Surf lifesaving clubs 

Surf lifesaving clubs have been a part of New Zealand's coastal communities for over 100 years, with newspaper reports of clubs being established from 1911. 

Surf Life Saving Clubs has a specific beach focus, which was different from the Royal Life Saving Society. 

Surf bathing grows in popularity

With reports of increasing popularity in Australia, there was concern that beaches in New Zealand weren't yet prepared for the increase in popularity locally. 

However, turnout to initial meetings about forming surf clubs proved popular and demonstrated a willingness from communities to create new clubs, fundraise, put on surf lifesaving demonstrations and to establish pavilions and clubrooms. 

But this new "pastime" was not without its detractors, especially as bathing at some beaches was time restricted and was part of a public health measure, and beach bathing was not yet considered a pastime or sport. 

Surf Life-saving Clubs become established around New Zealand 

Although surf life-saving clubs had already been in place in Australia for a number of years, the popularity of surf bathing in New Zealand was increasing by 1910/1911. So with more people visiting and swimming at beaches, aka surf-bathing, surf-life saving clubs began to form in many coastal areas. 

Scenes from Life-saving Clubs around the country 

Clubrooms 

Clubrooms are an important part of the surf-living clubs across the country, for meetings, sheltering out of the weather (sun or rain!), storing gear, training sessions, fundraising events. Some examples of contemporary club rooms at Christchurch beaches. 

Demonstrations, Competitions and Beach Carnivals 

As well as training surf lifesavers and patrolling beaches, clubs held regular public demonstrations and competed in local, regional, national and international surf lifesaving events. 

additional resources

• Surf Lifesaving New Zealand - what we do. [accessed 03 October 2023] 
  • SLSNZ is the national association representing 74 surf lifesaving clubs with 18,000+ members, including more than 4,500 volunteer Surf Lifeguards.
• Surf Lifesaving New Zealand - history [accessed 03 October 2023] 
• History of specific clubs around New Zealand are shown in the Surf Lifesaving New Zealand resource library [accessed 05 October 2023] 
• Examples of surf life-saving clubs (SLSC) around the country [websites accessed 06 October 2023] 
  • Piha SLSC   
  • Titahi Bay SLSC 
  • St Clair SLSC  
• Surf Lifesaving NZ history: The guardians of the beaches. Amelia Wade. 04 January 2020. NZ Herald article. [accessed 06 October 2023] 
• Lifesaving and surfing. Story by Nancy Swarbrick, published 12 Jun 2006. Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand. [accessed 6 October 2023] 

This DigitalNZ story was created October 2023.