Five members from Coogee SLSC have been recognised with National Medals, placing the historic beachside club among a select group of volunteers nationally acknowledged for long and sustained service in surf lifesaving roles across Australia.
The honours were awarded through Surf Life Saving Australia as part of the Australian honours system, which recognises volunteers who have completed a minimum of 15 years of eligible patrol service.
The Coogee SLSC recipients are Heather Hawkins, Doug Hawkins, Peter Hooker, Aonghus Murray and Melinda Toomey. Each member met strict service requirements based on verified patrol seasons and operational duties. The service reflects long-term involvement in surf lifesaving at Coogee Beach.
What The National Medal Represents
The National Medal is awarded for long and diligent service in roles involving risk to life and public safety. Within surf lifesaving, eligibility is measured through approved patrol records rather than overall membership length.
Service does not need to run continuously, but only recognised patrol seasons count toward qualification. Applications are assessed at club, state, and national levels. Final approval follows through the federal honours process to ensure a consistent national standard.
Coogee SLSC’s Longstanding Community Role
Founded in 1907, Coogee Surf Life Saving Club is one of Australia’s oldest surf lifesaving clubs. It is a foundation club of the national movement and helped shape early beach patrols and lifesaving practices in New South Wales.
Today, Coogee SLSC remains a major volunteer organisation. Hundreds of members support patrols each season, youth programs, training pathways, and community events at Coogee Beach.
Local Service Reflected In National Honours
The recognition of five Coogee members highlights the depth of long term service within the club and the commitment required to maintain beach safety year after year. Their awards reflect years of early mornings, weekend patrols and public holiday shifts focused on protecting swimmers and beachgoers.
Three dedicated volunteers from Coogee Surf Life Saving Club are among 107 surf lifesavers from across the country recognised in Surf Life Saving Australia’s (SLSA) National Medal Batch 53 — a significant acknowledgement of long and diligent service within the organisation.
Altin Bunaj, Scott Parker, and Clive Stiff, all members of Coogee Surf Life Saving Club in New South Wales, were awarded National Medals for their ongoing commitment to keeping their local beach and community safe. The award, part of the Australian honours system, celebrates individuals who have risked their safety in emergencies and natural disasters over a sustained period.
This year’s batch includes 95 recipients of the National Medal for 15 years of service and 11 recipients of the 1st Clasp for 25 years. A special mention was also given to Stephen Leahy OAM of Fingal Beach SLSC, who received the 2nd Clasp for an extraordinary 35 years of dedicated service.
Photo credit: GetUsThereAlready/Google Maps
SLSA President John Baker AM ESM praised all recipients, saying:
“On behalf of Surf Life Saving Australia, I would like to congratulate the 107 surf lifesavers who have been honoured with National Medals for outstanding service. Each recipient should be very proud of the incredible impact they have made on the lives of many, through their long-standing commitment to keeping our coastlines and communities safe.”
The National Medal, first established in 1975, acknowledges service by those in roles that carry potential risk and who protect life and property in times of crisis. SLSA encourages eligible members to apply through the SLS Members Area. To see the full list of awardees this year, visit Surf Life Saving Australia’s website.
Significant clubhouse improvements are planned for Coogee Surf Life Saving Club, funded by a $900,000 grant from a recently announced $5.4 million state initiative to upgrade facilities at 38 surf clubs across NSW.
The funds come from the state government’s 2024/25 Surf Club Facility Programme, designed to support essential community hubs along the coast. Minister for Sport Steve Kamper and Minister for Emergency Services Jihad Dib joined Surf Life Saving NSW officials and volunteers at Coogee Surf Life Saving Club to announce the successful grant recipients from this latest round.
This investment is part of a larger four-year, $16 million commitment from the NSW Government to support the state’s surf clubs.
The programme provides money to Surf Lifesaving Clubs to upgrade, restore, or construct their facilities. The main goals are to keep these buildings modern and accessible for everyone in the community.
Special consideration was given to projects encouraging more participation from women and girls, people with disability, First Nations peoples, people from culturally diverse backgrounds, and LGBTQIA+ individuals. Better facilities also help surf lifesavers perform their vital role in protecting people visiting the beaches.
Coogee Club Upgrades
Coogee Surf Life Saving Club’s $900,000 grant is earmarked for a major refurbishment of the clubhouse’s ground floor. This work will involve upgrading essential amenities, improving changerooms, and enhancing the club’s training room, ensuring better facilities for volunteers and the public.
While Coogee Surf Life Saving Club received a significant share, 38 clubs across NSW benefited from grants of up to $1 million each in this round. Other major projects funded include Maroubra Surf Life Saving Club, which received $940,000 for redevelopment works, including a new lift, updated changerooms, more storage space, and fire safety improvements.
Further north, Bilgola Surf Life Saving Club was granted $312,370 for bathroom upgrades and an outdoor pergola, while Austinmer Surf Life Saving Club received $282,900 to improve its bathrooms and showers. The NSW Office of Sport website has a complete list of recipients.
Supporting Volunteers and Safety
Minister for Sport Steve Kamper stated that the past summer again showed the vital job surf lifesavers do in protecting swimmers and keeping people safe along the NSW coast. He added that the $5.4 million in funding will ensure surf clubs remain modern and accessible so volunteers can continue their invaluable work.
Minister for Emergency Services Jihad Dib noted that the familiar red and yellow flags are a welcome sight on beaches and that lifesavers performed over 2,400 rescues this past summer. He explained that investing in modern facilities supports the volunteers who make beaches safer and that improving access helps ensure more people from the diverse communities they serve can enjoy the coastline safely.
Surf Life Saving NSW President Peter Agnew appreciated the state government’s direct support for the crucial contribution made by volunteer lifesavers and their clubs. He remarked that the organisation’s growing membership, now over 80,000 lifesavers and Nippers, deserves safe, secure, and accessible facilities. Mr Agnew concluded that this programme allows members doing important volunteer work to better focus on saving lives.
Did you know that Norman Hill, the Coogee Surf Life Saving Club’s most enduring member and oldest club captain, undertook 36 daring missions across Europe during World War II, embodying an ANZAC legacy that marks a significant chapter in the storied history of the suburb?
The Coogee Surf Life Saving Club has a long and proud history, dating back to its establishment in 1907. Many young club members bravely answered the call to serve their country during World War I and II.
Norman Hill was just one of the many young men who left the peaceful shores of Coogee to fight for freedom in the challenging and dangerous conditions of the European and Pacific battlefields. Despite their difficulties, the community remained proud of their sons’ courage and sacrifice.
Mr. Hill, who was lovingly called “Nob” by his peers, was not only a member of the Coogee Surf Life Saving Club but also a symbol of resilience, bravery, and resourcefulness.
Nob was born and raised in Coogee, a close-knit community where he grew up around the surf club. As a teenager, he embodied the Australian values of camaraderie and adventure.
However, with the looming threat of war, Nob shifted from the waves to the battlefield. Initially, he was rejected when he tried to enlist as an apprentice fitter and turner, as he was deemed essential to the homefront.
During WWII, key industries were exempt from conscription to keep operating effectively. “Apprentice fitter and turner” was a crucial mechanical trade, fabricating and repairing military and civilian equipment. The government protected Nob’s skills to balance military and industrial needs. However, the call to serve his country was too strong to ignore.
Nob changed his surname to pose as a dairy farmer to help the war effort. When caught, a recruitment officer gave him a choice. Nob chose to abandon his old life and become a serviceman.
After receiving military training as a wireless air gunner, Nob was sent on various European missions. He was assigned to the Lancaster aircraft and served in 36 missions crucial to the Allied war effort. These missions were dangerous and tested his character in the crucible of war. Despite being far from the familiar settings of his hometown Coogee, Nob persevered and proved himself as a skilled and dedicated defender of his homeland.
After returning to Coogee following the war, Nob had been changed by his experiences, yet his fundamental principles remained intact. Upon rejoining the surf club, he found familiar faces in his friends and fellow servicemen. They shared a deep understanding of sacrifice and survival, as many had served in the conflict alongside Nob. This brotherhood of surf lifesavers carried the weight of their experiences, each looking to rebuild their lives in the hard-won peace.
Nob’s contributions to Coogee Surf Life Saving Club went beyond membership. He became a pivotal figure in the club’s evolution, embodying the spirit of service.
During his leadership, the club paid tribute to the memory of those who had served and focused on the future by supporting innovation and community involvement. Nob was a strong advocate for establishing the Coogee Penguins Winter Swimming Club and the Coogee Minnows, which were programs that enriched the club’s cultural diversity and ensured its longevity for future generations.
Photo Credit: Coogee SLSC
Nob’s efforts to give back to the community that had supported him highlighted his deep commitment to the principles of the surf lifesaving movement: vigilance, service, and camaraderie. Through his actions, he laid the foundations for a lasting legacy, ensuring that his cherished values would continue to inspire and guide the Coogee Surf Lifesaving Club long after he departed from its shores.
Photo Credit: Coogee SLSC
Farewell to Coogee: A New Chapter
Nob, then 92, decided to sell his Coogee apartment on Bream Street in 2017 and move to Coffs Harbour to be closer to his son, Greg, and his family. It was not an easy choice as Coogee was not just a home for Nob but a place where he had spent some of the most significant moments of his life. Despite this, Nob embraced the change positively, motivated by the value of preserving family bonds and friendships he had woven in Coogee.
In March 2020, the community bid a solemn farewell to Norman ‘Nob’ Hill, as he passed away at 95, leaving behind a legacy of bravery, service, and community.
Photo Credit: Coogee SLSC
Nob’s life story is a powerful reminder of the resilience and spirit of the ANZACs, a legacy that continues to inspire and shape the identity of Coogee and its surf club.
A beach safety program has been implemented at Coogee Surf Life Saving Club (SLSC), as part of ongoing efforts by lifesavers to enhance community education and safety along the coastline.
The Beach Ocean Safe (BOS) Program is an opportunity for those from a wide range of backgrounds, specifically international students and people from culturally and linguistically diverse communities to develop and refine their ocean skills in a nurturing environment.
It’s initially a collaboration between the University of NSW Health Unit and Coogee SLSC’s Community Education team, with plans to expand across the state.
Photo credit: CC0/Dinkum/Wikimedia Commons
Statistics presented in the 2022 NSW Coastal Safety Report indicate that more than half of those who drowned in NSW between 1 July 2021 and 30 June 2022 were from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) communities.
As a means of directly addressing this, the first in what is hoped to be a significant series of programs was completed at Coogee Surf Life Saving Club earlier this month, with support from Tamarama SLSC and Cronulla SLSC.
The course was delivered over two weekends in late March before participants ‘graduated’ on 1 April from the program. Primary learnings were how to enter the ocean and manage waves; how to dive under waves; and how to float, tread water and dive under the water.
This was supported by CPR and First Aid training and theory sessions on rip currents, waves, and beach hazards.
“Since I came here to Australia, I’ve never been in the water because it was a bit scary for me,” participant Eli Talebi said.
“I learned many new skills. I learned how to do CPR. I also learned how to get in the water safe. And during the session, I was feeling completely safe because there were lifesavers that were looking after us.”
Indeed, more than 20 lifesavers from Coogee SLSC alone attended the program as support, many under 18 and enthusiastically passing on their knowledge.
Doug Hawkins, the Lead Trainer of the BOS Program at Coogee SLSC, expressed his pride in the program’s success and the increased ocean skills and knowledge demonstrated by the participants throughout the course.
Coogee Surf Life Saving Club volunteers’ contributions are among the Surf Life Saving Australia volunteering stories that will be shared next month as part of the Discovering Hidden Legends campaign.
About 190,000 Surf Life Saving Australia volunteers will be recognised in the Discovering Hidden Legends to be held on 9 December 2022 at the South Cronulla SLSC. The campaign highlights the ordinary members of the community who make significant contributions in their surf lifesaver volunteering roles.
Apart from educating beachgoers about the water conditions and doing other surf lifesaver duties, she has also assumed other volunteering roles including member protection information officer and finance director.
When asked how she finds doing all these volunteering roles, she described it as a very rewarding experience. And she is amazed at the fact that she is part of an organisation that’s totally run by volunteers.
Meanwhile, her fellow Coogee Surf Life Saving Club member volunteer Cate Kyling considers volunteering as one of her favourite activities and finds it rewarding as well to meet and make connections with other people.
At just 18 years old, Cate is already a vice-captain of her patrol and has already received the Emergency Care award in first aid and advanced resuscitation and Powercraft Awards in inflatable rescue boat driver and crew.
Photo credit: Surf Life Saving Australia / sls.com.au
Established in 1907 Surf Life Saving Australia is the largest volunteer movement of its kind in the world. The not-for-profit organisation exists thanks to community donations, fundraising, corporate sponsorship and government grants. So far this season, Surf Life Saving Australia has completed 422 rescues and 1,422 first aids.
Discovering Hidden Legends was launched in 2021 as a joint campaign between Surf Life Saving Australia and DHL. The campaign focuses on the stories of member volunteers who have devoted their time to help run 314 affiliated Surf Life Saving clubs and patrol beaches across Australia.
Coogee Surf Life Saving Club is launching RunSwim Coogee Aquathlon, a new sporting event that aims to help with the acquisition and maintenance of lifesaving equipment and promote physical fitness.
On Sunday, 1st May 2022, RunSwim Coogee Aquathlon will begin at 7:00 a.m., combining multiple runs and swims from Bondi to Coogee Coastal Walk, as well as along Clovelly Bay, Gordons Bay, and Coogee Bay.
START TIME
EVENT CATEGORY
07:30am
Elite (those who run 5km under 20min)
07:35am
Competitors who run 5km in 21 – 25min
07:45am
Competitors who run 5km in 26 – 30min
07:55am
Competitors who run 5km in 31 – 35min
08:05am
Competitors who run 5km in 36 – 40min
08:15am
Competitors who run 5km in 41 – 45min
So far, more than 400 have already signed up for this exciting challenge and fundraiser whilst more are expected to join on the day of the event. Those new to the event are advised to wear good running shoes, which they can choose to remove once they enter Coogee Beach.
“For the first swim in Clovelly, this is just a short 200m swim and as you enter and exit at different ends of the bay, you need to swim with shoes on,” Coogee SLSC stated.
“This is followed by a short 400m run to the dive ramp in Gordons Bay for the 2nd swim and it is here that you will still need shoes as there are many rocks to walk over before you start this swim.
“Then when you exit the water at the beach end, you will have 1 last run leg to the northern end of Coogee Beach and therefore this 1km run would be wearing your wet shoes.
Photo Credit: Coogee Surf Life Saving Club/Facebook
“However, when you enter Coogee Beach at the northern end, you have the choice of removing your shoes before you start the final 1km swim. After crossing the finish in the centre of the beach, you will need to make your way over to the northern end to then collect your shoes and please note, we do not take responsibility for your shoes at this location.”
Coogee SLSC will also have marshals in place across the entire course, and detour route to provide a safe environment for the public and competitors alike.
Per Coogee SLSC, “No less than 80 surf lifesaving volunteers will be on the course and at every key location to keep competitors on the correct route along with water safety in all 3 bays to include board paddlers and rescue boats.”
Photo Credit: Coogee Surf Life Saving Club/Facebook
Parts of the public spaces will be temporarily closed, as approved by the Council, to give way to the participants. Specifically, sections of the corner of Major & Moore Streets, Gordons Bay through to the Clovelly Carpark will be inaccessible from 6:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. Instead, a detour will be in place on Moore Street, Beach Street, Battery Street and Melrose Parade.
