The official opening of the SLSC new shed at Brooms Head took place on Sunday morning with the ribbon being cut by L-R Clarence Valley Council mayor Jim Simmons, Maclean Rotary Club president Anne Farrell, Native Title committee member Eileen McLeay and Member for Clarence Chris Gulaptis. Image: Lynne Mowbray.

Lynne Mowbray Holiday makers and surfers at Brooms Head can be sure of safer surfing thanks to the initiative of the Rotary Club of Maclean. The clubs project to provide a shed for the Surf Life Saving Club [SLSC] to house their equipment within close proximity of the beach at Brooms Head finally came to fruition with the official opening of the shed on Sunday. The project has been on the drawing board for over three years from conception to completion. Funding for the project was applied for under the NSW State Government’s NSW Community Partnership Program and the Rotary Club was granted $20,000. Shortly after the grant was obtained, a Development Application was lodged with the Clarence Valley Council [CVC]. However due to technical difficulties with the DA, the project stalled for 18 months. During this time the Rotary Club considered alternative options of housing the equipment, such as a caravan which could be towed and used for storage. With some direction and guidance from CVC Engineer Troy Anderson and CVC General Manager Ashley Lindsay, it was established that the Rotary Club needed to obtain the approval of both the Brooms Head Reserve Park Trust and the NSW Crown Land’s office. Both Joe Endean and Peter Bauman at the Crown Land’s office in Grafton assisted with the application procedure and about six months ago consent was given to re-lodge the development application with council. The approval of Yaegl Native Title Land Claims Committee was also required and the Rotary Club secured all the necessary approval only a month before the NSW Community Partnership Program grant expired. Local builder Graeme Dobbin was contracted to build the shed and was able to complete the construction within two weeks. The Brooms Head Surf Life saving shed project would not have been possible without the support of the Reserve Park Trust, the Yaegl Local Community, Surf Life Saving, Clarence Valley Council and the Rotary Club of Maclean. Surf Lifesaving New South Wales have equipped the shed with various pieces of equipment including a treatment bed, defibrillator and oxy resus machine. Life Guard supervisor Greg Wyllie said that prior to the construction of the shed; their rescue equipment had to be stored underneath the caravan park, managers residence. “The gear was always getting dirty and scratched,” Mr Wyllie said. “By having this shed now, it will be a lot more efficient.” “This shed will benefit the whole community at Brooms Head and can be utilised as a First Aid room as well,” he said. The SLSC will be on duty every day between 9am and 5pm at Brooms Head from Saturday 16 December until 28 January. They will also be on duty for four days over Easter and for the last two weeks of the school holidays in April.