As we draw near to the close of the 2022/23 season, I’ve been reflecting on all the amazing achievements in all sections of the club, I have no doubt this will continue through till the end of April.
Firstly, I’d like to thank the entire Junior Development Committee, water safety, age managers and everyone who assisted the club in making sure nippers was able to run successfully each week. Organising and running these activities is an extremely busy and at times a challenging task, especially when the weather and surf isn’t necessarily on our side. For our nippers, well done to you all. For some, this was your first year, whilst others move to the senior section of the club, I hope you’ve all had an amazing time, I’ve received a great deal of positive feedback about how far everyone has come throughout the season, you all should be very proud of what you’ve achieved and we’re looking forward to seeing you all during the off season, as well as the 2023/24 season.
We had some incredible results in all categories and disciplines at the Surf Life Saving New South Wales Championships. Whether you were a medalist, or entered an event you should all be very proud of being a part of this competition, you’ve contributed to the clubs overall point score, and most importantly enjoyed the experience. For those who will be travelling to the west to compete at Aussies, I wish you all the best and hope you have an excellent time.
I’d also like to commend those who’ve undertaken an education award, we’ve had many recently complete their Bronze Medallion, or one of our advanced awards, this not only assists with self- development, but also strengthens Elouera’s patrolling capabilities. We’ll also be continuing to run many courses towards the end, as well as during the off season. Please don’t hesitate to contact Elouera’s Director of Education Steve Urquhart education@elouera.com if you are interested in finding out more information about the courses offered.
Our patrols have continued to have some very busy and challenging days whilst patrolling. On behalf Elouera’s Board of Management I’d like thank you all for your continued commitment to ensuring the communities safety whilst they enjoy the beach.
Earlier this month I had the opportunity of attending the launch of Elouera’s new surf boat, Charlotte Breen XII, as well as Elouera’s sponsors breakfast. I’d like to once again thank our sponsors for contributing to this great club of ours, without our sponsors assistance the club would be a very different space. Please familiarise yourself with our sponsors and support these businesses as they support our club.
Keep up the great work,
Cameron Simpson
President
On Sunday 19 March, we had our first Pink Patrol.
Attended by 56 patrolling females and 20 women who joined together to celebrate women in Surf Life Saving. The day was a smashing success.
Our patrol was opened with a warm Welcome to Country by local Kurranulla Elder Aunty Deanna. There were demonstrations from Ally and the Power Girls in boat rowing, Sophie and Kaitlin in the IRB, Yasmin using the drone, Nixy on the jet ski just to name a few. It was so good to see such a large variety of age groups on the beach listening to talks about the various pathways and opportunities that can be pursued in Surf Life Saving.
Members of Parliament, The Hon. Mark Speakman, SC MP, Member for Miranda Eleni Petinos MP, Sutherland Shire Council Mayor, Councillor Carmelo Pesci and Deputy Mayor Councillor Carol Provan were also in attendance and were blown away by the demonstrations and skills of all involved.
The event concluded with a lunch in the Washington Lounge with guest speaker Lizzie Welborn, who spoke about her pathway through Surf Life Saving and the challenges she faced as a youth and how she has now incorporated these experiences into being a professional athlete and studying at university.
A very big thanks to our major sponsors Crux Surveying and Matt Callaghan Property and our supporters Mr. Paisley's Cafe, Dandelion Bespoke Floral Boutique, More Than Meat, Kookies by Kiara Betty's Burgers and Crumble Cakes. Our day was an amazing success due to their generosity.
Finally, a big thank you to Alyson Scott, Laura Thurtell, Kiera Summers and Fran Hannan for organising the event.
Look out 2024!
On Sunday 5th March we held our Sponsors breakfast in the Washington Lounge.
Overlooking the beach, our sponsors watched our nippers and Patrol in action.
Scott Thomas, Deputy Chair of the JDC, talked about the critical role sponsorship funding plays and provided an example of a recent lifesaving rescue off the beach and the significance of training and education that helped saved a life.
Fran Hannan, Director of Marketing, introduced the Sponsorship and Marketing committee and emphasised the importance of working to strengthen sponsor partnerships.
By hosting the function on Sunday morning, we were able to showcase the impact of sponsor contributions and there were plenty of discussions on new initiatives for the next season.
We value the contribution and support that our sponsors provide to us throughout the season and we look forward to working with them again in 2023/2024.
The Elouera Board of Management is pleased to announce that a new Inclusiveness Committee has been formed to focus on activities to build on its family-friendly culture, and help ensure that everyone who wants to join in feels warmly welcomed, regardless of age, gender, sexual orientation, race, religion, cultural background or ability.
Everyone deserves a club where they feel respected, can be their best and pursue their dreams, whatever they may be, from surf sports and rescue, to first aid, to management and leadership. Pink Patrol, Yellow Fins and Silver Salties are great examples of what we together can do - a real celebration of the talent in our club.
The Committee includes club members from diverse backgrounds and is led by Barbara Curtis, our new Deputy President.
Look out for a short survey for members in coming days by email and on Facebook - the Committee would love your feedback to help guide the Inclusiveness Strategy, goals and activities. We will send out regular updates going forward.
The Board of Management will aim to support inclusiveness initiatives with enhancements to governance processes, including complaints handling.
Any questions, comments or ideas please send them to to president@elouera.com, deputypresident@elouera.com or administration@elouera.com.
The club has been recognised for the following mass rescue that took place last month in North Cronulla.
On 5 February around 3pm, the North Cronulla Patrol Captain spotted a large group of people in distress as they were swept off a bank on the edge of the northern patrol flag and initiated a Mass Rescue call to Surf Com.
Moments prior to the North Cronulla radio call Sydney Branch RWC Support Ski 1, Nicole 'Nixy' KRITE observed the situation unfolding and expedited to the scene. Nicole quickly assessed the scene and determined a 47-year-old male was in desperate need of assistance as he was unconscious and not breathing face down in the water.
The RWC already had several other members of the public on the rescue sled as the unconscious male was being retrieved by Nicole who was able to make 1 radio call to surf com that a male patient was unconscious and not breathing.
The Elouera IRB expedited to the scene and the unconscious patient was transferred on the water to the IRB where he was returned to shore at Elouera. During the short distanced to the beach, CPR was commenced in the IRB. Once on the shore, under the direction of the Elouera Patrol Captain, Emily Zytaruk and with the assistance of Sutherland Shire Lifeguards Bede Elphick and Chris Iredale and IRB members Kirron Duncan and Brett Pritchard continued with emergency critical care for this most serious patient until the arrival of the NSW Ambulance.
There is no doubt that the quick response of Nicole on Support Ski 1 and the transfer of this patient to Elouera IRB Kirron and Brett and their immediate CPR first aid response whilst in transit, then supported by the Sutherland Shire Lifeguards Bede and Chris and the continued critical care saved this gentleman’s life.
This is an outstanding demonstration of collaboration between lifesaving services in Bate Bay and New South Wales.
After the transfer of this critical patient, more than 20 swimmers were rescued and taken to safety by Nicole on Support Ski 1 making multiple trips to the shore and returning to collect more patients requiring assistance.
The council jet ski operator who recently acquired his award also was pivotal in the rescue of swimmers and returning them to shore at North Cronulla with lifeguards on rescue boards recovering swimmers in difficulty.
Lifeguards rescued another 8 swimmers from the water with volunteers assisting all patients from the water onto the shore in the mass rescue operation. A total of 28 patients were rescued during this Mass Rescue operation.
After the rescues, Elouera and North Cronulla beaches were closed with the flags dropped whilst all patients were being attended to by Volunteers, Lifeguards and the NSW Ambulance.
An Elouera roving patrol assisted at North Cronulla maintaining a communications link to Surf Com and with the arrival of multiple NSW Ambulances to the scene. Three Sydney Branch RWC and the Council jet ski continued to patrol from North Cronulla to Wanda beaches and monitor the water conditions and remove swimmers from the water for the next 3 hours.
It was an example of the quick response, dedication and excellent collaboration of volunteers and lifeguards in Bate Bay working together during the mass rescue.
The program is designed to provide financial assistance for coaches, officials and competitors aged 12-18 participating in state, national or international championships.
Funding of between $500 and $750 for individual applicants is available, to contribute towards the cost of participation in the nominated championships:
Criteria applies.
It is important that you forward plan your application to allow notification and/or funding prior to your event, or you may not receive notification until after attendance at the championships, in which case the grant will be a reimbursement.
The application and guidelines can be accessed from the below website. We encourage you to read these before applying.
Please note: This is a personal application, therefore, should you have any questions about the Local Sporting Champions grants, please contact the funding body via this number or email.
4 April 2023
Ever wondered what is hidden in the depths or shores of our beautiful Bundeena?
Why not come and enjoy a walk and talk through Bundeena with Helen Vogt from Bundeena Historical Society, followed by lunch at Bundeena RSL.
22 April 2023
Get ready for an action-packed day of community spirit and fast flowing rugby as Souths Rugby Club hold another Surf Club Day at Forshaw Rugby Park on April 22nd, 2023.
This much anticipated event is back, and it's bigger and better than ever before.
Join Wanda, Elouera, North Cronulla, Cronulla, Garie, Burning Palms, and Era Surf Lifesaving Clubs as they come together with members and guests of the Souths Rugby Club for a day of fun, camaraderie, and shared values.
At Round 4 of the Shute Shield, Sydney's premier rugby competition, watch the nail-biting Harry Gibbons Cup match-up between Souths and the Warringah. With both teams fiercely competitive and looking to improve on their 2022 campaign, it's sure to be an unforgettable game.
But that's not all.
Nippers will be selling raffle tickets, and you can cheer them on as they race on the field at halftime. After the Harry Gibbons Cup, the North Cronulla Sea Lice Rugby Club will take to the field under lights to compete in the Harry Gibbons Plate against a local Subbies Rugby Team.
And as the sun sets, get ready to party with DJ OscPay spinning the latest beats until 7:30 pm, followed by the highly talented “The Special Guests” (That’s their name) who will keep you dancing and singing along until late.
What's more, you won't go hungry with our new kitchen featuring Mexican inspired meals as well as club classics on offer until late.
This event promises to be the ultimate celebration of community spirit and shared values. And best of all, entry is free (with ticket) for members of participating Surf Lifesaving Clubs.
So why not make a day of it?
Contact the Elouera Club Office to secure your free entry and join us for an unforgettable day of rugby, fun, and camaraderie.
Don't miss out!
Glenn Cairncross and Peter Metro ran another successful ART course this month. It was a bit of challenge as everyone had to have their HLTAID011 First Aid before they could do it! But I am super proud of the trainers and candidates who smashed it when assessed.
Brett Furniss and Anita Pryke of North Cronulla assessed the group and said it went like clockwork and they were well taught. Teamwork in assessment scenarios was fantastic! This is such an important award, and it was great to see so many young members involved.
Big congratulations to all that received the award – Leah Byrne, Kaitlyn and Paul Byrnes, Keira Collier, Beth Dearsley, Tim Grant, Mitchell Green, Chris Hall, Greg Hughes, Amelia Kirby, Josh Morton, Sophie O’Connor and Rebecca Thackray!
Steve Urquhart
Director of Education
The Washington lounge is a beautiful beachfront space to enjoy and celebrate with your family, friends, or colleagues.
Offering spectacular 180-degree uninterrupted views of the Pacific Ocean, make sure you book your next event at the Washington Lounge.
Our experienced Functions Manager will assist you every step of the way with plenty of helpful advice, vendor recommendations, and all the support you’ll need to make your event a special one.
For more information, call Nicole Burns our Functions Manager or email us.
Welcome to our new sponsor – Matt Callaghan Property.
Matt Callaghan Property is a boutique real estate agency servicing the Sutherland Shire.
They are keen advocates of the Shire and love engaging in the seaside lifestyle.
When the opportunity to support Elouera Surf Club became available, they were excited to jump on board!
As one of the major sponsors of this year’s Pink Patrol, it was important to jump onboard and back this worthwhile event that shows the many opportunities and pathways available to our women and girls in surf lifesaving.
To find out more about Matt Callaghan Property visit their website.
