Long Reef Surf Lifesaving Club
Incorporated (Y 07311 – 44)
ABN : 78 012 537 376
P.O. BOX 214, COLLAROY NSW 2097
Telephone: 9971 7387
Fax: 9984 0240
longreef@optusnet.com.au
Web: www.longreef.com
Email:
SLSNSW 2004 & 2005 ‘Club of the Year’
Nomination for Ross Matthews Life Membership
Surf Life Saving NSW
Name:
Ross Matthews
Born:
10th November, 1945
Address:
37 Hillier Ave, Blackheath, NSW (Blue Mountains)
Organisation:
Long Reef Surf Life Saving Club
Joined club:
16th November, 1961
Organisational background:
Long Reef SLSC was founded in 1950 and is one of 21 other surf life saving clubs located
on the Sydney Northern Beaches. Long Reef SLSC advocate the SLSA Future Directions
2000-2010 plan. ‘Working with the Community and government to provide safe beaches and
aquatic environments around Australia.’
Long Reef has a very strong, loyal and passionate membership base which are very proud
of the small clubs achievements. Long Reef SLSC is one of the most professional lifesaving
clubs within NSW, providing high levels of lifesaving services in line with world standards in
water safety. Long Reef SLSC has very strong leadership which positions the club well to
handle any challenge which may face the club, particularly in this time of change influencing
most other volunteer organisations.
Such development has seen Long Reef SLSC in recent seasons be named as the 2004 and
2005 Surf Life Saving, NSW ‘Club of the Year’ and the 2005 National Australia Bank,
Volunteer Organisation of the Year, ‘Emergency & Safety’. Such success can be
attributed to the hard working membership base of over 700 members over 56 years and
also the direct input that Ross Matthews and other older members have put in laying the
foundations of our club to set-up and develop the frameworks that we now have.
The Life of the beach
Ross Matthews direct involvement with Long Reef SLSC.
Year joined Long Reef SLSC & Organisation:
16th November, 1961
Awards gained:
 Bronze Medallion 18/2/1962 (Proficiency in Reel, Line & Beltwork)
 Instructors Certificate 18/12/1965
 Examiners Certificate 18/4/1972
 Advanced Resuscitation Certificate 1975
 Radio Operators Certificate 1978
 Advanced Life Saving Certificate 1985
 First Aid Certificate 14/9/1985
 Silver Medallion IRB (Inflatable Rescue Boat) Drivers Certificate 16/11/1986
 Defibrillators Certificate 2005
 Certificate II (Public Safety) Aquatic Rescue 2006
Long Reef SLSC Committee Positions Held :
1965-66
1966-67
1971-72
1972-73
1973-74
1974-75
1975-76
1977-78
1978-79
1979-80
1980-81
1882-82
1982-83
1983-84
1984-85
1987-88
1988-89
1989-90
2001-02
Social Secretary
Social Secretary
Branch Delegate
Chief Instructor
Club Captain
Club Captain
Club Captain
President
President
President
President
Vice President
President
President
President
President
President
Branch Delegate
Vice President
Sydney Northern Beaches Branch, SLSNSW and SLSA positions.
1972
1973
1974
1985-86
1986-87
1988-89
2 years
Secretary Board SNB Board of Examiners
Secretary Board SNB Board of Examiners
Secretary Board SNB Board of Examiners
Deputy Superintendent
Superintendent.
Competition Director.
District Supervisor.
Joined the Board of examiners in 1971 with 35 years continuous membership of the Sydney
Northern Beaches Board of Examiners resulting in sitting on numerous educational panels
and various committees including:
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

Life Membership Committee,
Meritorious Awards Committee,
Judiciary Committee &
Constitution Committee
15 years as Carnival Referee for Sydney Northern Beaches in late 80’s and 90’s.
Over 12 x Branch Championships as Sectional Referee.
2 x Branch Champions as Carnival Referee
6 x Metropolitan Championships as Sectional Referee
7 x NSW Championships as Sectional Referee &
5 x Australian Championships as Sectional Referee, Surf Board Riding.
Various SLSNSW committees in relation to Surf Sports over 10 years as Referee and
reviewing rules and regulations in relation to competition.
Similarly several years on Surf Life Saving Australian (SLSA) committees in relation to Surf
Sports and carnival organisation in the 1970’s and 1980s.
Surf Life Saving Awards Gained






Long Reef SLSC 5 Year patrol badge
Long Reef SLSC honour blazer
Long Reef SLSC Life Membership 1982
SLSA 10 & 15 year patrol award 10/4/1985
SLSA 25 year patrol and membership award 5/5/1987
Sydney Northern Beaches Branch Life Membership 1992/93
Other information in relation to Ross Matthews surf life saving contributions:
Ross is Long Reef’s longest serving club President and is described as a man who is like a
small child with an Attention Deficit Disorder. He just never stops and is just so involved in
the community that he continues to serve something that he started in 1962, 44 years ago.
Ross receiving his club honour blazer October, 2005 from Hon Bronwyn Bishop M.P
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Over the years, as can been seen above, Ross has had a major influence towards the
development of Long Reef SLSC and the surf life saving movement in general. He has a
passion for the movement and ensuring that everything possible can be done to ensure that
the community are kept safe in our aquatic environment.
Ross has filled many of the main positions within the club management framework as a
community volunteer. Nine (9) years as Club President, 2 as Vice President and 3 as Club
Captain. He also filled major roles for the Sydney Northern Beaches for several years as the
Superintendent (or Director of Rescue Services as it is known these days) looking after
each of the 21 clubs on the Sydney Northern Beaches to ensure their lifesaving voluntary
lifesaving services run smoothly.
Ross is a man who will do anything for anybody. Be it his closest friend or a complete
stranger. He is always ensuring that everybody around him is ok, always putting others
before himself. Such an example was seen at an Australian Championships when Surf
Australia were struggling to find a replacement for him as the Carnival Referee in Tasmania.
At the time Ross was to be attending his honeymoon. With a desperate plea Ross was
asked to attend the Australian Championship to help run the carnival as the Referee in
charge of board riding. Ross stepped up yet again attending Tasmania, telling his wife they
were going away for their honeymoon. Upon arrival Ross informed his new bride that he had
a few other responsibilities during the day to ensure the smooth running of the carnival and
would catch up with her later in the evening.
Ross was also a big supporter when many others doubted women being brought into Surf
Life Saving as full patrolling members some 25 years ago. Ross supported this as President
of Long Reef at the time and this support along with several other key President’s and
organisational members has seen women in Surf Life Saving grow to be a major strength in
the organisation we see today.
Ross was always very keen on ensuring that club members were professionally trained and
able to cope with any given situation they may be faced with on patrol. Certainly times have
further progressed and the expectations placed upon patrolling members has become even
greater along with greater beach attendances and new technologies which change the face
of lifesaving. Ross in his day was a very skilled, qualified and educated man in all areas
associated with lifesaving and is now just as proactive in ensuring he keeps abreast of new
changes affecting the Life Saving movement.
Ross became an Instructor on 18th December 1965 and from that date trained and educated
many club and external club lifesavers. On 18th April, 1972 after 7 years of instruction Ross
then became an examiner and member of the then Manly Warringah Board of Examiners. In
those days the Bronze exam was completed in two parts, the first was called the OK and
was conducted at the candidate’s club usually during the week. This involved Ross as one
of only a few examiners who were able or prepared to travel to other clubs within the
Northern Beaches to conduct ‘ok’ examinations. This role was usually left up to the several
Beach Management Supervisors of which Ross was one. Around that time from what I am
told nearly every member in Collaroy & Dee Why SLSC who sat for an ‘ok’ exam were
examined by Ross or another Long Reef member Peter Clarke.
Ross and Peter then backed up time and time again year in year out to do the main part of
the Bronze Medallion examination at either a central venue or a particular individual club.
This examination was usually on a Sunday mornings.
Ross sees his most memorable moments in Surf Life Saving when he became a Life
Member of Long Reef SLSC and when he was nominated for Life Membership of the
Sydney Northern Beaches Branch. This award was also special as he was the first and still
is the only Branch Life member from Long Reef. Ross’s Life Membership was presented at
the SNB Branch Championships held at LONG REEF in 1993. Ross recalls standing out in
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the middle of the beach at Longy with all the Club members, club supporters and other
Clubs watching, a very emotional and memorable day for him in Surf.
In the late 90’s the Sydney Northern Beaches were having great difficultly with one of its
clubs, South Narrabeen SLSC who were having troubles keeping their club operating due to
lack of membership and various administration issues. Membership numbers were well
down after years of trouble. The Sydney Northern Beaches looked at the situation and saw
no alternative but to place an administrator into the club to manage the clubs finances and
also attempt to bring its membership back and re-instate lifesaving services otherwise the
club may be forced to close.
Ross’s experiences in lifesaving, strong leadership and personal qualities saw Ross
selected for the un-enviable role of voluntary administrator for South Narrabeen SLSC. Ross
was placed in this position for one season and with hours of hard work, with core existing
South Narrabeen members, managed to turn the club sufficiently around for the clubs gates
to remain open and for patrols to continue on weekends and public holidays. Thanks to
Ross’s involvement membership figures increased and the club is still operating today.
Whilst being a leader within the Long Reef club through the club’s membership committee
Ross continues to be an inspiration on patrol. Whilst Ross may not be as fit as he was when
he was 20 years younger Ross has continued to look after himself and remain as fit as
possible. For a man in his 60’s Ross has continued to regularly patrol as an ‘Active Reserve’
patroller. Ross has a very strong belief that if he is not physically fit and unable to perform
the same duties as any other member he should not remain on the beach in that capacity
and as such continues to work hard to ensure he meets yearly proficiency and physical
standards. So much so that as Club Captain I must say that Ross is still one of the clubs
stronger patrollers. Ross constantly scans the water, watches members of the public, looks
after first aid incidents and it is not uncommon that he will spend his entire 4 hour patrol
standing on a flag in the hot sun blowing the whistle and keeping the public within the flags
and safe from hidden rips.
Already this year, July 2006 Ross has contacted me from the mountains asking about the
coming season in relation to changes in resuscitation and ensuring the standards of the
clubs two ‘old boys’ active reserve patrols where the average age is in their 60’s is
maintained. Ross has suggested that these two patrols have their own special proficiencies
this year separate to the rest of the club to ensure they are still up to standard and also
making it more of a social learning and fresher professional development day. Ross has
volunteered to assist in this training forum.
Several years ago in 2002 Ross retired and moved up to the Blue Mountains. Do you think
this stopped his involvement in Surf Life Saving? Not on your life! Ross has continued to
patrol the beach advising patrol members and the community on the dangers of the beach
from his years and years of experience.
Whilst much of what Ross has done has been forgotten by many people like the coming of
the tide Ross has made such an enormous contribution to Long Reef SLSC and the
organisation as a whole, be it through the 1000’s of youth, kids and community members he
has educated in surf awareness, first aid skills or water safety. The 1000’s of club members
he has examined for various awards over the years or the 1000’s of competitors he has
refereed at over 15 years as a State and Australian referee.
Many people in Ross’s position are sometimes not liked by others through the tall poppy
syndrome. This is certainly not the case in Ross’s position. Ross has been loved by all who
have meet him or been fortunate enough to work with him over 44 years. Ross has not
engaged himself in any of his lifesaving activities for personal glory but has simply enjoyed
being able to help others and engaging in community activities as a volunteer. Ross is very
supportive of others and as a leader encourages others to get involved and have a go. This
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has lead to many others within the club becoming very successful leaders in their own right
thanks to Ross’s guidance, support and tutoring.
Photograph – Ross Matthews with
fellow Life Members of ong Reef
SLSC at the 56th Annual General
Meeting, August, 2005.
Ross could have gone on and on in Surf Life Saving as one of the organisations great
leaders and role models but he also felt that it was important to let others younger than him
take the reign and become leaders in their own development. Ross didn’t drop out of the
organisation however preferred to offer support for those coming through the ranks acting
as a mentor.
It is without hesitation that I strongly recommend Ross Matthews for Life Membership of
Surf Life Saving NSW. Should you have any further questions about Ross Matthews
contributions to the Surf Life Saving, NSW spaning over 44 years please don’t hesitate to
contact me.
During the last 5 years since 2002 Ross has also been very heavily involved with the State
Emergency Service. See attached reference. This makes his on-going involvement in SLS
even more noteworthy and I believe deserved of recognition through being made a life
member of SLSNSW.
Yours sincerely
Doug Lucas,
Club Captain,
Long Reef SLSC
Bach (Pol Invt) Adv Dip Pol Invt, Dip Bus Mgmt, J.P (NSW)
Captain_longreefslsc@hotmail.com
2004 NSW & Australian Surf Life Saver of the Year
Friday 20th July, 2006.
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