| 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. |
