Young North Queensland life savers in Ayr for training camp

They may only be in their teens, but this year they will be out on North Queensland beaches adorning the red and yellow to save lives.

Ned Smith, 13, from the Acardian Surf Lifesaving Club and Jack Archibald, 13, from the Ayr Surf Life Saving Club practice their skills at Alva Beach in preparation for their Surf Life Saving Certificate. Picture: Evan Morgan

They may only be in their teens, but this year they will be out on North Queensland beaches adorning the red and yellow to save lives.

As the launch of patrol season nears, 30 young surf life savers, aged between 13 and 17 are undergoing a week-long intensive training camp.

MORE NEWS>>>

• Townsville huntsman spider Peggy nursed back to full health by Elina Walsh

• Kirwan man hooks $175,000 Keno win

• One Nation candidate Troy Thompson pulls out of race

Limits on COVID restrictions saw the camp, normally held at Magnetic Island, diverted south to the Ayr Surf Life Saving Club.

Surf Life Saving Queensland North Barrier director Charlie Pashalis said the new recruits would boost patrol numbers in the region.

“Because our numbers are a bit low across the board it just bolsters our patrol strengths,” he said.

Ned Smith, 13, from the Acardian Surf Lifesaving Club practices his skills at Alva Beach in preparation for his Surf Life Saving Certificate. Picture: Evan Morgan

“Other kids leave and go to uni, so they pretty much relieve those kids that leave.”

Mr Pashalis said they’d seen numbers at the camp rise over the last few years, with the young life savers being mentored by older heads.

“The last five years we have had 20 roughly, but this year we’ve had 30.

“Doing it as a week long camp gets all the guys together and they can do it in the shorter time frame … they are doing it in five days rather than six weeks.

“They’re not by themselves on the beach so what happens is they work as part of a team.

“Once they have finished they will be put on patrols where they will be with senior members and they continue to learn while they are on patrols.”

In the 2019/2020 season 15 rescues were performed by the region’s surf life savers ahead of the start of the 2020/2021 season Mr Pashalis had an important message for beach goers.

Originally published as Young North Queensland life savers in Ayr for training camp