Athletes, staff leave after a long-running civil war at Noosa Surf Club

An ex-senior official at a strife-torn Queensland surf club has been threatened with suspension from lifesaving if she tries to stand for office again.

Noosa Surf Club has been rocked by bitter infighting and the departure of athletes and staff.

An ex-senior official at a strife-torn Queensland surf club has been threatened with suspension from lifesaving if she tries to stand for office again.

Melissa Pinchbeck recently stood down as deputy president of Noosa Surf Club as part of a purge by Surf Life Saving Queensland after a long-running civil war at the premier club, which has been rocked by the departure of star athletes and staff and bitter infighting.

Long-time president Ross Fisher also resigned after SLSQ commissioned an independent investigation into the club’s alleged toxic culture by former top cop Andy Henderson.

There have been no published findings made against Ms Pinchbeck or Mr Fisher.

SLSQ last month appointed a special manager to run the club until a board meeting next month to elect new directors.

Long-time Noosa Surf Club president Ross Fisher.

Its chief executive, Dave Whimpey, last week wrote to Ms Pinchbeck saying he had been informed she was intending to renominate for a board position at the club’s AGM.

“In light of the substantiated findings from the independent investigation, I asked you to ­resign from your role as deputy president and I thank you for doing so,” he wrote in the letter, seen by The Sunday Mail.

“At that time, you enquired whether you could elect (sic) in the future. It’s simply too soon to renominate in our opinion.

“While I would prefer you take some time before seeking re-election, should you choose to proceed with nominating at the upcoming AGM, I will be left with no alternative but to move to suspend you and have the substantiated and unsubstantiated elements against you routed through a full (SLSQ) State Judiciary. I should advise that the penalties may stay the same, be more severe or struck out.”

One Noosa SLSC insider said: “This election will be a clear choice of the toxic old ways or to move forward. She (Ms Pinchbeck) deserves to run again and to be re-elected.”

Originally published as Athletes, staff leave after a long-running civil war at Noosa Surf Club