Currumbin Vikings Surf Lifesaving Club volunteer Grant Harrison on Wallabies star-turned-surgeon Mick Barry’s death, life as a clubbie

Two years on, a volunteer lifesaver is reminded of one rescue every time he steps onto the sand – and reveals why some tragedies don’t go away.

• Gold Coast’s most dramatic volunteer surf lifesaving club rescues

Two years on, Grant Harrison is reminded of it every time he steps onto the sand.

In his mind, he turns over whether he had done “something wrong or everything right”.

The long-time surf club patrol captain was not on duty the day respected Gold Coast surgeon and former Wallabies rugby international Mick Barry died at his feet.

He was training on the beach with mates before the panicked screams caught his attention.

Mick had been indulging in his morning ritual. A swim in the pristine waters off Currumbin’s Elephant Rock with ‘the dingoes’ – a band of old, weather-beaten locals who greet the dawn with a dip.

Currumbin Vikings Surf Lifesaving Club’s Grant Harrison, patrol captain. Picture: Glenn Hampson

Rain hail or shine the salty group is there – bobbing about in the surf trading stories and smiles. But two years ago marked a dive the dingoes would never forget.

About 6.30am, before the flags were set up for the day, Mick had gotten into trouble in the water. His group of five caught in a fierce rip.

By the time he was pulled from the sea by friends he was completely unresponsive. The footy star-turned-doctor was not breathing nor conscious.

Mick, 78, had suffered a medical episode and died on the beach despite a 40-minute effort to revive him. Grant was among those who worked frantically to try and save his life.

For the Currumbin Vikings clubbie, it was the first time losing someone while putting into practice everything he had trained for.

He had been on the job nearly 20 years before witnessing tragedy first-hand.

“I just kept asking myself if I had done something wrong or if I had done everything right,” Grant told the Bulletin.

Wallabies player-turned-surgeon Mick Barry, who sadly died in the water off Currumbin Beach in November 2020. Picture: Supplied.

“The impact of seeing him die did not hit me till a few hours later. That’s when the emotions really kicked in. I was in a daze walking up to the shower to wash all the sand off.”

Grant was one of the first volunteers on scene on that November day 2020, and recalls hearing screams from his friends as he felt Mick “slip away”.

“They just kept yelling wake up Mick, breathe Mick. It was extremely upsetting,” he said.

“It’s hard not to focus on that collective panic when you’re in the middle of attempting to save someone’s life. Everything feels like it is in slow motion.

“Myself and others were rotating CPR and paramedics tried their best but sadly he was declared dead and never made it to the ambulance.

Mick Barry (second from left) with the Currumbin Dogoes. Picture: Supplied.

“It still hits home when I see the dingoes down at the beach. You can really see how much they miss Mick.

“You try not to think about the failed rescues. It’s tough. I just had to think about the successful ones where I have saved someone’s life.”

Grant bounced back after receiving “overwhelming support” from his patrol members, Vikings CEO Michael Sullivan and club captain Andrew McIntyre.

“The mental health support is wonderful. We are a really tight-knit club with a lot of mutual respect and support,” he said.

It is not the first time Grant has faced an emergency while off duty.

Years ago, a bodysurfer ploughed through the break headfirst into the rocks.

Grant said the swimmer must have been enjoying a “peeling left-hander” and didn’t even realise.

After the swimmer surfaced, a pool of blood painted the water around him.

His forehead had essentially “come right off his face”, Grant said.

With help from an off duty nurse, Grant assisted in maintaining pressure to stop the bleeding.

The bodysurfer received 400 stitches after the incident.

Another time, Grant was running with friends when one of them suffered a heart attack.

“I was running at the back of the line and thankfully noticed when he went down. He’s okay now,” Grant said.

Grant Harrison reflects on fatalities while on shift, attempts to save ex-wallaby-turned-leading Coast doctor Mick Barry and the trials and tribulations of the job at Currumbin. Picture: Glenn Hampson

While there is plenty of serious stuff on the sand, as Grant admits: “You see some pretty weird stuff sometimes.”

He recounts the time a female tourist from the United Kingdom had spent a week up in North Queensland and after flying to the Gold Coast, was stung by a bluebottle while in the surf.

“She thought she had been hit by a box jellyfish,” Grant laughed.

“Her body was contorting, twisting and she was screaming at the top of her lungs. It was like a scene out of The Exorcist. She genuinely thought she was going to die.

“Her boyfriend was equally hysterical and I had to show her sea life posters and explain that she was going to be okay. It was pretty crazy.”

There was also the time a German tourist nearly flew a drone into an oncoming plane. Currumbin is within short distance of Coolangatta airport – light aircraft flies particularly low for landing.

When he’s not on patrol, Grant swaps his sunscreen for spreadsheets as chief financial officer for Gold Coast development company Sunland.

He has worked on the company’s biggest projects, including managing the funding of Palazzo Versace at Main Beach.

Grant keeps an eye on the conditions. Picture: Glenn Hampson

However, he’s truly relaxed when he ditches the corporate attire and throws on a singlet and shorts and heads for the beach.

A country boy-turned-banking employee, Grant only visited the beach on school holidays, where he’d spend summers splashing in the waves at Coffs Harbour. It was at a young age he became hooked on the sea.

After moving to the Gold Coast from Brisbane in 2001, Grant looked to find a way to strike a balance between a high-pressure job and giving back to the community.

One of his best mates was already a member, so it was only natural Currumbin Surf Lifesaving Club came calling.

At the age of 35, Grant earned his bronze medallion and took up post as a patrol member at the tail end of 2002.

Patrol members are expected to volunteer around 35 hours of time a year to the club, and for Grant, “the camaraderie between good mates never gets old.”

As well as a suite of other awards, Grant received the McPherson surf lifesaving community achievement award in 2020, given to him by MP Karen Andrews.