Summer Surf Girl Competition to mark 50 year anniversary this year

CLUB members from across Queensland have rallied to make sure this year's Summer Surf Girl Competition is one to remember.

IT may have started on the Gold Coast as a beauty pageant in 1964, but today Surf Life Saving Queensland's Summer Surf Girl Competition is a state-wide fundraising and awareness campaign.

As the competition prepares to celebrate its 50th anniversary, club members from across the state have rallied together to make sure it is a year to remember.

This year the Gold Coast has eight entrants from Point Lookout on North Stradbroke Island to Coolangatta.

Among them is Pacific Surf Life Saving Club Morgan Marrinon, who said she entered with the focus of letting everybody know about her small Palm Beach club.

"It's more about getting Pacific's name out there because it is such a small club and a lot of people don't know that it's there," she said.

"I've been with Pacific since I was five and it's like a family."

The 25-year-old said she had grown up watching the Summer Surf Girl events, but said she had not wanted to enter back when it was more focused on appearance.

"I never had the confidence in the old days when it was more of a beauty pageant, but now that it's about fundraising I thought I'd give it a go," she said.

Fellow entrant Olivia Wilson from Broadbeach Surf Life Saving Club agreed, saying being a part of the Summer Surf Girl competition during the 50th anniversary made it even more special.

"It's always been my favourite night of the year and it's a great chance to catch-up with friends from across the state," she said.

Community awareness co-ordinator Stacey Ferreira said the program had its largest number of entrants in the past decade for the anniversary.

"I think it's fantastic that we are celebrating the 50th anniversary and this year we've got 26 entrants from across the state which is the biggest in over 10 years," she said. "Because it's the 50th year every club wants to get behind it and support it which is great."

Having taken part in the program twice herself, Ms Ferreira said it had changed a lot.

"When it first started it was more of a beauty pageant and the highest amount raised was about $1000, but now our highest fundraising amount has been $214,000," she said.

"It's also more focused on their champion lifesaving skills now which is great."

Memory lane; some past winners:

1981 winner Leigh Morgan from Kirra SLSC.

1967 winner Meta Ransome from North Kirra SLSC

1968 winner Vicky Crisan from Broadbeach SLSC

1993 winner Karen Moorfoot from Tallebudgera SLSC