Australian
Screen

an NFSA website

Australia’s 150th Anniversary Celebrations, Sydney (1938)

play Please note: this clip is silent
clip Lifesavers march

Original classification rating: not rated. This clip chosen to be PG

Clip description

This clip from a home movie taken by Dr Ewan Murray-Wills shows members of various lifesaving clubs marching in the official parade marking Australia’s 150th anniversary of white settlement.

Curator’s notes

The lifesaving club movement in Australia arose from Australia’s strong beach culture. As beach activities grew in popularity, the dangers of the surf also became apparent. Small groups of surfers began to form lifesaving bodies to assist those who required rescuing. As these clubs grew in size, so too did the need for a united effort to raise funds. The New South Wales Surf Bathing Association was first formed in 1907.