Sunshine Coast community honours group for giving hundreds of disabled locals the chance to surf
A Sunshine Coast organisation has been honoured for giving hundreds of people with a disability the chance to enjoy the surf.
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An organisation that gives hundreds Queenslanders living with a disability the chance to surf the Sunshine Coast has been honoured by its local community.
Disabled Surfers Association Sunshine Coast (DSACS) is one of 13 branches of the association across Australia and one of three in Queensland.
Each year, DSASC hosts four surfing events through spring and summer for disabled members of the Sunshine Coast community.
During the two-hour events, 45 surfers take to the waves, supported by multitudes of carers and volunteers.
Safety standards require a ratio of 25 volunteers to one surfer so, even with volunteers rotating in and out of the water and a carer attending alongside each surfer, every event needs 130-150 volunteers, at a minimum.
Branch president Mark Tebbutt says he got involved with the group “for the love of surfing” but pursued a leadership position when he realised just how much good the group could do.
“Our motto is that we ‘put smiles on dials’,” he said.
“Surfing has given me so much joy in my life.
“We take surfers of any age group, with any disabilities and we give them the chance to feel that same joy.
“We want the surfers to feel safe and secure and have the experience we able bodied people have been able to have in the ocean and see what the ocean has to offer.”
The hard work of every organiser, leader and volunteer at DSASC was recognised when the group won the Healthy People award at the Sunshine Coast Biosphere Community Awards 2025.
“It’s fantastic to be recognised by the community,” Mr Tebbutt said.
“There are hundreds of people that deserve this award because without them, we can’t do what we do.
“I’m just the fortunate one to get up on the stage and accept the award.”
Mr Tebbutt said he hopes the attention and recognition being given to DSASC following the awards will help attract more volunteers.
“Getting more volunteers is always our biggest thing,” he said.
“You don’t have to have surf experience and you don’t have to get in the water to be a volunteer.
“We’ve got a lot of different roles for different people with different requirements.
“What we’d like to achieve with this award and recognition is to get more volunteers to turn up and help make our events happen.”
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