Since the Surf Life Saving movement began in 1907, thousands of lifesavers have served our nation in active duty. The Fallen Lifesavers Memorial is a tribute to those Australian lifesavers who lost their lives in war and did not return home.
The official opening of the Fallen Lifesavers National Memorial will take place on 27 April 2014 at Goldstein Reserve, Coogee Beach from 10am.
All members of Surf Life Saving in Australia are invited to attend this very special event.
Randwick City Council is constructing a national memorial honouring lifesavers who have given their lives serving Australia in war. With the support of partners – Surf Life Saving Australia, the RSL and the NSW and Australian Governments – this significant national memorial will be a place of remembrance and reflection for friends, family and members of Surf Life Saving from all over the country.
Renowned sculptor, Alan Somerville, has handcrafted a magnificent bronze statue of a digger and a lifesaver to commemorate the contributions of a distinct group who rose from protecting beachgoers at home, to fighting for Australia in wars throughout the world.
The statue will be proudly unveiled on the final day of the NSW patrol season, while the names of up to 500 surf lifesavers who lost their lives in combat will be engraved in a remembrance wall which will be added to the memorial site in 2015. It is hoped that the memorial will become one of only a handful of national war memorials erected outside Canberra.
The official opening will include a mass surfboat landing, a procession of SLS and local community and school groups, nippers, representatives from the ADF and the RSL, military bands and a community BBQ.
For more information on the Fallen Lifesavers Memorial project go to fallenlifesavers.com.au