Cairns Surf Life Saving Club celebrates “flush” new facilities
One of Queensland’s oldest Surf Life Saving Clubs is celebrating a major upgrade to its facilities with a new accessible toilet and shower block.
Cairns Surf Life Saving Club’s new amenities replace an old demountable that had perished.
“We had a temporary donga that was well and truly past it’s used by date by ten years,” explains Cairns Surf Life Saving Club Treasurer Brian Heggie.
“It was not functioning at all, which was discouraging kids from coming to training because they couldn’t have a shower or go to the bathroom.”
Club President, Anthony Hannon, is hopeful the new amenities block will not only support their current volunteers but help attract new members.
“Being a surf life saving club in regional Queensland, we do struggle with our membership. Having new amenities like this will enable us to attract new members and keep those new members,” said Hannon.
Cairns Surf Life Saving Club life member and Chief Trainer, Annabel Grant, says the new toilet block would not have been possible without $350,000 from the Queensland Government’s Minor Infrastructure and Inclusive Facilities Fund.
“In a small, regional club there is no way we could ever raise that sort of money to put up these facilities. So these grants are really important,” says Grant.
“We do a lot of training outside of normal club hours, so it increases the safety of our members and our female members.”
Volunteers from the 101-year-old club patrol Palm Cove every weekend and public holiday from April to November.
The Far North Queensland club promotes water safety and facilitates community surf sports in the region.
While playing a vital role in keeping the community safe in the water, Cairns Surf Life Saving Club is instrumental in bringing together the regional city and making its members feel like they belong.
“This club has a fantastic feeling about it. We’re all one big happy family. We all work together, we play together, we have a lot of fun together, and we celebrate all the milestones together,” says President Anthony Hannon.
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