The Manly Life Saving Club is one of Australia

Australia

Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...

's oldest Surf Life Saving Club

Surf Life Saving Club

Surf Life Saving Clubs are volunteer institutions at Australia's beaches. The clubs conduct surf lifesaving services on weekends and public holidays and host many beach sport activities, such as Nippers, surf carnivals and other competitions...

s, founded in 1903.

History

The club was founded in 1903 to patrol Manly Beach

Manly Beach, New South Wales

Manly Beach is a beach situated in Sydney's Northern Beaches, Australia. From north to south, the three main sections are Queenscliff, North Steyne, and South Steyne....

 after a law banning daylight swimming was overturned. The founding President of the club was James Bonner, also then Mayor of Manly.

Manly

Manly, New South Wales

Manly is a suburb of northern Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Manly is located 17 kilometres north-east of the Sydney central business district and is the administrative centre of the local government area of Manly Council, in the Northern Beaches region.-History:Manly was named...

, Bondi

Bondi Beach, New South Wales

Bondi Beach is a popular beach and the name of the surrounding suburb in Sydney, Australia. Bondi Beach is located 7 kilometres east of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of Waverley Council, in the Eastern Suburbs...

 and Bronte

Bronte, New South Wales

Bronte is a beachside suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Bronte is located 8 kilometres east of the Sydney central business district, in the Waverley Council local government area of the Eastern Suburbs....

 Surf Life Saving Club

Surf Life Saving Club

Surf Life Saving Clubs are volunteer institutions at Australia's beaches. The clubs conduct surf lifesaving services on weekends and public holidays and host many beach sport activities, such as Nippers, surf carnivals and other competitions...

 all claim to be the first in Australia (and the world), and the debate continues to this day.

The current club President is actor Tony Bonner

Tony Bonner

Tony Bonner is an Australian television, film and stage actor and singer. Bonner became famous in the 1960s children's television series Skippy the Bush Kangaroo, later moving on to lead roles in the dramas Cop Shop and Skyways.-Early life:Bonner was born in Manly, a northern beach suburb of Sydney...

, grandson of James Bonner.

Life Saving

The primary role of the club is to provide surf rescue, first aid and promote water safety on Manly Beach

Manly Beach, New South Wales

Manly Beach is a beach situated in Sydney's Northern Beaches, Australia. From north to south, the three main sections are Queenscliff, North Steyne, and South Steyne....

. Since 1903, no lives have been lost on the beach while the club has been on patrol.

Competition

The club also participates in beach, surf, and ocean competitive sporting activities.