Wave of pride: Point Lonsdale SLSC celebrates new clubhouse

VOLUNTEER lifesavers at Point Lonsdale Surf Life Saving Club now have more space for training and summer patrol activities, with the doors to their new main clubhouse officially open.

The club took possession of the $5.8 million facility in Ocean Road in June but COVID-19 delays meant they had to postpone celebrating the occasion, which drew a crowd of about 150 people, until Saturday.

The two-storey facility replaces the former clubhouse building and will cater for increased training and education programs as well as providing fit-for-purpose amenities for the club and public.

Funding for the redevelopment of the clubhouse was supported by a $2.25 million contribution from Point Lonsdale SLSC, donations from the community, $2.2 million from the state government and $1.25 million from the federal government.

Guests at the opening included Point Lonsdale SLSC president Charlie Pitney, Life Saving Victoria president Paul James, Bellarine MP Lisa Neville, Victorian Liberal Senator Sarah Henderson, Corangamite Labor member Libby Coker, City of Greater Geelong mayor and Liberal candidate for Corangamite Stephanie Asher, and Borough of Queenscliffe mayor Ross Ebbels.

“It’s been great to finally get the building open – it’s been something that throughout COVID we’ve been hopeful of doing a couple of times, but it’s been unfortunately delayed – but now, just in time for the season, it’s great to have it done,” Mr Pitney said.

“Over the past few months, our office staff have progressively moved in, and we have a new full-time venue manager focused on the hospitality side of what the club has to offer, and we see that as a great fundraising opportunity for us.”

He said the club started beach patrols three weeks ago and training operations were rapidly ramping up, with 71 Bronze Medallion trainees starting on the weekend, Nippers to begin in the next few weeks, and Surf Rescue Certificate training for 13-15 year olds to start after Christmas.

As well as the new revamped clubhouse at Point Lonsdale, the club runs patrols from the Queenscliff beach base and the Point Lonsdale back
beach base.

Ms Neville said Point Lonsdale SLSC’s new main clubhouse would ensure lifeguards and lifesavers could continue to patrol beaches over summer and keep beachgoers safe well into the future.

“We are making sure our lifesaving clubs have the facilities and the equipment they need so that everyone can safely enjoy our beaches and waterways,” she said.

“I’m thrilled that the Point Lonsdale Surf Life Saving Club will now have the dedicated spaces and resources it needs to continue saving lives on the region’s iconic beaches.”

The Victorian Labor Government is also contributing $2.5 million to the Point Lonsdale back beach base redevelopment as part of the Victorian Budget 2021-22.

Key features of the upgraded base will include disability access, improved positioning of the communications and observation room, and storage for rescue watercraft and lifesaving equipment.