| 1803 |
Convicts warned not to swim in Sydney Harbour because of the
dangers of sharks and stingrays, and for reasons of decorum. |
| 1838 |
Bathing in Sydney's harbour and beaches is banned between 6am
and 8pm. |
| 31 Jul 1894 |
The Waverly Branch is formed in Sydney, the first Australian
branch of the (later Royal) Life Saving Society. |
| 7 Dec 1899 |
The Manly Life Saving Brigade is formed. |
| 1902 |
Bans on daylight surf bathing are relaxed. |
| 1903 |
The Sly brothers begin patrolling Manly Beach, Sydney. |
| 1905 |
Edward 'Happy' Eyre is employed as a lifeguard by Manly
Council. |
| 21 Feb 1907 |
Bondi Surf Bathers' Life Saving Club is formed. |
| 23 Mar 1907 |
First use of the surf-reel, at Bondi. |
| 18 Oct 1907 |
Surf Bathing Association of New South Wales is formed. |
| Sept 1909 |
Cottesloe Life Saving and Athletic Club is formed — the
first surf lifesaving club in Western Australia. |
| 1909 |
Tweed Heads and Coolangatta Surf Lifesaving Club is formed
— Queensland's first |
| 2 Jan 1910 |
First surf lifesaving bronze medallions awarded, to club
members from Coogee and Bondi. |
| 1910 |
Surf Bathing Association of New South Wales holds its first
carnival. |
| 1912 |
Charles Paterson becomes president of the Surf Bathing
Association. |
| 1915 |
Duke Kahanamoku demonstrates boardriding at Freshwater Beach,
Sydney. |
| 1915 |
First Australian surf lifesaving championships held at
Bondi. |
| 1921 |
Surf Bathing Association of New South Wales becomes the Surf
Life Saving Association of New South Wales. |
| 1921 |
Tasmania's first surf lifesaving club is formed in Burnie. |
| 1922 |
Jack Chalmers and Frank Beaurepaire receive the first surf
lifesaving meritorious awards. |
| 1923 |
Surf Life Saving Association of New South Wales becomes the
Surf Life Saving Association of Australia (SLSAA). |
| 1924 |
SLSAA and the Royal Life Saving Society agree to separate
responsibilities: SLSAA for surf lifesaving and RLSS for still
water lifesaving. |
| 1925 |
Western Australian State Centre of SLSAA is formed. |
| 1925 |
South Australia's first surf lifesaving club is formed at
Henley Beach. |
| 1930 |
Queensland State Centre of SLSAA is formed. |
| 1934 |
Adrian Curlewis is appointed president of SLSAA. |
| 1935 |
Red and yellow beach flags become standard. |
| Oct 1937 |
Laying of shark nets off Sydney beaches begins |
| 3 Jan 1939 |
Red and yellow quartered caps become standard patrol gear. |
| 1941 |
Roy Doyle becomes interim president while Curlewis serves in
the AIF. |
| 1945 |
Adrian Curlewis returns as president. |
| 4 Jan 1946 |
Victoria's first surf lifesaving club is formed at
Torquay. |
| 9 Jan 1947 |
Victorian State Centre of SLSAA is formed. |
| 1947 |
First national championships outside New South Wales are held
at Greenmount, Queensland. |
| 1948 |
Tasmanian State Centre of SLSAA is formed. |
| 10 Oct 1952 |
South Australian State Centre of the SLSAA formed. |
| 6 Feb 1954 |
The Royal Carnival is held at Bondi for Queen Elizabeth
II. |
| 25 Nov 1956 |
International and Australian Surf Championship Carnival begins
at Torquay, Victoria. |
| 1956 |
International Council of Lifesaving formed. |
| 1966 |
First ironman event held in Australia. |
| 1975 |
Alan Whelpton becomes president of SLSAA. |
| 1 July 1980 |
Women permitted to become full members of SLSAA. |
| 1984 |
The Coolangatta Gold premieres, starring Grant
Kenny. |
| 1987 |
Cathy Harding of Mooloolaba SLSC becomes the first female
captain of a surf club |
| 1989 |
Northern Territory Centre of SLSAA formed. |
| 1991 |
Surf Life Saving Association of Australia becomes Surf Life
Saving Australia. |
| 1994 |
World Life Saving and Federation Internationale de Sauvetage
merge to form the International Life Saving Federation. |
| 2001 |
Ron Rankin becomes only the fifth president of SLSA. |
| 2007 |
Australians celebrate the Year of the Surf Lifesaver. |
