Blue Plaque to honour Bondi Surf Bathers Life Saving Club
The Bondi Surf Bathers Life Saving Club, born on one of Australia’s best-known and iconic beaches, will be honoured with a Blue Plaque, to celebrate the legacy of the nation’s first-recorded lifesaving club.
The Club was established in February 1907 after founding members recognised sea bathing was a danger to those unused to swimming at Sydney’s beaches. Its central aim was ‘the rescue of the distressed’.
Club members performed 34 rescues in their first year of operation, helping to inspire the creation of many similar surf lifesaving clubs at beaches across Australia.
After more than 100 years, the Bondi Surf Bathers Life Saving Club remains in operation, rescuing more than 12,000 swimmers and surfers every year. Its club house is full of history, including a Hall of Champions.
This Blue Plaque is one of 14 which have been selected in the second round of the NSW Government’s Blue Plaques NSW program. It was chosen from 117 nominations made by the public and assessed by independent historians. The new plaques will be installed in coming months, joining the 35 already in place.
Heritage NSW is working to finalise the plaque’s location and once installed it will be listed on the Blue Plaques NSW website.
Blue Plaques NSW celebrates well-known characters many of us are familiar with, but also brings attention to lesser-known stories of people and events that shaped a particular community, town, or field of work or study.
Quotes attributable to Minister for Heritage Penny Sharpe:
“These Blue Plaques recognise the diverse individuals, events and perspectives that make the history of NSW so intriguing.
“Whether you’re exploring Sydney neighbourhoods such as Bondi or taking a drive off the beaten track to regional towns like Grafton and Pambula, there’s a Blue Plaque for you to discover.
“The installation of each new plaque brings added interest to the heritage of an area, encouraging locals to explore their backyards, and inviting those from further afield to learn more about the history of these communities.”
Quotes attributable to Member for Coogee Marjorie O'Neill:
“This Blue Plaque doesn't just mark history; it salutes the pioneers of the Bondi Surf Bathers Life Saving Club who made beach recreation safer for everyone.
“Beyond the sand, the bathers and the reel, this association has served to establish a long-standing tradition of service to others.”
Quotes attributable to Waverley Mayor Paula Masselos:
“From the first rescue in 1907 to the thousands saved each year, the Bondi Surf Bathers Life Saving Club is not just a chapter; it's a living testament to the guardianship woven into the very fabric of our coastal identity.
“The club house is an important part of the architectural history of Bondi, echoing the building style of the Bondi Pavilion.
“This Blue Plaque will encourage residents to delve into their local history and invite visitors to discover the richness of our community including the history of surf life saving in Bondi.”
Full list of round two Blue Plaques
| Subject | Recognition | Location |
|---|---|---|
| Kathleen Butler | A woman without formal engineering qualifications who had a central role in the development of the Sydney Harbour Bridge. | Sydney CBD |
| Emma Jane Callaghan | Aboriginal midwife, activist, nurse, and Indigenous Culture Recorder. | Phillip Bay, Sydney |
| Susan Katherina Schardt | Born blind, Schardt established the Commonwealth Home for Destitute Invalids, now known as Royal Rehab. | Ryde |
| Dorothy Simpson McGregor Drain | One of the first Australian female war correspondents, who reported on the Korean and Vietnam Wars. She was also a poet, columnist, and Editor of the Australian Women’s Weekly. | Glebe |
| Establishment of the first recorded life savers club | Founded in February 1907, the Bondi Surf Life Saving Club was the first recorded Surf Lifesaving Club in Australia. | Bondi |
| Sir William Dobell | A portrait and landscape artist and three-time winner of the Archibald Prize. | Wangi Wangi |
| Syms Covington | A cabin boy on the HMS Beagle who became assistant to Charles Darwin. Syms later worked as a businessman and postmaster in Pambula. | Pambula |
| Charmian Clift | A prolific writer and essayist. | Kiama |
| Pearl Mary Gibbs | A prominent female activist in the Aboriginal rights movement, Gibbs was heavily involved in the development of the Day of Mourning and the establishment of the Aboriginal Tent Embassy. | Sydney CBD |
| Ioannis (Jack) and Antonios (Tony) Notaras | Greek immigrant businessmen known for establishing Grafton’s still-thriving Saraton Theatre. | Grafton |
| Beryl Mary McLaughlin | One of the first three women graduates of the University of Sydney’s Faculty of Architecture. | Wentworth Falls |
| Ken Thomas | Trucker and entrepreneur known for establishing the TNT transport empire and for his contributions to road safety. | Murrumburrah |
| Grace Emily Munro | Co-founder and first president of the Country Women’s Association. | Bingara |
| First release of myxomatosis | The CSIRO released myxomatosis in Balldale in 1950, to combat a severe rabbit problem. It was the world’s first successful biological program for control of a mammalian pest. | Balldale |