A PROGRAM started by a Port Macquarie man way back in 1994 is still making waves today.
Max Waters OAM, a life member of the Port Macquarie Surf Lifesaving Club, came up with the concept of a Bush to Beach program after doing some research and finding the majority of people rescued came from inland rather than the coast.
Max thought education might be the key to reducing rescues, and successfully pioneered an educational program touring inland schools, leading the tours himself for nine years and teaching school children beach safety.
The impact was immediate, with the number of rescues dropping dramatically year on year.
Max went on to win several awards for developing the program and eventually an OAM for his services to surf lifesaving generally, which include involvement with the Blackhead branch and Mid North Coast in addition to Port Macquarie dating back 66 years to when he was a young boy.
The Beach to Bush program was taken up state-wide and variations on the theme have also spread to some other states.
Now in his eighties and with failing eyesight, Max no longer is actively involved in surf lifesaving and lost touch with how the program was going.
However, last week he received a vivid reminder when his wife of 60 years, Patricia, read him an article about it she spotted in the Beyond the Flags NSW Surf Lifesaving member magazine.
The article said the program had now reached more than 260,000 primary school students since it began, with another 10,000 primary school students participating in 2013 alone.
“In what has now become surf lifesaving’s largest and most significant educational initiative, 16 of the state’s finest surf lifesavers were involved in seven regional tours visiting 55 primary schools across NSW in areas such as the Riverina, New England and the Northern Tablelands,” it said in another section.
“This year our volunteer lifesavers hailed from surf clubs all over the state, including Port Macquarie, Coogee, Ocean Beach, Dee Why, North Steyne, Cooks Hill, Queenscliff, Austinmere and Cape Hawke.”
Max was amazed and chuffed to find out just how successful Beach to Bush had become.
“I was really astounded,” he said. “I knew it had been successful, but no idea of these sort of numbers,” he said, recalling the early days on the road and many visits to remote schools way out west.
“One school really got into the spirit,” he said. “They had sandpits, umbrellas and the whole lot. They basically turned the schoolroom into a beach.”
He said he couldn’t have pioneered the program without Allan Barlin, Richard Mcgovern, Bob Smith, Dave Smith and Alan Newman, all of whom spent time on the road with him.
And Max’s advice to beach-goers? That hasn’t changed, even after all these years: “Swim between the flags – and ask the lifeguard for advice.”
For those not familiar with the award, OAM stands for Medal of the Order of Australia, an award presented to Australians who have demonstrated outstanding service or exceptional achievement.
