and harness[50][51] — allowed a lifesaver, wearing a cork jacket, to swim out and reach a patient and, then, both would be pulled back to the shore, per medium of the line connecting the cork jacket to the reel, by the crew on the beach.[52] Ormsby's reel, line, and harness apparatus was soon proving itself to be far superior to the previously standard lifeline.[53]

Competition

Bondi is the 2018[54] & 2017 Australian Masters Champions in the Australian Titles and 2017 Australian Pool Rescue Championships.[55]

Commemoration

In November 2023 it was announced that the club was one of 14 people or places commemorated in the second round of blue plaques sponsored by the Government of New South Wales alongside Kathleen Butler, godmother of Sydney Harbour Bridge; Emma Jane Callaghan, an Aboriginal midwife and activist; Susan Katherina Schardt; journalist Dorothy Drain; writer Charmian Clift; Beryl Mary McLaughlin, one of the first three women to graduate in architecture from the University of Sydney; Grace Emily Munro, Sir William Dobell, Syms Covington, Ioannis (Jack) and Antonios (Tony) Notaras; Ken Thomas of Thomas Nationwide Transport and the first release of myxomatosis.[56][57]

See also

Footnotes

  1. ^ "Constitution and Club Rules".
  2. ^ (News Item), The Sydney Gazette and New South Wales Advertiser, (Saturday, 18 July 1818), p. 3.
  3. ^ According to Booth (2016), the young man who might have been "swimming", also might have been "bathing a horse" (p.32) — or even, given that it was the middle of winter, might have committed suicide (p.25).
  4. ^ "Bondi Baths", The (Sydney) Daily Telegraph, (Thursday, 28 March 1889), p. 6.
  5. ^ "A Heavy Sea at Bondi Baths", The Sydney Mail and New South Wales Advertiser, (Wednesday, 13 February 1907), p.407.
  6. ^ "Bondi Swimming Club", The Sydney Morning Herald, (Tuesday, 21 February 1893), p. 5.
  7. ^ "Bondi Swimming Club", The Sydney Morning Herald, (Tuesday, 7 March 1893), p. 6.
  8. ^ The first-ever colonial bodysurfer was Frederick Charles Williams (1875-1940), who had acquired the techniques and skills from Tommy Tanna, a Polynesian islander brought to Sydney to work as a gardener. Williams first bodysurfed at Manly in the early 1890s (some sources have 1891, others 1892). ("First Shot the Breakers", Smith's Weekly, (Saturday, 22 Jan 1921), p. 8; "Surf Art Amazed the Crowd", The (Sydney) Sun, (Monday, 29 April 1940), p. 16; Jaggard, 2007, pp.91-92.)
  9. ^ "Advance Quirindi", The Quirindi Herald and District News (Tuesday, 6 February 1906), p. 3.
  10. ^ It took "about half an hour" to resuscitate Smith ("The Perilous Undertow: Two Lads Nearly Drowned: Exciting Experience at Bondi", The (Sydney) Daily Telegraph, (Thursday 3 January 1907), p. 7).
  11. ^ "Another Sensation at Bondi: Narrow Escape of Two Boys". Sydney Morning Herald. No. 21, 516. New South Wales, Australia. 3 January 1907. p. 4. Retrieved 19 April 2018 – via National Library of Australia.
  12. ^ "Surf-Bathing Sensation at A Heavy Sea at Bondi Baths", The Sydney Mail and New South Wales Advertiser, (Wednesday, 13 February 1907), p.407.
  13. ^ "Casualties: Bondi Surf-Bathing Fatality", The Sydney Morning Herald, (Tuesday, 12 February 1907), p. 8.
  14. ^ "A Dangerous Spot", The (Sydney) Evening News, (Wednesday, 13 February 1907), p. 5.
  15. ^ TCJ.1. According to Sean Brawley (2007, p.45) the photograph was taken on 24 March 1907.
  16. ^ "Bondi Surf Bathers Life Saving Club | Blue Plaques". Environment and Heritage. 5 June 2025. Retrieved 29 December 2025.
  17. ^ "[The] exact numbers for this meeting are not known because the minutes taken have not survived" (Brawley, 2007, p. 36).
  18. ^ BSB.1, pp. 4,7; BSB.2, p. 89 (first 23 in list).
  19. ^ "Warrant Officer (Later Major) John Bond", The Australian Boer War Memorial; "Obituary: Major John Bond", The Sydney Morning Herald, (Monday, 28 February 1927), p. 12; Funerals: Bond, The Sydney Morning Herald, (Saturday, 26 February 1927), p. 13; "Late Major Bond", The (Sydney) Sun, (Saturday, 26 February 1927), p. 7.
  20. ^ a b c d e f g "First Aid at Bondi", The (Sydney) Evening News, (Monday, 23 December 1907), p. 7.
  21. ^ Brother of Robert Cadden. The first Australian to be awarded the Silver Medallion of the Royal Life-Saving Society ("Royal Life-Saving Club', The (Sydney) Sunday Sun, (Sunday, 15 November 1908), p. 15; "Record of Current Events", The Sydney Mail and New South Wales Advertiser, (Wednesday, 13 January 1909),p. 35; Deaths: Cadden, The Sydney Morning Herald, (Wednesday, 16 July 1958), p. 38.
  22. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q One of the seventeen "original" members who, coached by Warrant-Officer Bond, gained their Royal Life Saving Society proficiency certificates in May 1907 ("Royal Life Saving Society", The (Sydney) Evening News, (Thursday, 9 May 1907), p. 7)
  23. ^ Brother of Carew Cadden. He served in the First AIF, was wounded in action in his face and hand in France in August 1916, and was repatriated to Australia in March 1917. He died at the Garrison Hospital, Randwick on 18 December 1917. (World War I Service Record: Lieutenant Robert Labertouche Cadden (797), National Archives of Australia; In Memoriam: Cadden, The Sydney Morning Herald, (Tuesday, 30 December 1919), p. 6.
  24. ^ a b c d "Surf Club's Record", The (Sydney) Sun, (Saturday, 1 May 1915), p. 3.
  25. ^ a b "Undertow: Plucky Rescue of a Young Lady at Bondi", The Queensland Times, (Thursday, 12 September 1907), p. 14.
  26. ^ World War I Service Record: Sapper Francis Joseph Craven (358), National Archives of Australia; Deaths: Craven, The Sydney Morning Herald, (Thursday, 12 June 1947), p. 24.
  27. ^ Manager of the Kempsey branch Australian Bank of Commerce ((News Item), The Macleay Chronicle, (Wednesday, 7 August 1940), p.4; "Death on Bowling Green", The Newcastle Sun, (Friday, 2 August 1949), p. 5; Deaths: Dee, The Sydney Morning Herald, (Friday, 2 August 1940), p. 6.
  28. ^ Brother of Spencer Dennis; engineer, and career Naval Officer ("Obituary: Mr. Cleon Dennis: Lieutenant on H.M.A.S. Sydney", The Toowoomba Chronicle and Darling Downs Gazette, (Tuesday, 26 July 1932), p. 6).
  29. ^ Brother of Cleon Dennis, also an engineer (Deaths: Dennis, The Sydney Morning Herald, (Wednesday, 14 July 1954), p. 34).
  30. ^ One of the partners in Dunrich Brothers, real estate agents, of Bondi Junction (Personal, The (Sydney) Evening News, (Saturday, 22 April 1922), p. 6; Deaths: Dunrich, The (Sydney) Daily Telegraph, (Saturday, 22 April 1922), p. 10).
  31. ^ Later, the club's resident caretaker.
  32. ^ (Deaths: Flynn, The Sydney Morning Herald, (Wednesday, 28 September 1949), p. 28).
  33. ^ An accountant, and brother of Sydney Fullwood (New South Wales Births, Deaths and Marriages Deaths Registration no.27337/1963).
  34. ^ An accountant, and brother of Albert Fulwood.(Deaths: Fullwood, The Sydney Morning Herald, Monday, 28 July 1952), p. 12).
  35. ^ A bank manager (Deaths: Harris, The Sydney Morning Herald, (Friday, 14 December 1951), p.18).
  36. ^ A stock and sharebroker; and, along with Eden Love, was elected as one of the Club's first two honorary members in January 1909 (Deaths: Henriques, The Sydney Morning Herald, (Monday, 28 November 1938), p. 10.
  37. ^ a b "Bondi Surf Bathers' Life-Saving Club", The (Sydney) Sunday Sun, (Sunday, 10 January 1909), p. 3.
  38. ^ Awarded a Bronze Medal and a Certificate of Merit by the Humane Society of New South Wales for his rescue at Bondi Beach on 8 September 1907; and, along with George Henriques, was elected as one of the Club's first two honorary members in January 1909 Deaths: Love, The (Launceston) Examiner, (Monday, 6 October 1947), p. 6.
  39. ^ Humane Society: The Awards: Eden Percival Love", The Sydney Morning Herald, (Monday, 31 August 1908), p. 5.
  40. ^ Architect, decorated soldier, and, later, member of Waverley Council (Births: Midelton, The Sydney Morning Herald, (Saturday, 5 April 1884),p. 1; World War I Service Record: Lieutenant Thomas Brunel Midelton, National Archives of Australia; "Awarded the Military Cross: 2nd Military District: Lieutenant Thomas Brunel Midelton, 15th Field Company Engineers", Commonwealth of Australia Gazette, No.67, (Tuesday, 3 June 1919), p.949; "Bondi Ward Seat is now Filled: Mr. Thomas Brunel Midelton for Waverley Council—"Digger" and Architect—Welcome Recruit", The (Sydney) Labor Daily, (Monday, 12 May 1924), p. 6; Deaths: Midelton, The Sydney Morning Herald, (Saturday, 13 March 1965), p. 92).
  41. ^ Brother of Rupert O'Brien. A Valuer, and former President of the Real Estate Institute of New South Wales, and of the New South Wales division of the Commonwealth Institute of Valuers ("Mr. D. O'Brien dies", The Sydney Morning Herald, (Saturday, 11 November 1944), p. 5; Deaths: O'Brien, The Sydney Morning Herald, (Saturday, 11 November 1944), p. 24.
  42. ^ Brother of Desmond O'Brien. Awarded a Bronze Medal by the Humane Society of New South Wales for his rescue at Bondi Beach on 30 December 1905; President of the Bondi Bowling Club ("Heroes of the Year", The Sydney Mail and New South Wales Advertiser, (Wednesday, 1 August 1906), p. 283; Deaths: O'Brien, The Sydney Morning Herald, (Thursday, 18 July 1940) p. 6; "Late Mr. Rupert O'Brien", The (Sydney) Daily News, (Thursday, 18 July 1940), p.10).
  43. ^ Brother of Lyster Ormsby.(Deaths: Ormsby, The Sydney Morning Herald, (Wednesday, 20 June 1951), p. 28).)
  44. ^ Brother of Gerald Ormsby. Heavyweight wrestling champion of New South Wales, heavyweight boxer, publisher and antiquarian bookseller, and inventor of the life-saving reel (World War I Service Record: Private Lyster Charles Irwin Ormsby (6311), National Archives of Australia; "Intruder's Error: Enters Athlete's Home: Held by Hammer-Lock", The (Sydney) Sun, (Saturday, 20 August 1921), p. 7; "What the Ormsby's found", The (Sydney) Sun, (Saturday, 20 August 1921), p. 7; "Romance in Hunter Street", The Sydney Mail, (Wednesday, 3 August 1938), p.14; Deaths: Ormsby, The Sydney Morning Herald, (Saturday, 27 December 1941), p. 17; "Death of Inventor of Surf Reel", The (Melbourne) Herald, (Friday, 26 December 1941), p. 5; "Mr. Lyster Ormsby", The Molong Express and Western District Advertiser, (Saturday, 10 January 1942), p. 8).
  45. ^ A commission agent, widely known as "A.S.K. Piddington" ("Piddington's Specialty House", The Richmond River Express and Casino and Kyogle Advertiser, (Wednesday, 14 December 1927), p. 3; Deaths: Piddington, The Sydney Morning Herald, (Tuesday, 19 September 1950), p.20).
  46. ^ Deaths: Ormsby, The Sydney Morning Herald, (Saturday, 27 December 1941), p.17.
  47. ^ "Surf Reel Inventor's Death", The Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners' Advocate, (Saturday, 27 December 1941), p.8.
  48. ^ "Death of Inventor of Surf Reel", The (Melbourne) Herald, (Friday, 26 December 1941), p.5.
  49. ^ "History of Waverley - 1859 to 1959" (PDF). Waverley Council. p. 82. Archived (PDF) from the original on 19 March 2016. Retrieved 19 April 2018.
  50. ^ "Bondi Bathers", The Australian Star, Monday, 15 October 1906), p.4.
  51. ^ "Surf Referee vetoes Lifeline", The (Sydney) Sunday Herald, (Sunday, 11 February 1951), p. 11.
  52. ^ "Life-Saving Demonstration in the Surf at Bondi", The (Sydney) Daily Telegraph, (Monday, 25 March 1907), p.10; "Bondi Surf-Bathers' Life Saving Club", The Australian Town and Country Journal, (Wednesday, 24 April 1907), p. 27.
  53. ^ "Plucky Rescue at Bondi", The Clarence And Richmond Examiner, (Saturday, 14 September 1907), p. 3.
  54. ^ "Laura leads Bondi's masterful Aussies display at Scarborough - Surf Life Saving". Archived from the original on 23 April 2018. Retrieved 24 August 2018.
  55. ^ "2017 Australian and Interstate Pool Rescue Championships - Results Circular" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 19 March 2019. Retrieved 24 August 2018.
  56. ^ Power, Julie (19 November 2023). "The 'clever girl' who helped build the Harbour Bridge". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 21 November 2023.
  57. ^ "New round of Blue Plaques recognises the stories of NSW". Blue Plaques. 20 November 2023. Retrieved 21 November 2023.

References

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