THE S TRAND COVERED BY CL UBS

THE red and yellow flags are back for summer with two volunteer surf lifesaving clubs servicing The Strand.

Volunteer surf lifesavers will hoist the flags every weekend and public holiday from now until May.

Surf Life Saving Queensland North Barrier regional manager Jenny Neal said the Arcadian Surf Lifesaving Club was back patrolling The Strand, along with Picnic Bay Surf Lifesaving Club, for the first time in years.

“Arcadian has been doing patrols over on the island for many years and they probably haven’t had enough members to do patrols on The Strand as well,” she said.

“They’ll be doing both this season.”

Ms Neal said there were now about 600 members between the two clubs.

“We’ve had a great start to the nipper season this year, which is great because that’s the future of the clubs,” she said. “We’re always looking for new members.”

Ms Neal said she was hoping it would be a quiet start to the surf lifesaving season.

“We’ve had a very dry winter and not very cold weather so marine stingers will not be in abundance,” she said.

Last season, volunteer surf lifesavers across Townsville treated 252 beachgoers and performed preventive 991 treatments.