More than 60 years of volunteer marine rescue on the Gold Coast is entering a new chapter, as a proud local tradition continues through Marine Rescue Queensland Southport West.
For the Gold Coast community, it is both an ending and a beginning: the conclusion of an era under the former volunteer marine rescue organisations and the progression of a new statewide service.
For generations, the volunteers of Australian Volunteer Coast Guard Association (AVCGA) Southport have kept a steady watch from their base at Marine Parade. From today, those same dedicated locals will don their new MRQ uniforms as they join the statewide service.
While the organisational structure is changing, the fundamental purpose remains unchanged — keeping people safe on Queensland's waterways.
In welcoming the volunteers of MRQ Southport into the fold, MRQ Chief Officer Tony Wulff paid tribute for the legacy of the unit.
“This transition is about honouring our past while preparing for the future. MRQ is defined by service to community, and that commitment remains at the centre of everything we do”.
Reflecting on the change, incoming MRQ Southport West Unit Commander David Tapsall said that marine rescue on the Gold Coast remains the story of ordinary people doing extraordinary things for others.
“I am proud of our crews who keep people safe at sea and the spirit they have shown as we embrace this new chapter with MRQ. The boats and the technology may have changed dramatically since the 1960s, but our commitment to helping people on the water has not”.
As MRQ Southport West begins this new chapter, it carries forward the experience, knowledge, and legacy of so many dedicated marine rescue volunteers.
As Mr Tapsall says, “More than 60 years of service does not end with a change of organisation. It becomes the foundation for the next generation”.
AVCGA National Commodore Matthew Semmens said the transition was another significant milestone in the changing face of marine rescue in Queensland.
“Southport holds a special place in AVCGA history as the first Coast Guard Flotilla established in Queensland. I sincerely thank every past and present member of QF1 Southport for what they have contributed to our organisation.
We are very proud of the Flotilla, and we wish their volunteers every success as they continue doing what they do best, serving their communities as part of Marine Rescue Queensland.”
