In This Edition
- From the Editor
- Patrol Season 2025/26: A Wrap
- SLSA Aussies Recap
- Presentation Night 2026
- IRB Driver Course Success
- Strengthening Capability: Training with Inverloch SES Continues
- Clubhouse Upgrades: Access Restrictions During Works
- Inverloch Surf Beach Renourishment Underway
- Sponsors
From the Editor
Hi everyone,
The flags are down, the gear is packed away, and patrol season 2025/26 is officially behind us. But, as this edition shows, the club doesn’t really slow down.
Between the clubhouse upgrades, beach renourishment works, interagency training, and a Presentation Night that brought us all together one last time, there’s plenty to celebrate and plenty already in motion for the season ahead. (How does it always go by so quickly?!)
This newsletter is a small reflection of what an enormous year it’s been. I hope you enjoy reading it as much as we enjoyed putting it together.
Xavier Korbel
Director of Member Engagement
Patrol Season 2025/26: A Wrap
On 26 April, Inverloch SLSC closed out another patrol season; and the numbers tell quite a story. Be warned: statistics ahead.
Across the 2025/26 season, our members collectively logged 6,130 hours of service across 147 members and more than 1,300 individual patrol sessions. Every single one of those hours was given freely and voluntarily, no obligation beyond a shared commitment to keeping our community safe.
What’s particularly remarkable is that nearly 1,900 of those hours came from members who showed up to patrols they weren’t even rostered to. Just because they wanted to be there: a quiet but telling measure of the culture you have all been building throughout this season.
At the peak of summer, we had 75 members on patrol at one time, an insane feat and a reminder of the scale of what this club can deliver. I’m sure many of you reading this were on that patrol and can probably remember the energy in the air that day.
To every member who showed up in red and yellow this season, thank you. The hours you’ve given represent countless people who got home safe because you were there. And even if you haven’t stopped to think about it, the connections you’ve built along the way with the people beside you on the beach will stay with you long after the flags come down. That’s what it’s all for.
Xavier Korbel
Vice Club Captain
SLSA Aussies Recap
This March, club members James Harman and Kirk De Marchi participated in The Aussies, the national surf life saving competition held this year at Kirra Beach on the Gold Coast.
Held over the course of a week, The Aussies bring together competitors from clubs across the country. The Nippers age events were held first, followed by Masters and then the hotly contested Open and Under 19 categories toward the end of the week.
James, fresh from competing at the Victorian State carnivals, represented Inverloch in both the Open and Under 19 categories, competing in four events. “The Aussies was such an incredible experience that I will remember for a lifetime,” said James. “The highlights were participating in the open flags in front of a large crowd, watching the open male Ironman race, and the warm weather!”
In huge fields, often with more than 100 registered competitors in each event, James placed 13th in both the Under 19 2km race and flags. In the Open category, he finished 22nd in the 2km race and 47th in flags.
Kirk, competing at the Masters level, finished 7th in his age division’s 2km beach race. “Ultimately getting to see how other clubs show up to these national-level events was a big learning experience. Hopefully as a club we can build on this and continue to grow our squad. The feeling of representing and competing for Inverloch is simply awesome!”
With a long break until next summer’s competition calendar, now is a great time for anyone interested in joining the competition squad or learning more to reach out. Members can email competition@islsc.org.au or communityrelations@islsc.org.au for any enquiries or to express their interest.
Kirk De Marchi
Director of Community Relations
Presentation Night 2026
Inverloch SLSC’s Presentation Night brought the season to a close in style, with the biggest turnout in recent memory packing the room for a night of celebration, recognition, and well-earned good times.
Across the night, more than fifty awards were presented to members across all areas of the club, a testament to the depth of contribution this season has seen. Special mention to Patrol 1, who took home the prestigious Patrol of the Year award.
To everyone who came down on the night, thank you.
But more than that, thank you for everything you’ve poured into the club throughout the season. Whether you’ve been out on the beach, in the water, behind the scenes, or somewhere in between, the night was a reflection of what you’ve all collectively built. Inverloch SLSC is what it is because of the people in that room.
A big thank you as well to the many members who gave their time to plan and execute the evening itself. Nights like that don’t happen without a lot of unseen effort, and it absolutely showed.
Well done again to all award recipients.
Xavier Korbel
Director of Member Engagement
IRB Driver Course Success
We are delighted to announce the success of the most recent IRB Drivers course held over the last two weekends of March which saw three candidates gain a new qualification. The three candidates, Emma Morgan, Demi Tatnall and Ava Rose Houben Carter battled in some tough conditions and practiced many complex rescues, even collaborating with the Inverloch SES unit in mock Search and Rescue scenarios to gain their award.
A huge thank you goes out to the eight trainers who contributed to the course, including many weeks of planning and lots of hours crewing for the new drivers throughout the course. It is great to see the strength of training in the powercraft space building with every course!
Be sure to ask Emma, Demi and Ava to take you out for a spin in the IRB while on patrol or in the off season!
Finley Withers
Chief Instructor
Strengthening Capability: Training with Inverloch SES Continues
Four Inverloch SLSC members joined the Inverloch SES for a morning of interagency training near the Inverloch Boat Ramp, continuing a partnership that reflects the club’s ongoing commitment to operational excellence and interagency collaboration across the region.
Glenn Arnold, Liam O’Brien, Lucas Jungwirth and Morrie Tatnall worked alongside the SES team to practice body retrieval techniques and patient handovers, sharing experiences, learning from one another, and strengthening the cross-agency capability that makes our community safer.
Inverloch holds a unique position in this space. As home to the only Marine Rescue SES facility in Victoria, our members train with the different types of marine SES vessels they have available, replicating real incidents that our two organisations have responded to together. It’s a level of interagency integration that few clubs anywhere in the state can match.
Clubhouse Upgrades: Access Restrictions During Works
Inverloch SLSC is currently undergoing some important improvements, with floor resurfacing works underway across the ground floor and timber surfaces on the upper level.
To allow works to proceed safely and without interruption, all fob access to the clubhouse has been temporarily disabled for the duration of the project. Completion is estimated by 31 May, and full access will be restored once works are finished.
Rest assured, the club remains fully rescue ready throughout this period. Designated out-of-hours members retain the access required to fulfil our lifesaving responsibilities. We appreciate your patience and cooperation while we invest in making our home an even better one. If you have any questions, please reach out to Glenn at president@islsc.org.au.
Inverloch Surf Beach Nourishment Underway
Work has officially begun on the renourishment of Inverloch Surf Beach, with DEECA and Hall Contracting now on-site and dredging set to commence shortly. As works progress, sections of the beach will be temporarily closed, however, areas outside the nourishment zone will remain open and safe for public use. We’ll keep members informed of any changes that affect our lifesaving activities as the project develops.
From 21 May, 24/7 operations will run for approximately two weeks to accelerate delivery. If you notice some distant dredge noise during this period, that’s why. This is a significant investment in the long-term health of our beach, and great news for the community and coast we work hard to protect.
For more information or FAQs about how the works are being carried out, visit the DEECA website at marineandcoasts.vic.gov.au/coastal-programs/cape-to-cape-resilience-project.
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