Nobbys Beach SLSC - History Claimed

Celebrating 70 years of surf lifesaving and community service

Nobbys Beach Surf Life Saving Club is this season (2024-25) celebrating 70 years of service to beachgoers, visitors and our local community.

This UnReal website is geo-located on Nobbys Beach and offers our club members, supporters and visitors a window into the past 70 years of our teams safely patrolling Nobbys Beach. 

On this 70th anniversary, we invite you to take a look at some of the highlights of the past 70 years, in words and pictures. There is more storytelling and pictures to come, so check in to this site every now and then to see the latest additions.

We also invite you to submit any photos or stories you may have that can enrich this website and steadily build a more complete record of the life and times of Nobbys Beach SLSC.

HISTORY 

Ian Murphy has developed a hallowed history of the people involved in Nobbys SLSC since the late 1960s. It has been described as 'a masterful work of high literature'. Whatever that means.

A popular local school teacher at Miami High and a gifted wordsmith -- who tricked and cajoled his students to get their bronze medallions at Nobbys and then forced them to patrol, or risk getting C-grades -- 'Murph' managed to write all sorts of stories and anecdotes of enormous historical value for the rich and diverse Nobbys Beach Surf Life Saving pantheon. 

Unfortunately, Mr Murphy -- who is today better known as an adventurous world traveller, professor of ancient exotic cultures and boasting a renowned fluency in many foreign and, perhaps, alien languages (according to his struck-off Wikipedia profile) -- wrote these epic Nobbys stories in a broad variety of exotic languages, often on the same page. But rarely in the same direction. The Editor is still trying to decipher them. He has, however, learned to mind Mr Murphy's French.

Mr Murphy's voluminous story archive will steadily be added to this website over the next few months, as they are carefully deciphered. The Editor reported he has burnt out two AI systems in the process so far. 

All jokes aside, Murph's recollections about the people who built and developed the Nobbys club are priceless. Hilarious, heart-warming and sometimes tragic in parts. Here is a taste, with Part 1 describing how Murph came to join Nobbys as an extremely young patrolling member ... and there are more of his epic, rollicking recollections to come ...

[Please submit your images and recollections over time to help extend Nobbys' Beach SLSC history. Drop them in at the office. We will scan images and return them to you].  

The life and times of Nobbys SLSC, in Ian Murphy's own words ...

I joined the club on 20^th December 1965 as a Cadet member after Barry (Ian’s brother) and the bronze squad (9 in total) all failed their pool swim (400m in 8 minutes) at Burleigh Heads Pool under the instructor, John Charlton.

Barry simply remarked, “Can my little brother do my swim for me?” … to which John said, “Can he swim?”

After being called in by Barry from the beach, I completed the 400m in 6 minutes 30 seconds. And so started the beginning of my time at Nobbys – after permission was granted by Mum and Dad (who were holidaying at Miami Caravan Park), to join.

I remember going to the Club and walking in, only to be growled at and backed up by Laddie, the Club weekend dog, as I had not been officially introduced. So, after the careful smelling of my hand by Laddie, I was allowed to enter.

I gained my Bronze Medallion (R&R style with 6 members, Sylvester Brasch-style resuscitation, huge belt swims and marching with the reel – all positions had to be learnt) on February 2, 1967. This was after the first squad’s instructor, Andre Van Mugen, left the club – so I started again with Colin Cornelius (‘Corny’) and John Charlton – hence the length on getting the award.

I was Vice Captain of the club as a last year Junior – a 17-year-old. At the time I competed in Cadet and Junior beach sprints, flags, surf race and belt with mixed success at Branch – won the Cadet surf race in 3 minutes [something] in my first carnival – and State titles.

Held the positions of Vice Captain (twice), Club Captain (5 times), Chief Instructor (1), Gear Steward (1), Vice President (1), President (5), Registrar (1), Secretary (2), and Team Manager (11+) of the club along with being a Delegate to the South Coast Branch.

Gained Life Membership on July 30, 1975 and, at the South Coast Branch, held the positions of Club Delegate, Examiner, and District Supervisor (Broadbeach/Kurrawa).

Started recruiting members from Cavendish Road State High School as a 16-year-old Junior Captain, and then from Eastern Suburbs Rugby League Football Club, as a first year Senior Surf Lifesaving member, and finally from Miami High School as a PE teacher from 1976 [Murph only recently retired from teaching].

Trained and put though many Bronze and Surf Rescue Certificate groups over the seasons and welcomed the first all-female Bronze squad to gain their award in Australia. All girls had come through the Nipperette ranks of the club (also having represented Nobbys at State level).

The Club at first had male Nippers join in 1967, to start the movement, under the watchful eye of Dave Murray and others.

The first female Nipperettes started in 1969 – owing to the sisters of male nippers wanting to learn to be surf life savers too.

As well as competing for the Club, I became involved in competing and coaching in R&R events, winning minor places in Senior R&R at Branch level.

Also coached the first-ever all girls Cadet/Under 15 R&R team in Australia – all from Miami State High School – with results 2^nd in the Branch, 2^nd in the State, and 9^th in Australia at Clifton Beach Tasmania (The first carnival was Branch with a 2^nd place). This great team was Megan Phillips, Sharon Schmidt, Cindy Ivan, Vanessa Bull, and Karen Fisher.

In 1969 the Club survived on 15 members, with 11 regulars during the entire season patrolling.

The Club saw many transformations [in this era] with the clubhouse, bunkroom (36 bunks), change room with many lockers, recreation room with TV (which was turned into a caretakers room), kitchen downstairs and large eating area, outside FA room, large overhead walkway leading out to the top of the boatshed, boatshed with equipment etc [searches in this era were often conducted by surfboat], courtyard (grass patch in corner and concrete), to now upstairs Supporters Club (licenced bar, gaming room and downstairs as today).

In the early days, all members travelled from Brisbane either on Friday nights or Saturday mornings.

Patrols started 1^st October through to the Easter weekend.     More of Murph to come …..