The Bondi Surf Bathers' Life Saving Club is Australia's oldest Surf Life Saving Club, founded in 1907. The club was officially established on 21 February 1907 at the Royal Hotel in Bondi Beach, Sydney, New South Wales. The clubs aim is to ensure "No Lives Lost" at Bondi Beach and is a volunteer organisation that patrols Bondi Beach from October to April every year.
History
On 13 November 1902, two policemen attended Bondi and started taking names of those dressed in ‘small trunks’. The Rector of St Mary's, Waverley, and a Mr Frank McElhone, were apprehended by the police for bathing outside the permitted hours . This article notes people had been bathing for ’20 years’. The Inspector General of Police said “So long as bathers wear suitable costumes, and public decency is not outraged, I am unable to see that a practice permitted for so many years should be stopped. Indeed, I do not suppose that the magistrates would inflict penalties for any breach of the Act under the circumstances. Unless, therefore, I receive instructions from the Government to the contrary I do not see my way to take action beyond instructing the police that decency is to be observed.”
As the laws were relaxed, more and more people chose to swim in the ocean, and it became obvious that they needed to be protected from the strong currents and rips. Between November 1902 and February 1907, at many Sydney beaches, a number of groups started with a view to protecting beachgoers.
By January 1907, Bondi lifesavers were making rescues such as the one on 2 January 1907 of Chas Smith and another 9-year-old boy. Later this would become the myth that Chas became Charles Kingsford Smith – it is true he was about that age and based in Sydney in 1907, but there is no other proof that this is true.
Both Manly Surf Club and Bronte Surf Lifesaving Club also make claim to be the ‘first life saving club’, but there are no primary sources for these claims. Bronte's claim is based on an affidavit made in 1931 that they were first, and some meeting minutes in 1907 which stated that it was the 4th AGM – but there are no documents to verify either of these. This may be due to confusion as the Bronte Surf Bathing Association President sent a letter to the Sydney Morning Herald on 8 May 1907 saying “this association has lately formed, or is now forming, a brigade consisting of strong surf swimmers, and known as the Bronte Surf Life Brigade.” and a second article the same day in the Evening News states “The Bronte Surf -Bathing Association is about to establish a life-saving brigade.” This “Bronte Surf Brigade” later became Bronte SLSC.
SLSA historians reviewed all claims in 2005 and stated they recognise Bondi as the first surf life saving club. They stated “A hardly perennial in surf lifesaving history is the question of the first surf club — Bondi or Bronte. As this study has shown, the first group of organised lifesavers formed on Manly Beach in 1899. While moves on Bondi, Bronte and Manly in early 1907 saw the organisation of irregulars, it was the surf bathers of Bondi who first organised themselves as a formal club in February 1907."
Until that time Bondi believed for 50 or more years that it had formed in February 1906 – hence you will find many images of “established 1906” and references to February 1906 in incorrect histories. Based on the research, Bondi resolved in 2006 to change all foundation dates to recognise the accurate information.
Bondi Surf Bathers Life Saving Club was formed at a meeting at the Royal Hotel, Bondi Junction, on 21 February 1907.
This was documented in formal Minutes of the meeting (copy held at Waverley Library) and a letter from the library confirming receipt at the time.
The club then hosted some displays in March 1907. Bondi Life Savers were in full action by the time of this “Plucky rescue” in September 1907 and had saved 34 people over the first full season.