Altona Life Saving Club History

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Altona Life Saving Club History

Contact information, map and directions, contact form, opening hours, services, ratings, photos, videos and announcements from Altona Life Saving Club History, Nonprofit Organization, The Esplanade, Altona, Melbourne.

First founded in 1926, the Altona Lifesaving Club has a long and proud history of safeguarding the beach and its visitors, providing critical lifesaving services, and fostering a sense of community.

16/08/2026

Altona Life Saving Club: 'The Delman' Perpetual Trophy : Boys Under 14 Swimwade. 1959-1985.

Diving into our archives today and shining a spotlight on a special piece of our club’s history: ‘The Delman’ Perpetual Trophy for Boys Under 14 Swimwade.

This incredible trophy was awarded between 1959 and 1985, recognizing the dedication and talent of our young male swimmers in the ‘Swimwade’ event. We love the design, featuring a bronze figure on a bakerlite base with a bell-shaped cup and decorative handles.

Did you or someone you know win this prestigious award back in the day? We’d love to hear your stories! Tag any former clubmates who might remember this trophy or competed in the Boys Under 14 Swimwade during those years.

Let’s keep the spirit of our club alive and celebrate the rich history that makes us special!

09/08/2026

Today we have another great archival photo to share from the vault, dating back to the early 1960s and generously shared by Deanna McIntosh.

This vintage shot captures a Reel, Line & Rescue (R&R) team lined up on the sand at Port Melbourne. If you look closely in the background, you can spot a couple of classic local landmarks: the iconic old Port Melbourne gasworks structure and a vintage "Peters Ice Cream" sign!

Edit: Margaret Grierson, Kay Stirling, Pearl McCallum, Bernadette Meehan Jean McQuarrie, Deanna McIntosh (front) Thank you to Kay Stirling for identifying the young ladies in the photo.

If you recognize a face, remember competing at Port Melbourne during this era, or have any details to share, please drop a comment below or send us a message. Every lead helps us preserve our local life saving history!

02/08/2026

Look at this fantastic snap! The Altona Life Saving Club Ladies’ Auxiliary sure knew how to throw a party and raise vital funds in style.

Check out these incredible "Roaring '20s" outfits—from classic flapper dresses, long pearl necklaces, and feather boas to sharp striped blazers, bow ties, and fedoras!

During the 1950s, themed fancy-dress dances were a highlight of the club’s social calendar, all organized by the tireless Ladies’ Auxiliary to keep our patrols running and our beach safe.

While full-scale dances might not be as common today, that same community spirit lives on! Today, all members are encouraged to jump in and help organize our fundraising efforts. We might trade the ballroom for Trivia Nights, Activity Days, or new modern events, but the goal remains the same: supporting our club and having a great time doing it.

Do you have old photos from club social events or fundraisers?
Can you identify anyone in this photo?

26/07/2026

ALSC "I. L. HERBERT" Perpetual Trophy.
Girls Under 16 Swimwade 1959-1986.

This trophy carries nearly three decades of club history and celebrates some of our outstanding junior women competitors across the generations.

Do you see your name, a family member, or an old club mate on this list? Tag them in the comments below! We’d love to hear your memories or see any photos you might have from these competition days.

19/07/2026

Junior Patrol Members 1990

Preserving our club's history means celebrating the generations of members who have kept our beaches safe. This week, we're spotlighting our 1990 Junior Patrol Team!
Left to right: Cathy Harris, Nick Fernandez, Kelly Hryckiewicz, Chad Mann, Emily Fernandez, Gerrard* Mathews, David Darburn, and Aaron Mathews.
Edit: *Jarrad.

Thirty-six years on and this photo is one of very few that are held by the club for the years between 1985 and 2000. We would love to see more it they are out there.

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12/07/2026

A.L.S.C. Club Awards 1979–1980

This photo captures our standout members from the 1979–1980 season presentation night, proudly holding their well-deserved trophies in front of the classic club pennants and honour boards.

Thanks to the original neat handwriting on the frame, we have a complete record of who these legendary faces are:

Back Row (Left to Right):
S. Hayes – Best Junior, B. Hayes – 1st Year, W. Martin – Most Improved, G. Wilson – Best Senior, D. James – Encouragement.

Front Row (Left to Right):
G. Davies – Most Outstanding, C. Wilson – Best Sub Junior

It is fantastic to see these names and achievements preserved. Do you remember this particular presentation night, or did you compete alongside any of these members back in the late '70s and early '80s?

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05/07/2026

Altona Life Saving Club: "Strand Social Club" Perpetual Trophy. Girls Under 14 Swimwade. 1959-1985.

This cup is an incredible snapshot of the club's history! Looking down that list you can clearly see the eras where certain families dominated the water or where a single competitor went on an absolute tear.

A few standout details jump right out: The Dominant Streaks: S. Shaw, pulling off a massive three-year consecutive winning streak from 1970 to 1972 is a huge achievement. You also have B. Allen, K. Stirling, and M. Grainger all going back-to-back.

The Family Connections: The name Hayes popping up consecutively in 1961 (J. Hayes) and 1962 (R. Hayes) definitely points to a talented pair of sisters or cousins keeping the trophy in the family. The same goes for the Allen name appearing at both the very start of the timeline with B. Allen (1959–1960) and later with J. Allen in 1977.

It’s exactly these kinds of threads that make tracking down and preserving these old perpetual trophies so rewarding.

***To the observant, yes that is a male figure on top of a girls' trophy! We are aware of the error and are actively working to correct it.

Spot yourself or someone you know on the trophy?

28/06/2026

1966 - Victorian State Championships.

We have this great piece of club history in our archives, and we need the community's help to fill in the blanks!

Take a look at this photo of the Altona Life Saving Club team in their yellow swimsuits with lightening bolt and the vintage reel. This team took out 3rd place in the Reel, Rescue & Line competition at the Victorian Championships back in 1966.

While we know exactly what they achieved, the names of the members in this photo are currently unknown. We would love to properly document and honor these local legends.

Do you recognize any of the faces here?
If you have any clues, names, or stories from this era, please drop them in the comments below or send us a message. Let's bring these names back to the club records!

21/06/2026

This image, from the early 80s (?) features a trio of club members posing with a major piece of club history. We are not sure of the details about this photo, but we know the tall man in the middle is Graeme Wilson as his daughter Laura Conlon has kindly shared the photo. Graeme was an active member for some years through the 70s and 80s, including a stint as Club Secretary. The others have been identified as Phillip Winder and Brian McLaughlin.

The reel they are standing with is the **BP Trophy reel from 1961** —the year Altona Life Saving Club won the B Grade Championship! If you look closely at the bottom woodwork, you can see the lettering commemorating that victory.

Photo courtesy of Laura Conlon. Identification by William Martin and Leanne Winder. Thank you for your contributions.

**If you can remember competing with this classic reel, please drop a comment below or send us a message. Let’s keep our club's history accurate and alive!

14/06/2026

Altona Life Saving Club, 'C. McIntyre' Perpetual Trophy. Boys Under 12 Swimwade. 1961-1985.

Our archival deep-dive continues with a look at some classic club silverware!

This is the C. McIntyre Perpetual Trophy, awarded for the Boys Under 12 Swimwade event. This beautiful trophy holds a massive 24-year history at the club, spanning from 1961 right through to 1985.

The "Swimwade" has always been a classic rite of passage for our younger competitors, testing their speed through the shallows and the surf. For over two decades, the names of our fastest Under 12 boys were proudly etched onto this shield.

Address

The Esplanade, Altona
Melbourne, VIC
3018

Website

https://www.altonalsc.com.au/

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