Life saver Rob a dedicated volunteer

ROB O’Neill started his life saving journey as a nipper at Anglesea in 1973 and he is still going strong as an active volunteer almost 50 years later.

The former Anglesea Surf Life Saving Club member is now treasurer at Inverloch SLSC where he is held in high regard as one of their most valued and versatile members.

His efforts and dedication are being celebrated by Life Saving Victoria who has recognised and thanked some of its standout volunteers as part of National Volunteer Week.

Rob has many fond memories of his time on the Surf Coast where his love for surf life saving was nurtured.

“My folks had a beach house at Anglesea when I was growing up,” he recalls.

“We spent all our summers and weekends there.

“My dad played golf, my big sister rode horses and mum wanted to stay home for some peace and quiet, so dad took me down to nippers to make some new friends.”

What began as a tactic to keep young Rob entertained quickly became his passion and over the years he tried as many surf sports as he could from surf boats to boards and ski paddling.

“When IRBs were introduced in the 1980s, I knew I’d found my niche,” he recalls.

“I obtained my IRB crew certificate then my driver’s certificate once I turned 17.

“By the time I was 22 years old, I was the 55th examiner in Victoria for all things ‘rubber duckies’.

“We even had a crack at racing when Zodiacs, which are the Clydesdales of IRBs, were the only boats you could get.

“The motor was what now seems like a relic from the 1960s. They weighed a tonne, but we thought they were awesome!”

 

Rob made the move to Inverloch in 2008 where a new chapter of his life saving career began and his children were introduced to the life saving movement.

“Basically, I didn’t give my kids a choice. I told them, if you want to go to the beach, you need to become life savers,” he said.

“There’s an old saying, one in all in and life saving is that kind of thing.

“My daughter is a university student and works as a lifeguard at our local pool and my son takes the lead on water safety for his senior school aquatic activities because he is a life saver too.

“Years ago, my son even convinced my wife to bake cupcakes to sell after nippers so we could raise money to buy more nipper boards.

“Although, I suspect he may have just wanted the cupcakes.”

As a life member, Rob has been on Inverloch’s committee as treasurer for many years and is also currently an assessor, trainer, patrolling member, inflatable rescue boat (IRB) and all-terrain vehicle driver, age manager, barman, cleaner and is always there to lend a helping hand around the club.

He says his favourite thing about life saving is how many aspects of it cross over into everyday life, such as the skills he has learned that can be called on at any time in places you would least expect.

“As treasurer, I get to see just how much it takes to run a club for a summer,” Rob says.

“If it weren’t for the volunteers taking the bulk of the financial strain and workload off the club, I doubt there would be even half the number of clubs we have in Victoria today.”