CCNC

A brief history of Scarborough Wombarra Surf Life Saving Club.

It is uncertain when Scarborough Wombarra Surf Club was first established. Past and current signage around the Club indicates 1913. The first records of Bronze Medallions being awarded were in the 1930/1931 season. Family names familiar to the area are prominently featured among early award holders.

It is interesting to note that Scarborough Wombarra's cap colours are bottle green and two gold stripes. These colours have been shared with neighboring Coledale Surf Club from time to time, possibility at times when Scarborough Wombarra was not operating as a Club (called being in recess). Records of Surf Life Saving NSW show that the Club operated until 1956 and reopened in 1979 although trophies in the Club house indicate activities were taking place in the 1960's possibility on an unofficial basis. Regrettably records of the Club from this period are scarce.

The Club was reestablished in 1979 with the building of the first stage of the new brick Club house which consisted of what is now the gear area, public toilets and lifeguards office. The second stage, which is the function area, followed a few years later. The Club was incorporate as an association in 1993 and is affiliated with Surf Life Saving Illawarra and Surf Life Saving NSW.

The Clubs' area of patrol responsibility was initially the beach in front of the Clubhouse but was extended to include the rock pool at Wombarra beach when Inflatable Rescue Boats (IRBs) entered rescue service with the Club in the early 1980s.

As with other Clubs in the Illawarra area Scarborough Wombarra provides a beach patrol service to the community along with the Wollongong City Council Lifeguards. The Lifeguards patrol the beach Monday to Saturday, the Surf Club Patrols Sundays and Public Holiday during the period from September school holidays until either Easter or end of April school holidays depending on when Easter falls. A notable exception to this was the Sydney Olympics in 2000 when patrols started in the first week in September and ran through until ANZAC day.

As well as patrolling Scarborough Wombarra also runs a nippers programme for younger members to learn surf skills on a Sunday morning. Activities include beach flags, beach sprint, surf swimming and board paddling. Nippers have represented the Club at Illawarra championship events over the years and we have a number of members who have won medals (including gold) at the main Illawarra carnival held in February each year.

The senior members of the Club have also taken part in carnival activities over the years. The Club specialties have been Surf Board riding and IRB Rescue Racing. In both disciplines the Club has been represented at Branch, State and Australian level with considerable success in board riding at all levels and success in IRB racing (including gold medals) during the 1990s.

The Club has three current life members. These life memberships were variously awarded in 1990 and 2006.

(From David Denton 1 August 2008)