OG LAND NEWSLETTER
Have a peek at the latest news, upcoming events, themed nights and more. This is everything that's happening at The Ocean Grove Surf Life Saving Club.UPCOMING DATES
A COVID-19 NOTE
We are committed to the health and safety of our Staff, Members and Guests and continue to encourage all who visit to adhere to social distancing of 1.5m between others where possible. Please wear a mask while you order drinks and meals. We support good hand hygiene with hand sanitiser readily available throughout the club, entry & capacity restrictions, re-arrangement of our tables/chairs within dining and lounge areas and regular cleaning of high-touch areas. A full list of safety precautions is outlined in an approved Industry COVID Safe Plan, which is on display and available at the Club Reception. We thank you for your continued support and patronage.
The Surf Club Ocean Grove team look forward to seeing you around the Club soon.
Keep up to date with the OGSLSC COVID changes.

Congratulations to 2019/20 award winners. Find the updated Annual Report here (including the Awards addition on the final two pages):
Picture: Steve Peatling won Best Club Person 2019/20

IRB ACTION AT OCEAN GROVE MAIN BEACH
Sunday 23rd May saw Ocean Grove Surf Life Saving Club host the 2021 TRE Motorsport IRB Premiership Series- Round 2.
If you didn’t come down and check out the action you missed out.
Our Ocean Grove team came 4th overall with Williamstown taking out the round on the day.

MEET GOLD SPONSORS – HOTONDO HOMES, OCEAN GROVE
We are thrilled to have Hotondo Homes Ocean Grove as a Gold Sponsor of our Club. They are a local family business who use local trades and services – to create beautiful homes in Ocean Grove and surrounds.
You may have seen owners Aaron and Sarah Anstis and their young family around the club, being part of our social nights, helping out with the promotion of the Nipper category of our Rip To River fundraising event – and they are of course our naming sponsors of The Ocean Open Water Swim Festival (which will be returning for 2022)!
The Hotondo Homes Ocean Grove team are exceptional at what they do – and that’s why we love partnering with them! Their customer experience is professional, transparent and engaging – they make every step of the journey seamless.
You can find out more about Hotondo, by visiting them on Facebook. Please continue to support those who support our club. Thanks Hotondo Homes Ocean Grove for your ongoing support!

SURF CLUB HISTORY LESSON… THE 1960s
The sixties got off to a great start with another Wishart medal win, this time to Graham Tribe in 1960. Active membership totalled 88.
This year saw work commencing on the upstairs level of the clubhouse. The Ladies Auxiliary was formed in October with 9 members including Eril Stubbings, Carrie Emselle, Gwen Williamson and Kath Smith. The purpose of the Auxiliary was to assist at Social functions and to raise money …….”to assist the male side of the club”.
In April 1963, Claude Williams tendered his resignation. Claude had been president for all but two years of the Club’s existence and he was immediately nominated by Bob Millett for the first Life membership of the Ocean Grove Surf Life Saving Club.
This was carried at the next Annual general Meeting. The following year, Bob Millett and Noel Emselle were awarded life membership for their long service to the club.
Alf Barnshaw succeeded Claude as president for two years followed in 1965 by Bob Millett who was to remain in the post until 1970.
During the early to mid sixties much effort had gone into the Herald Learn to Swim campaign where club members donated their time to teach young children to swim. This was done in the Barwon river. However this concept took a step further in January, 1969 with the introduction of the “Little Nippers” to the Ocean Grove SLSC. Under the leadership of Bob Millett and Ian McConnell a total of 41 nippers joined the club, of whom 24 gained their appropriate award.
A highlight in the 1971/72 season was Victoria’s first interstate nipper competition with Ocean Grove hosting and accommodating two teams from South Australia to compete against other Bellarine clubs and Portland.
Ocean Grove continued its efforts as a boat club with some successes at carnivals and many keen boaties, at one stage having four crews. Notable personalities of the sixties include Barry ‘Ribs’ Renton, Arthur Williamson, Ken and Perry Leach, Bruce McGeorge, the McPherson boys and Keith ‘Hook’ Norris. The club was deeply shaken by the death of John Bishop in a level crossing crash in December 1965. John had been a club stalwart and he is remembered each year by the awarding of the John Bishop Memorial Best Clubman Award, the most prized of the all the club’s awards.
The decade finished with the 1970 Australian Surf Life Saving Championships at the Ocean Grove beach. As usual the event was meticulously planned by Bob Millett but the perfect weather in the preceding week left everyone unprepared for the severity of the change on the weekend. The appalling conditions required a change of venue for some events and to this day at almost every surf club over Australia, if you mention the name Ocean Grove, somebody will be only too willing to tell you about the day it “snowed” at the Aussies. The carnival would have been a financial disaster were it not for the energy of Bob who pursued a reluctant insurance company until they paid out on their bad weather policy.
Later in the year tragedy struck Ocean Grove for the second time when Barry ‘Ribs’ Renton was killed in a car crash. Barry was one of those people who lived for the club and whose input into the club was immeasurable. His ashes were scattered over the Ocean Grove ‘Bommi’ in one of the largest gatherings of surf boats ever seen at the Grove. A perpetual trophy named in his honour is presented yearly to the best competitor, not necessarily the most successful, but someone whose philosophy matched that of Barry.
The number of active members in 1969/70 was 87. Notable members of the late sixties and early seventies include Daryl Barnett, Hugh Strahan, Dick Bedford, Stuart Dickson, Fred Leiper, Dave Renton, Albert ‘Dody’ Dodman, Norm Dickens, Ray Johnson and Ian ‘Doc’ McConnell.
JOIN OTHER OGSLSC MEMBERS AND SAVE ON YOUR HOME LOAN + BANKING WITH AWA
JOIN OTHER OGSLSC MEMBERS AND SAVE ON YOUR HOME LOAN + BANKING WITH AWA Our partnership with AWA Alliance Bank could see you save BIG on your home loan (and support OGSLSC at the same time). Want more information? Make an obligation free enquiry today. FIND OUT MOREMAKE A DONATION TO OGSLSC
Ocean Grove Surf Life Saving Club receives donations from locals and visitors alike, to continue to maintain a safe beach environment for swimmers, surfers and beach goers. With these vital donations we are able to continue to offer our community services, water safety and education programs and provide facilities for our community and memberss.
Every donation you give saves countless lives.
OFFICE HOURS
MONDAY - FRIDAY
9AM - 5PM
Please note, outside of these hours the phone may be answered by volunteers, who may not be able to assist with all enquiries.
Contact US
Phone
(03) 5255 1382
admin@oceangroveslsc.asn.au
Address
Street address: 26-30 Surf Beach Road, Ocean Grove VIC 3226
Postal address (for listing on Working with Children Card): PO Box 486 Ocean Grove VIC 3226