Surf’s up

Debbie Wenham from the Nowra/Culburra Surf Club with some of the children who turned out for the family fun day at Warilla Beach

IT was sun, sand and surf all round when members of the Koori community came together at Warilla Surf Club and beach for a family fun day.

The event, organised by Shellharbour Aboriginal Community Youth Association, was designed to promote surf awareness among the Aboriginal community.

The Shellharbour Aboriginal Community Youth Association works to assist local Aboriginal school students in their family lives and studies including increasing the retention rates of students.

Debbie Wenham from the Nowra/Culburra Surf Club said the day began with a presentation of surf safety to the group then it was down to the sand for everything from beach flags to lessons on how to read the surf.

Today is all about educating the Koori community and welcoming them into surf life saving, promoting cultural diversity on our beaches, she said.

Tony Dale from Surf Life Saving NSW said the number of Aboriginal people involved in surf clubs was very low and hoped events like the Warilla family fun day would encourage a higher rate of participation.

There is a big push throughout the state to get the Indigenous community involved in surf life saving, he said.

Organisers of the days events said they hoped several important messages would get through to the kids including slip, slop, slap and to swim between the flags.

They also said a strong emphasis was placed on building relationships with surf lifesavers.

If you are in trouble the lifesaver is on the beach to help you, they told the group.

The day saw about 60 children, babies and parents turn out and the extremely warm weather meant a great day was had by all.