Thank you to everyone who provided feedback on the proposed upgrades to the South Curl Curl Surf Life Saving Club building.

We're reviewing all feedback received, and will share our report on the outcomes early 2026 - register for project updates and we'll notify you when the report is published.

The current Club facilities no longer adequately meet the needs of the growing membership or the increasing demands of modern lifesaving, training, and wellbeing activities. Upgrading the spaces will enable the Club to continue delivering essential community services and enhance safety, education, and member wellbeing.

The proposed changes include:

• enclosing the observation deck to create a dedicated rescue patrol and Nippers training room, providing a safer and more functional space for education, operations, and equipment storage
• enclosing the northern accessway between the function hall and northern balcony to extend the strength conditioning facility and wellbeing studio, improving training capacity and supporting the physical and mental health of members.

Pending the outcomes of community engagement, the Club plans to submit a Development Application (DA) in the new year. The DA will be assessed by an independent planning panel (not Council), noting that the facility is a Council-owned building.

If the DA is approved, the Club intends to seek grant funding to undertake the proposed construction works. These improvements aim to ensure that the Club can continue to provide vital lifesaving services, youth development programs, and community safety education for generations to come.

Drag the slider left and right to view the existing plans and compare with the proposed plans.

This room will enhance patrol readiness and provide a modern, dedicated space for education, simulation training, and first aid instruction - benefiting both volunteer lifesavers and the broader community through outreach programs and beach safety courses. There are 3 main benefits of this room:

• Increased visual patrol of beach and surf
  This room will also provide a space for patrollers to be stationed during patrol hours at a higher level, allowing for better visual overview of the surf. We are committed to improving our ability to protect the public given we are part of Emergency Services. This elevated position will also be enclosed to ensure we keep our patrollers safe from the sun and inclement weather.

• Space for our children’s Nippers & Special Needs Rippers Program
  When our nippers & special needs rippers program has poor weather and needs to move off the water, currently, we cannot fit all of our participants into the hall. This results in approximately half of these kids having to leave the beach and head home, which is challenging when their parents have dropped them off and plan on picking them up at the end of the nippers session. The Rescue Patrol & Training Room will allow us to keep all of the nippers and special needs rippers in a safe and comfortable area within our building.
  

• Access to education for the public community
  In addition to club activities, the Club will use the space to provide CPR, First Aid and Surf Awareness sessions to the public. In addition to our current hall, which is available for community use, this supports one of our Strategic Goals of Enhancing & Engaging the Community.

This room will provide members and the Club's competitor athletes with access to strength, conditioning, and recovery equipment designed to improve fitness, reduce injury, and enhance overall wellbeing. With te Club having a proud surf boat community of just under 100 competitors, this requires a large amount of dedication and time in a space that allows teams of 4 to practice their row training together - simulating the competitive environment.

The Club has numerous National, State and Branch championship teams that also compete at Trans-Tasman competitions. In addition, the Champion Lifesaver program targets their Cadet Youth, and this facility helps to teach them proper strength conditioning under the watchful eye of their coach. This will also allow mental wellness and support sessions to be delivered. This facility will not only support elite lifesavers and competitors but also encourage healthy, active lifestyles across the local community.

For more than a century, South Curl Curl Surf Life Saving Club has played a significant role in the Northern Beaches community. Established in 1918, the Club has provided volunteer patrols on one of Sydney’s most active surf beaches, helping to ensure the safety of both locals and visitors.

Today, the Club has around 1000 members, including over 350 active patrolling lifesavers who volunteer their time on weekends and public holidays. Each year, members carry out numerous preventive actions, rescues, and first aid treatments. In addition to regular patrols, the Club’s after-hours call-out team assists with emergency responses as part of its goal to promote public safety.

The Club also runs a range of community and youth programs. Its Nippers program introduces approximately 400 children to surf safety and lifesaving skills, encouraging confidence and awareness in the ocean environment. Many participants later continue as patrolling members. The Youth Cadet Program (for 12 to 18 year olds) provides opportunities to develop ocean skills and community engagement - supporting positive connections for young people in the area.

Looking ahead, the Club is planning 2 projects within its existing building: a rescue patrol and Nippers training room, and a performance, strength, and wellbeing room. These projects are intended to support lifesaving operations, member development, and community safety into the future.

If you've got questions about the concept plans, have a look at the frequently asked questions.

*The comments count is manually updated and only indicative until the final report is published. It reflects the total online contributions received only. Duplicate contributions will be counted as one unique contribution.

**All comments in their entirety are made publicly available in the Community Engagement Report. Personal identifying information, and content which is discriminatory, hateful or which may defame, offend, insult, humiliate or intimidate will be redacted.