South Curl Curl Surf Life Saving Club

Life Saving Club Founded: 11.2.1911

Affiliated: 30.09.1911

First Clubhouse Built: Mr. King built a rough shed on the hillside, which in 1909 he allowed the surf Club to use as the first Clubhouse. Mr. King repossessed the “clubhouse”, when members drifted away, and the club ceased to function. A new clubhouse was built when the Club was reformed in 1911.

How started: In 1907, a small group of young men came at weekends, calling themselves the Curl Curl Surf Brigade. Each weekend they came from Drummoyne and Glebe, pitched their “headquarters tent in the scrub-filled hills and made their plans to found a surf club. They built a small galvanized iron shed on the grass near where the pool is today and here they kept a reel and line. The first committee was formed in 1908.

Dublin born Balmain Resident John Flynn travelled by horse and dray most weekends since building a holiday shack in the early 1890’s and was duly elected the club’s first president. Once the Club became an established part of the community, more people began swimming at South Curl Curl. Among the few locals who became more interested in the Club’s activities, Mr.King built a rough shed on the hillside, which in 1909 he allowed the surf Club to use as the first Clubhouse.

A host of tales are told concerning the abandonment of the club, but it appears gambling by one official forced it to disband. Mr.King repossessed the “clubhouse”, members drifted away, and the club ceased to function.

The beach remained unguarded for nearly two years but a meeting in 1911 resulted in a new club being formed. During the ensuing season, a new clubhouse was built. It was small but neat, timber with an iron roof. There was every indication the club was on a firm footing, and it would affiliate with the now fully inaugurated Surf Life Saving Association.

World War 1 dealt the club another shattering blow, membership fell to three and the club again disbanded. All hopes of ever having a fully patrolled beach at Curl Curl faded with the marching of troops to other lands. After two attempts to establish asurf club and most of the men off at war, there seemed little likelihood a club would evolve.

Third Time Lucky

But after the war, there was some hope.

Early in the 1918-19 season, interest revived and with a small influx of new members the club was able to proceed again under Clive Backhouse’s presidency. A new clubhouse was built – slightly bigger than the previous one – about where the currentclub stands.

This was the beginning of South Curl Curl SLSC as we know it today.

How was the Club Formed: The Club was formed 3 times.

Formation Dates:

1907 – Curl Curl Surf Brigade. 1908 first Committee. 1911 – Reformed. Folded due to WWI

1918 – current Club formed

Affiliation Date:                   Unknown

Council Approval Date:    Unknown

Patrols Commenced:      1907

First Bronze Medallion – Squad – Date:

First Clubhouse Built:       1909

Subsequent Clubhouses: 1921 then 1937 (current Clubhouse)

Junior Activities/Nippers Formation Date: 1963

Club Historians:  Charles Kuhn and Kevin Moffatt

Has a History Book been written?  Yes – 1968, 1993 and 2018