Lifesavers swap rivers for oceans

LIFESAVERS from flood-ravaged Mildura are on their way to Ocean Grove and the Surf Coast this summer while their river beaches and clubhouse are under water.

A link between the Murray River lifesavers and Ocean Grove Surf Lifesaving Club will see members of Mildura Lifesaving Club redeployed at the Victoria’s south coast as the region’s beaches begin filling up for summer.

An eight-strong Mildura cohort had travelled to the Bellarine for two days of training in surf conditions with OGSLSC’s inflatable rescue boat (IRB) coaches in recent weeks to learn new skillsets.

The upskill days were before the recent flooding events across Victoria, which has seen water flow downstream to leave the riverside clubhouse inundated, likely for an extended period.

With the Mildura club facing the prospect of its lifesaving patch being off limits to swimmers for much of this season, OGSLSC member Katrina Antony said the local club was looking forward to welcoming the northern volunteers and strengthening the clubs’ relationship.

“Now with the floods, Mildura will not be able to patrol this season. Their club is completely cut off now.

“We’re hoping the club can come down here to Ocean Grove. I also understand that members will travel to Torquay and Port Campbell.

“Mildura are building relationships with quite a few clubs in the area so they can keep their members engaged, keep patrolling and keep their skills up while they can’t patrol up on the river.

“We’ll wait and see how many come down in the January-February period, but obviously it’s a fair way for them to travel.”

Antony said the relationship had mutually benefits for the two clubs, with the Mildura lifesavers able to share their knowledge about river conditions such as undercurrents as a trade for local expertise about ocean rips.

Recent years’ engagement between the clubs has involved training and assessment at Mildura from Ocean Grove IRB coaches, ahead of the river club’s a planned foray into IRB competitions next year.