Life Saving Victoria

Life Saving Victoria We’re on land 🏖 in the water 🌊 and in the skies 🚁

Meet a Red & Yellow Legend❤️💛 Some people make a difference in small ways, while others leave a lasting mark on the who...
05/10/2026

Meet a Red & Yellow Legend❤️💛

Some people make a difference in small ways, while others leave a lasting mark on the whole community.

For Jae Knobben, 2026 has shown the results of her years of dedication, leadership, and service with the Mildura Life Saving Club.

Jae began her lifesaving journey as a Nipper ten years ago and has become one of the club's most respected young leaders. Now, as Club Captain, she helps coordinate patrols, supports training programs, mentors younger members, and builds the strong club culture that makes lifesaving special.

Jae's impact goes beyond her role in the club. She has been a passionate advocate for water safety in the Mildura region, working with schools, multicultural groups, and local families to help everyone understand and safely enjoy the Murray River.

This year, Jae's hard work in lifesaving and community service was recognised with two major awards: Life Saving Victoria's Young Volunteer of the Year at the 2026 Awards of Excellence and the Mildura Rural City Council Youth Change Maker Award. These honours highlight the positive difference she makes through youth leadership, volunteering, and water safety in the Sunraysia region.

Those who know Jae are not surprised by her achievements. She always gives her time and energy, whether it's during patrols, teaching the community, leading, or mentoring, to help others feel welcome, supported, and safe.

Every award represents many hours of volunteering, early mornings, training, patrols, and a real desire to help others. Jae shows what is best about lifesaving volunteers and how they help build stronger, safer communities.

As we celebrate another Red & Yellow Legend, we congratulate Jae on a great year and thank her for all she does for the Mildura Life Saving Club, the local community, and water safety in regional Victoria.

Join us in celebrating Jae's achievements and the difference that one dedicated volunteer can make.

Not everyone gets the chance to learn to swim, and that gap can follow someone for life. Sam Winter, Coordinator Recreat...
01/10/2026

Not everyone gets the chance to learn to swim, and that gap can follow someone for life.

Sam Winter, Coordinator Recreation, Leisure and Libraries at Stawell Sports & Aquatic Centre, has spent 28 years working across the aquatic industry, as a swim teacher, lifeguard, and in leadership roles spanning private, contractor and council run facilities.

Her focus has always been access. In regional Victoria, barriers to learning to swim can include a lack of facilities, a shortage of qualified teachers, and community pools closing as councils face rising infrastructure costs.

Sam is also a strong advocate for inclusive learning. She shares the story of teaching a young girl with disability, where each small milestone, like confidently going under water or rotating from front to back, is a win worth celebrating.

Her view on drowning prevention is simple. It's not just lifeguards and swim teachers. It's families, schools, councils, contractors and government all playing a part.

"Swimming is a skill for life, and everyone should have the opportunity to learn."

What's the biggest barrier to learning to swim you've seen in your community, and what's helped overcome it?

30/09/2026

This month marked another year of our partnership with Westpac supporting the Westpac Helicopter Lifesaver Rescue Helicopter Service. That’s 51 years of rescue patrols along Victoria’s coastlines.

From the beginning, Westpac’s support has helped our crews respond when they are needed most.

Throughout October, Westpac teams nationwide supported Rescue Helicopter Month, raising awareness and support for the service.

As another busy summer approaches, we thank Westpac, our partners and the community for continuing to support the lifesaving work of our crews.

🏆 BEST ON GROUND THIS GRAND FINAL WEEKEND Play it safe around water this long weekend. Be the teammate who gets everyone...
24/09/2026

🏆 BEST ON GROUND THIS GRAND FINAL WEEKEND

Play it safe around water this long weekend. Be the teammate who gets everyone home safely.

🥇 The mate who checks the conditions before heading out
🥈 The teammate who says, “Let’s head back in” when conditions change
🥉 The legend who makes sure everyone has the right lifejacket

Not making the team:

❌ Drinking alcohol before or during water activities
❌ Ignoring changing conditions
❌ Taking unnecessary risks

More than a third of drowning fatalities involve alcohol or drugs.

This Grand Final weekend, make water safety part of your game plan.

🎯 YOUR GAME PLAN

✅ Check the conditions before you go
✅ Water first. Drinks later.
✅ Swim or recreate with a mate
✅ Wear a properly fitted lifejacket when boating

22/09/2026

The friendships are lifelong. The leadership skills last forever.

For generations of young lifesavers, our Development Camps have been a place to build confidence, develop leadership skills and discover what they're capable of. From learning teamwork and communication to developing resilience, emotional intelligence and decision-making skills, these programs help young people prepare for leadership roles in lifesaving, education, work and their communities.

Whether you're looking to build confidence, strengthen your leadership skills, make lifelong friendships, or take the next step in your lifesaving journey, the 2026-27 Development Camp season offers opportunities for every stage of youth development.

Registrations are now open for Life Saving Victoria's Development Camps and the State Camp Leader Development Day. Find out how these youth leadership programs are helping shape the next generation of lifesaving leaders across Victoria.

It’s a big deal when 34 special operations lifesaving members from across Australia gather for a new type of training. ...
18/09/2026

It’s a big deal when 34 special operations lifesaving members from across Australia gather for a new type of training.

Joining lifesavers across the country in Margaret River, WA, LSV's emergency management personnel worked alongside Naturaliste Volunteer Marine Rescue Group and the Westpac Rescue Helicopter for this Powercraft Elective Pilot training.

Surf Life Saving Australia

Imagine hauling yourself up 28 floors, every step heavier as you carry an oxygen kit. Carrum Surf Life Saving Club membe...
16/09/2026

Imagine hauling yourself up 28 floors, every step heavier as you carry an oxygen kit.

Carrum Surf Life Saving Club members joined 1,000 emergency services personnel for the 2026 Melbourne Firefighter Stair Climb, uniting with firefighters and emergency crews in one of the city’s toughest fundraising challenges.

Inside the Crown Metropol, the annual Stair Climb pushes participants to conquer 28 relentless floors, each step weighted with operational gear to honour the real burdens first responders and their families shoulder. Our lifesavers rose to the challenge, oxygen kit in hand and patrol uniforms on.

The event raises vital funds for Lifeline, the Peter MacCallum Cancer Foundation and the 000 Foundation supporting mental health and wellbeing programs, crisis support services, and life-saving cancer research.

Among the climbers was Carrum SLSC’s own Jessica English, and a CFA fleet staffer, tackling the event for her third time. Jess beams with pride in her role as a volunteer, emergency service member, and organiser for the event, and she shares how much the event means to her.

“Never say you can’t. Taking on these stairs for the third time proved that we’re surrounded by an incredible crew of first responders cheering us on,” she said.

“We face daily realities the general public will never see, so whether we’re tackling 28 flights or responding to an emergency, supporting each other, and celebrating every win is how we make a real impact.”

We are incredibly proud of our Carrum representatives for taking on this challenge and supporting causes that make a real difference to the emergency services community.

❤️ Carrum SLSC team fundraising total: $2,395 💛

⏳ Completion time
➡️ James Lapthorne: 05:14.780
➡️ Ben Rooks: 07:57.037
➡️ Jessica English: 16:14.737

Congratulations to everyone who made the climb, volunteered and donated. Across the entire event, over $1.07 million was raised in support of first responder mental health, cancer research and crisis support.

Drowning can be prevented, but sadly, too many lives are still being lost. The National Drowning Report 2026, published ...
10/09/2026

Drowning can be prevented, but sadly, too many lives are still being lost.

The National Drowning Report 2026, published today by Royal Life Saving Society - Australia in partnership with Surf Life Saving Australia, shows that 313 people drowned across Australia in the past year. This number is lower than last year, but Australia is still not on track to halve drowning deaths by 2030.

In Victoria, 53 people lost their lives to drowning in 2025/26. Most of these tragedies happened at the ocean and harbours, and in rivers and swimming pools. Older Victorians, especially those aged 75 and over, were at the highest risk.

Every drowning death is a tragedy. Each one reminds us how important water safety education, swimming skills, and making safe choices around water are.

With warmer weather and more people visiting beaches, rivers, and pools, please take a moment to refresh your water safety knowledge and watch for those around you.

The things we don't always see. The alarm clocks. The early starts. The kilometres driven. The training sessions watched...
05/09/2026

The things we don't always see.

The alarm clocks. The early starts. The kilometres driven. The training sessions watched.

The equipment carried. The snags cooked post-patrol shift. The last person to leave the club.

The encouragement shared. The example set. The quiet chat on the way home from the pool.

The dads who always seem to be there when they're needed most.

Happy Father's Day to all the dads and father figures who volunteer with all their heart, enriching lives and helping us all stay safer around water.

Some volunteers give their time, while others truly change lives. Congratulations to Surf Life Saving Lakes Entrance mem...
04/09/2026

Some volunteers give their time, while others truly change lives.

Congratulations to Surf Life Saving Lakes Entrance member Jessica Woodward, who has been awarded the Graeme Long Memorial Medal for Volunteer of the Year at the 2026 Life Saving Victoria Awards of Excellence.

Jess has spent countless hours developing the next generation of lifesavers and strengthening our movement across Victoria, through her roles as Chief Instructor at Surf Life Saving Lakes Entrance, Deputy Lifesaving Operations Officer for Gippsland, and Junior Programs Coordinator with Life Saving Victoria.

If you ask the people Jess has mentored, they will tell you her biggest impact goes far beyond her qualifications and leadership roles.

“She has shared so much knowledge, been my biggest cheerleader when I needed it, and helped me realise we are always so much more capable than we think.”

Jess is known for her passion, energy, and constant support for others. She has helped shape many members' journeys by building confidence, creating opportunities, and inspiring people to believe in themselves.

The Graeme Long Memorial Medal honours volunteers who show the spirit of service and dedication that make lifesaving stronger. Jess truly deserves this award, and her legacy lives on in everyone she has encouraged, mentored, and empowered.

Congratulations, Jess, and thank you for all that you do for lifesaving in Victoria.

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