‘I’ll never forget my first rescue’: Meet some of the faces behind SA’s Surf Life Saving Clubs
Countless South Australians owe their lives to the thousands of selfless surf lifesaving volunteers guarding our most popular beaches. These are just nine of their stories.
Lifestyle
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The coastline of South Australia has never been in safer hands, with nearly 3000 locals patrolling the state’s most popular beaches.
All volunteers, these 2700 qualified lifesavers are part of the 22 surf life saving clubs spread across South Australia.
From working parents to full-time school students, they come from all walks of life – but are united by their love of the ocean and keeping us safe when we’re in it.
The Advertiser talked to nine of the many incredible superheroes behind SA’s surf life saving clubs to find out what made them don the iconic yellow and red uniform.
Rachel Bell, West Beach SLSC
Rachel Bell is a mum, a wife, a Beyond Bank consultant, a church choir singer and a lifesaver.
All these things tie into one main idea for Ms Bell – community.
The Lockleys local grew up in Kidman Park and has been a member of West Beach SLSC for 14 years.
“I started at the club when my daughter was five and she joined as a nipper, then my son followed,” she told The Advertiser.
“I didn’t feel like I was a particularly good swimmer, so at first I was an official at carnivals.
“But there was a need for people to be in the water with the kids, so five years later, I got my Bronze. Where I see a need, if I can help, I will.”
Ms Bell is a patrolling member of Juliet Patrol and her two children, now 19 and 17 years old, are patrolling members too.
She also manages the uniform shop, fitting out the 550 junior and patrolling members with new uniforms, and runs the Saturday post-training barbecue for the club’s 220 nippers.
“We set-up the barbecue trailer and there’s a sausage sizzle, doughnuts and drinks ready for when the kids come off the beach,” she said.
Club president Graeme Cunningham told The Advertiser: “Rachel is always putting her hand up to help around the club … Her contribution to all areas of the club have kept us afloat and made all our jobs easier.”
Jessica Morton, Elizabeth LSC
Jessica Morton has dedicated her life to championing inclusivity, teaching refugees and those from low socio-economic backgrounds on how to be safe in the water.
Elizabeth Lifesaving Club is the only surf lifesaving club in South Australia which is not located at or in front of a beach.
The club uses a swimming pool to teach surf survival skills.
“We’re the only pool-based club in the whole of Australia,” Ms Morton said.
“We teach disadvantaged children water safety and (offer) swimming lessons to children who couldn’t afford normal swimming lessons.
“I’m very lucky I’ve got a team of 14 volunteers that help me every Saturday – very blessed to have so many people around me to help.
“We know that children from low socio-economic areas and culturally and linguistically diverse children are more at risk of drowning on our beaches.
“So we teach refugees, survivors of trauma, babies all the way to adults – our focus is that every child deserves the right to be safe in every body of water.”
Ms Morton has made huge efforts to promote the club through social media, schools, and community groups and has seen membership grow from 20 to 200 members.
Through grant applications, she has secured funds for equipment upgrades and professional development for other instructors.
Her drive comes from knowing how life altering the club can be for a child.
“We took some children to the beach for the first time last year,” she said.
“We bussed them down to North Haven and we had one little girl run up to me and say, ‘Jess, this is the biggest pool I’ve ever seen’, because she’d never actually seen the ocean – that was amazing, it was the best thing ever.
“It’s just the best thing knowing you’re making a difference to these children’s lives.”
Lee Jones, Christies Beach SLSC
Lee Jones became a surf lifesaver to support his kids, joining the club as a nipper parent in 2012.
But little did he know that the skills he and his children would learn would quickly be put to the test – saving children who had been blown out to sea on an inflatable.
“The most memorable rescue for me actually involves two of my children who were 12 and 13 years old at the time,” Mr Jones said.
“They paddled out to rescue a teenager who was blown a couple of hundred metres out to sea on an inflatable mattress, and they brought her back calmly and safely.
“I felt so proud that day, watching them put into practice everything they had learned as nippers in a real life scenario.”
Mr Jones has now been a lifesaver for the past 15 years, and currently patrols with his three children.
“Surf lifesaving has become an enormous part of our family life and I get to train and patrol alongside our three younger children,” he said.
Christies Beach secretary Richard Nurmi described Mr Jones as an “Energizer bunny” for the club.
“He is someone who always turns up, tunes in but never seeks recognition,” Mr Nurmi said.
“He is an authentic leader of adults and children, calm and considered in his approach and supportive of all club life and safety.”
Aaron Oliver, South Port SLSC
Aaron Oliver lives so close to South Port Beach and the lifesaving club, he is there almost every day.
For him and his family, the beach and surf are a way of life.
It is almost hard to believe the McLaren Vale native came into surf lifesaving only eight years ago – because of his son.
“I lived in McLaren Vale all my life and we couldn’t find a sport for my lad to do, because he wasn’t into any of the ball sports,” Mr Oliver said.
“Then he found nippers and got involved, so we ended up moving here to South Beach.”
The father-of-two did 145 patrol hours last season and said he is proud to patrol with his sons, now aged 13 and 17.
“It’s just about keeping the beaches safe and it can involve anything, picking up glass,” he said.
“It’s always different, depending on the weather conditions.
“Being at South Port we get a lot of swell, so the big factor is rips, we get a lot of rips in front of the club.
“We did a rescue with an IRD (inflatable rescue device), the rubber duckies.
“Some people had been drinking, it was day time and they got sucked out in a rip, one of the girls was being held afloat by someone.
“It wasn’t scary but it got the heart pumping obviously.”
Mr Oliver runs his own business, volunteering hours at the club outside of work.
“I find it a bit of stress relief, as weird as it is,” he said.
South Port SLSC board member Richard Olesinski said, “Aaron’s commitment has inspired a number of parents to gain or redo their Bronze Certification to also assist in this critical area of surf life saving.
“He has guided the club’s youth group, keeping them engaged, which has seen the group continue to grow.”
William Piper-Bamber, Chiton Rocks SLSC
At only 22 years of age, William Piper-Bamber has already clocked an impressive 419 patrol hours and become one of the club’s most experienced members when it comes to emergency rescues.
He is so dedicated to surf lifesaving, he volunteers his time at multiple clubs in Australia, even when on holiday.
It is hard to imagine the 22-year-old does all of this outside his full-time job as a carpenter.
“I first joined the club in 2017 when my dad started doing maintenance around the club and I would come and help him out,” he said.
“Eventually I just started patrolling heaps.
“I was kind of tapped on the shoulder by the club captain at the time, he said ‘you look like you’re enjoying this. Do you want to be vice-captain of the club?’ and I spent two seasons in that role.
“Then when I was 19, he said he was going to step down as and at the next AGM I was voted club captain at 20 – and that’s quite rare, because club captains tend to be an older demographic.
“Since then, everything I’ve seen, I’ve just gone for – awards, leadership camps – now it’s a way of life I guess.”
Mr Piper-Bamber has had a lot of experience when it comes to rescues – this year alone, he has helped save ten lives.
“I’ll never forget my first rescue and how that made me feel,” Mr Piper-Bamber said.
“I think saving someone’s life or having someone’s life in your hands – nothing will ever top it.
“I was on patrol and saw someone struggling in a rip – they were quite distressed, they started going under.
“I made my way out there, treated them and rescued them, brought them back to shore and they were all good.
“I didn’t need to resuscitate but if we weren’t there, he would’ve … yeah, it would have gone badly.
“It was only my second season, so I was 17 or 18 at the time, but I still remember it, it’s definitely had an impact on me.”
Natasha Tunney, Glenelg SLSC
Natasha Tunney has been with Glenelg SLSC since she was eight years old.
Now 43, she has been a member for most of her life, following in the footsteps of both her mother and father, who were members of the same club.
Ms Tunney now gets to volunteer alongside 15-year-old daughter Molly, a third-generation lifesaver at Glenelg SLSC.
Ms Tunney also became the first woman in 29 years to be elected president of the Australian Surf Boat Rowers League.
They run surf boat rowing events nationally and drive the growth of the competitive and tough sport.
Ms Tunney also introduced “Silver Salties” to the club – a class offering physical activity and social connection to older Australians.
She has been a club captain, a boat captain and continues to be someone, who is in touch with the needs of the community around her.
After the tragic death of 15-year-old Seaford surfer Khai Cowley, Ms Tunney was immediately aware of the ripple effects such an incident can have on the community.
“Shark attacks are always challenging, especially given that the surfing and surf lifesaving community is so close-knit.
“They’ve touched many members over the years, those affected in previous incidences always struggle when another occurs.”
Katie Natt, Seacliff SLSC
Katie Natt is known among club members as an outstanding athlete, winning the Open Female Ironperson and becoming the U17 state champion.
She was also named in The Advertiser’s southern students to watch in 2023.
Ms Natt is a role model for young nippers at Seacliff Lifesaving Club not only for her athletic ability but for demonstrating exemplary sportsmanship.
“Despite her multiple gold medals, records, and podium spots, Katie consistently shows respect towards competitors, officials, and encourages youth participation,” a spokesman from Surf Life Saving SA said.
“Katie readily shares her skills and experiences to help others in training.”
She was named Youth Athlete of the Year this year by Surf Life Saving SA and has received a leadership award at the State Development Camp.
Peter Kerrison, Moana SLSC
Peter Kerrison has been a surf lifesaver for more than thirty years, starting out at West Beach before moving to Moana SLSC.
Mr Kerrison admits he has seen it all in his three decades patrolling SA’s beaches, and over his career has logged 13,500 patrol hours.
Chief instructor for nine years, club captain for three and now president, Mr Kerrison said lifesavers are trained to be ready for anything, because even after all the years, you never know what’s going to happen.
“We’ve had traumas, heart attacks, drug overdoses,” he said. “We do more on the beach than in the water.
“But on the water, we’ve had rescues for catamarans that have broken down, jet skis, paragliders who’ve fallen off the cliffs, a couple of big spinal injuries.
“My joke is there’s a lot of sitting and waiting.
“You can be sitting and waiting five hours on one day and nothing happens and then another day where everything happens.
“I manned the first aid tent at state senior titles last year.
“Although we have a first aid kit, oxygen and AED, the most used piece of equipment at a competition are icepacks and Band-Aids.”
Because of his experience as a surf lifesaver, Mr Kerrison has been able to train first aid at the Red Cross for the last 15 years.
“The best part of lifesaving is the people you get to work with, it’s great camaraderie,” he said.
Huei Strelan, North Haven SLSC
At only 16 years old, Huei Strelan has won the respect and admiration of lifesavers young and old.
She was recently named Youth Athlete of the Year by Surf Life Saving SA for her unmatched commitment to the task at hand.
“She is always the first to volunteer, respond, and assist the next generation,” a spokesman for Surf Life Saving SA said.
“If someone mentions water cover, Huei is in the water with a board before the whistle can even be blown.
“She has been known to persist during water cover to protect ‘her flock,’ even when others have retired due to fatigue, cold, or hunger.”
Cassie Wilmot, Goolwa SLSC
Cassie Wilmot is so indispensable to her club, she has made our list of top lifesavers twice.
Ms Wilmot’s efforts in training people have had a transformative effect on her club and the community at large.
She has helped grow the number of volunteers at the small regional club in Goolwa, lightening the load on existing club members by sharing patrolling hours among a greater number of people.
Ms Wilmot has also trained state-level members, leading to an increase in membership in the State Emergency Operations Group.
“With more skilled members, the club’s ability to provide lifesaving coverage along one of South Australia’s most dangerous beaches has improved, ensuring a safer environment for all,” a spokesman for Surf Life Saving SA said.
Jack Wells, Grange SLSC
A remarkable young surf athlete, Jack Wells won the national title this year to become Australia’s Open Champion Lifesaver.
Mr Wells is a lifesaving captain and coaches other athletes in surf sports, patrol and first aid.
His has dedicated time and effort to theoretical aspects of lifesaving, learning rules, regulations and practices.
He has refined his physical skills in swimming, the use of boards, running and resuscitation.
Mr Wells has shown such commitment to self-improvement he has become a role model for other youth, who look to him for guidance in water cover and board training.
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