Vikings in surf Valhalla
Iconic club celebrates 100 years
THERE would be few surf clubs in Australia closer to the ocean than the Currumbin Beach Vikings Surf Life Saving Club sitting in the shadow of Elephant Rock.
The club has endured and withstood the elements for 100 years and is now preparing for major celebrations to mark the occasion.
Being so exposed to the elements has taken its toll on the clubhouse, but part of the celebration will be the completion of stage one of major refurbishments.
Vikings CEO Michael Sullivan said the work involved redoing the roof and steel work and weatherproofing the balcony to allow patrons to enjoy the views regardless of the weather conditions.
To mark the reopening of the club, a special 100-year flag was hoisted. Displays of old photos and reports will greet patrons at the door.
“The club came about through tragedy when in 1915 Alderman Fielding Chippendale lost his daughter, Eva, who drowned at Currumbin,” Mr Sullivan said.
“After that, a peg and line attached to a float was fixed to the rock face, but it wasn’t until 1919 when the club was formed by locals and then bolstered by members of the Ipswich Vikings Swimming Club, who use to come down to help provide lifeguard services – hence the name.”
From a shed in the early days, the club has withstood high tides, cyclones and nearby plane crashes to become one of the most iconic surf venues in Australia.
It features prominently every Anzac Day when the dawn service is broadcast nationally.
The club has also enjoyed considerable success in the sporting arena under the guidance of club president Ben Munro and his team. At last year’s world championships in Adelaide, Currumbin pushed Northcliffe to the limit in a neck-and-neck battle for supremacy, falling just short.
Events to mark the centenary include a commemorative book, a Walk Back In Time cocktail party on November 16, Around the Rock Swim on December 1, and 100th year gala dinner on May 16, 2020 at Currumbin RSL.