Brilliant Beaches, Bright Futures at Sunshine Beach Surf Club
Melanie Rosettenstein captures the spirit of Sunshine Beach Surf Club, where surf, service and community come together to shape the next generation.
Blending two vital elements, the Surf Club and the Lifesaving Service, Australia’s Surf Lifesaving Clubs are cornerstones of our coastal culture, community spirit, and volunteerism.
These clubs not only fund the important lifesaving operations that keep our beaches safe, but they also offer lesser-known benefits like employment opportunities, something that’s thriving at Sunshine Beach Surf Club.
The Club formed in 1979 when Noosa lifeguards and residents came together to form a surf club at Sunshine Beach after local Marjorie Tripp penned a letter to the local paper. That created a ripple effect that culminated in the allocation of a site at Ed Webb Park in 1981 with the first patrols taking place later that year.
Fast forward more than four decades and the Sunshine Beach Surf Club, which is perched right on the sand, is the heartbeat of the local community with every dollar spent at the Surf Club, whether at the bar, bistro, gaming room or a function, going back to fund lifesaving services.
“These funds pay for essential lifesaving equipment, training and operations,” says Sunshine Beach Surf Lifesaving Club General Manager Julie Strudwick. “Without this income we couldn’t maintain the high standard of lifesaving services we provide at Sunshine Beach, one of the more dangerous beaches with strong rips and open surf.”
Perched in the sand with the best ocean views in southeast Queensland (well we think so), the Surf Club is a hub for proud locals, a warm, welcoming space for visitors, and a place where a sense of community is thriving through lifesaving programs, events, intergenerational community gatherings and youth development.
“This is a culture that instils values like teamwork, resilience and service,” Julie says. “In many ways, it’s like a social anchor where people feel connected to each other in a place they call home.”
Amplifying the experience further, the Sunshine Beach Surf Club is also a place where the groundwork for an exciting future is laid for younger members of the community, through providing a supportive space where they can access valuable employment opportunities and excel in elite competitions such as Ironman.
“And Nippers is where it all begins,” says Julie.
Over the years the club has been the starting wave for some exceptional talent such as Max Pettigrove, a history-maker in the original Coolangatta Gold Ironman event, and more recently, rising star Electra Outram who finished in fourth place in this year’s Australian Ironwoman Series.
“Many of the young people involved in surf lifesaving go on to build broader life skills through the opportunities that grow from it,” she said. “Around 70% of our hospitality staff at the Sunshine Beach Surf Club are university students, most of whom started in the Nippers program.”
The club’s Beach to Bar program enables the youth to not only patrol, volunteer, train and compete on the Beach but to also develop business skills, many starting from the age of 14 and staying at the club all the way through university.
Take Dylan Wilson who joined Nippers at the age of six, competed in his first Ironman at the age of 11 and placed second in last year’s Ironman World Championships at the age of 17.
He also works behind the bar while training for future races.
Cheyenne Dau Paull, Sarah Maxwell, and others also juggle volunteer lifesaving with part-time work to support their studies. As Julie explains, hospitality offers students valuable people skills and real-world experience, helping them step into adulthood and their chosen careers with confidence and ambition.
And while the beaches and youngsters are certainly in good hands, the Sunshine Beach Surf Club will continue evolving.
“Though our new building opened in 2021 with internal upgrades last year, we’re always looking for ways to keep our club resilient and future-focussed,” Julie said. “This will always be a training ground for our kids and members whether it’s on the beach or in the bar.
“With the 2032 Olympics coming we’d love to see surf lifesaving and maybe even some of our homegrown athletes
on the world stage.”
So next time you’re enjoying a delicious meal and a glass of wine with a view of the whales or attending a wedding at the club, know that you’re helping to keep Sunshine Beach safe and paving the way for happy, healthy adults and a thriving community.
