Southport Surf Life Saving Club turns 100 with party and reflection from John Ogilvie
His mum died early and dad “shot through” when he was 13 - John Ogilvie looks back on 100 years of Southport Surf Life Saving Club and its pivotal role in his life.
Gold Coast
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Southport Surf Life Saving Club has been much more than a club to life member John Ogilvie - it’s been family.
“The club sort of brought me up,” said the 86-year-old, who joined in 1948 as an 11-year-old.
“My old man shot through when I was 13 and my mum died pretty early in life. The family had a hamburger shop next to the railway station in Southport.
“Some of the older surf club members used to catch the train down from Brisbane, have a hamburger and go over to the club.
“They’d take me over to the club on Friday night and bring me home Sunday. They looked after me, they brought me up.”
Mr Ogilvie will be among about 400 past and present Southport members to gather on Saturday at a gala event to celebrate the club’s centenary and launch a 100-year book.
The club was formed in 1924 by a group of “Southport gentlemen”, concerned a new bridge from Southport to Main Beach would lead to an upsurge in beachgoers and drownings.
The first clubhouse was built in 1926, only to be washed away in a 1936 cyclone. The club was rebuilt three years later in its present location further back from the dunes, and has stood the test of time and tide.
From a handful of members in its early years, the club now boasts more than 900 senior and nipper members, including the likes of Olympic silver medallist Grant Davies and former world ironman champion Mark Bennetts.
Southport was one of the first surf clubs in Queensland to put women on patrol after females became fully-fledged lifesavers in 1980 and was also among the pioneers of Nippers in the 1960s.
Mr Ogilvie, club president from 1972-75, said Southport members had saved countless lives at “one of the most dangerous beaches in Australia.”
“Main Beach can be very treacherous. Back in the day, we only had the reel, line and belt to rescue people - there were no boards, rescue tubes, IRBs or helicopters and very few patrolling members compared to what we have now.”
Mr Ogilvie had many fond memories including seeing Southport win its first Aussie title in 1961, and was proud to see it turn 100 alongside neighbouring club Surfers Paradise which also marked its centenary recently.
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Originally published as Southport Surf Life Saving Club turns 100 with party and reflection from John Ogilvie
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