History

Following the formation of the new Waikuku Beach SLSC in 1975, the club operated from a renovated changing room block at the beach. It was quickly evident that a much larger facility would be required as active club membership had doubled each year. On Saturday 8th December 1979 the new club rooms were officially opened by the MP for Rangiora, Mr Derek Quigley. The event was a great example of how communities, businesses, service groups, local and central government and national bodies can work together to achieve a common goal. To this day the Waikuku Beach SLSC club rooms are one of the best equipped in the country sited in a prime position overlooking one of the best beaches in the Canterbury Region. This reflects the foresight of those who designed and built it.

During the late 1990’s and early 2000’s the club’s membership had declined to the point where a once thriving club had to contract in lifeguards from other clubs to meet it’s patrolling obligations. Club President and Life Member, Gary Connor and his committee identified the need to rebuild the club’s membership from the ground up. This coincided with the arrival of new families to the club with no traditional surf lifesaving experience. Also Beach Education and Piha Rescue had drawn prospective members to the club. From a group of a handful of lifeguards and about a dozen nippers in 2002 the club has grown to be one of the largest on the Canterbury Coast.

The club has actively promoted internal skill development rather than importing qualified members from other clubs and now operates full patrols with IRB, PHEC, Oxygen and first aid qualified lifeguards. Junior members are now moving up to senior sport grades and the club has great expectations for the future.

In 2010 the club was awarded the North Canterbury Club of the year at the Main Power Sports Awards. At the same awards, three members of the club were awarded the Rescue of the Year for saving the life of a man who got into difficulty whilst boarding.