So you want to become a lifesaver or to increase your skills on the beach? You’ve come to the right place. New members to our Club can undertake a range of courses to obtain the skills necessary to be involved in patrols on our beach. From an Observers Award to First Aid, a Surf Rescue Certificate or a full Bronze Medallion certification, there is a course for you. You must become a member of our club to be able to access our courses.
For existing members, our Skills Maintenance courses (formerly known as Proficiency) ensure you keep your skills up to date annually to make sure we always provide a safe environment for our beachgoers.
USI – Unique Student Identifier
Before you can commence a course, all members will be required to obtain a Unique Student Identifier (USI).
How to create a USI:
- Visit www.usi.gov.au ensuring you have one piece of identification in front of you (Birth Certificate, Licence, Medicare Card or Passport).
- Follow the directions to `Create a USI’.
- Record your USI and keep secure, sending a copy to administrator@palmbeachsurfclub.com.au for our records (this can be done from within the USI website).
Courses Available
The list below provides you with more information about each of the courses through the Surf Life Saving Australia website.
To see dates for each of the course run by the Club or our Branch, see further down the page.
Skills Maintenance course
All Bronze Medallion and SRC holders must complete a skills maintenance course annually. Members who fail to attend a session will be unable to patrol, train or compete after 31 December 2021.
Palm Beach are offering the following Skills Maintenance course dates in 2021:
| Date | Venue | Course Details |
| 10 Oct 2021 | Palm Beach SLSC | * 7:45 am start for IRB. * 8:30am start for everything else. Please remember to take your hi-vis rashie & noddy if you have one). Please register through your Members Portal. |
| 5 Dec 2021 | Palm Beach SLSC | * 7:45 am start for IRB. * 8:30am start for everything else. |
Before attending Skills Maintenance (proficiency), members must:
* Pay their membership fees
* Complete your online theory in the Members Portal eLearning area (use this guide).
* Enrol into the applicable Skills Maintenance event under the eLearning ‘training event’ for the date you wish to attend. Enrolment closes 5pm Friday.
Members who cannot attend one of the above dates can attend a session at any club in the Point Danger Branch. See the full list of dates below.
Point Danger Branch Skills Maintenance course dates:
| Time | SLSC Location | Dates |
| 8am | Tallebudgera | 5/9 (IRB), 12/9, 9/10, 14/11, 18/12 |
| 8:30am | Pacific | 12/9, 16/10, 20/11, 18/12 |
| 8:45am | Currumbin | 11/9, 17/10, 13/11, 12/12 |
| 8am | Tugun | 5/9, 9/10, 6/11, 27/11, 5/12 |
| 8:30am | Bilinga | 12/9, 10/10, 6/11, 5/12, 12/12 |
| 11:30am | North Kirra | 4/9, 19/9, 16/10, 7/11, 4/12 |
| 8am | Kirra | 18/9, 9/10, 6/11, 12/12 |
| 8am | CLG | 11/9, 24/10, 13/11, 5/12 |
| 8am | Tweed Heads & Cool. | 18/9, 17/10, 21/11, 11/12 |
| 8am | Rainbow Bay | 4/9, 3/10, 6/11, 5/12 |
If dates conflict, contact our Club Administrator if you will need to complete your Skills Maintenance at another Club.
What to bring to your Skills Maintenace session – a copy of your Certificate of Completion for online Skills Maintenance theory questions, club noddy (cap), high vis rashie (if you have one), swimmers and towel.
Note – If you are unable to print your Certificate of Completion please forward it our Club Administrator for printing.
Awards and Certificates
Below are all the awards and certificates available to new and current members. The club covers the costs of these courses for our members.
Register interest in any of our courses by completing this course interest jotform.
1. Bronze Medallion
Bronze medallion courses at our club are usually run over 6 weeks: Wednesday evenings from 6-9pm and Saturday mornings from 7-10am. Participants must be a minimum of 15 years of age at the start of the course and be able to complete a 400m pool swim in under 9 minutes. Participants will be taught the skills necessary to be a patrolling lifesaver.
| Date | Venue | Course Details |
| 27 Oct to 4 Dec 2021 | Palm Beach SLSC | Wednesdays 6-9pm Saturdays 7-10am |
| 19-21 Nov 2021 | Palm Beach SLSC | Bronze Camp: an intensive course for those 15 years and older who can demonstrate they are already proficient at board skills and ocean swimming. Fri evening, all day Saturday and Sunday |
2. Surf Rescue Certificate
The Surf Rescue Certificate provides participants with the skills and knowledge of basic patrolling and surf awareness in order to be able to participate in lifesaving operations and act in the role of Water Safety Personnel. (SRC – CPR Endorsed, for 13 years old and above)
| Date | Venue | Course Details |
| 27 Oct to 4 Dec 2021 | Palm Beach SLSC | Wednesdays 6-9pm Saturdays 7-10am |
| 19 – 21 Nov | Palm Beach SLSC | SRC Camp: An intensive course for Nippers 13-15 years and adults who can demonstrate they are already proficient at board skills and ocean swimming. |
3. First Aid
First Aid courses are held at different clubs and members can attend any of the following courses.
| Time | Date | Venue | Course Details |
| 8am | 7 November 2021 | Palm Beach SLSC | To be advised |
| 8am | 20 November 2021 | Tweed Heads & Coolangatta SLSC (Team X – Youth Course) | To be advised |
| 8am | 8 January 2022 | Pacific SLSC | To be advised |
| 8am | 20 March 2022 | Kirra SLSC | To be advised |
| 8am | 14 May 2022 | Tugun SLSC | To be advised |
4. Advanced Resuscitation Techniques (ART)
| Time | Date | Venue | Course Details |
| 8am | 16 October 2021 | Tugun SLSC | To be advised |
| 8am | 11 December 2021 | North Kirra (Team X – Youth Course) | To be advised |
| 8am | 12 December 2021 | Palm Beach SLSC | To be advised |
| 8am | 12 February 2022 | Bilinga SLSC | To be advised |
| 8am | 10 April 2022 | PDB Office | To be advised |
| 8am | 18 June 2022 | Currumbin SLSC | To be advised |
5. Marine License
Please note: This is the only course the Club does not cover.
You are required to have a Marine License prior to undertaking your IRB Drivers course. Point Danger Branch can facilitate this instead of going through a private operator.
| Time | Date | Venue | Course Details |
| 8am | 25 September 2021 | PDB Office | To be advised |
| 8am | 16 October 2021 | PDB Office | To be advised |
6. IRB Crewies & IRB Drivers
Courses held at Tallebudgera SLSC.
| Time | Date | Venue | Course Details |
| TBC | 6 Nov for 5 weeks | Tallebudgera SLSC | To be advised |
7. IRB Buoy Laying & Water Safety
| Time | Date | Venue | Course Details |
| 8am | 30 April 2022 | PDB Office | To be advised |
8. Beach Management (Silver Medallion)
This course allows you to become a Patrol Captain. These courses are held at the Point Danger Branch office in Currumbin. Attendees must hold a Bronze Medallion.
| Time | Date | Venue | Course Details |
| 9am | 30 October 2021 | PDB Office | To be advised |
| 9am | 28 November 2021 | PDB Office | To be advised |
| 9am | 18 December 2021 | PDB Office | To be advised |
9. Officials Courses
All Clubs need to provide Officials to all carnivals across Nippers, Seniors and Masters. Our Club is in urgent need of members to qualify to assist with our growing competition numbers. If you don’t have an active role at the club, this award is a great way to have fun and get involved!
These courses are held at the Point Danger Branch office in Currumbin.
| Time | Date | Venue | Course Details |
| 6pm | 29 September 2021 | PDB Office | Course information and RSVP details |
| 6pm | 13 October 2021 | PDB Office | Course information – RSVP to PDB Office by midday 15 September |
| 6pm | 10 November 2021 | PDB Office | To be advised |
| 8am | 20 November 2021 | PDB Office | To be advised |
| 8am | 11 December 2021 | PDB Office | To be advised |
| 9am | 12 January 2022 | PDB Office (Team X – Youth Course) | To be advised |
10. Observers Course
An Observers course is a great course for parents who volunteer their time to become a Nipper Age Group Manager, but also for members who may want to patrol as a first aid officer but do not wish to enter the surf. One final face-to-face will be held at the Point Danger Branch office in Currumbin, however these courses can now be completed online, with a practical assessment in club. Details how to locate the online resources can be found here: online Observer course.
| Time | Date | Venue | Course Details |
| 9am | 9 October 2021 | PDB Office | To be advised |
11. Club Awards relating to Patrol
These courses are held around patrols and other courses already operating and dates will be available during season.
- Radio Operators Certificate – 2021 season dates to follow shortly
- SSV Operator Induction – 2021 season dates to follow shortly
- QLD Tractor Induction – 2021 season dates to follow shortly
- QLD 4WD Induction – 2021 season dates to follow shortly
For more information on any of our courses, contact our Club Administrator.
