The Beginning

In the early 1920s, the place we now know as City Beach was becoming increasingly popular as a weekend swimming spot. Concerns arose for the safety of the bathing public, and in January 1925 members of the City of Perth Amateur Swimming Club formed the City of Perth Surf Life Saving Club, the third club in Western Australia.

The first clubrooms, opened in February 1925, was a small two-room timber cottage with a verandah overlooking the surf. Our first surfboat was launched in December 1927; given to us by another club it required a dozen members to drag it to the water.

In 1929 the Patrol Efficiency Trophy was introduced. City of Perth was first successful in winning in 1931, setting the standard to be followed for many years to come.

In 1935 the new clubrooms were opened. This building would house the club for the next 35 years.

City was to lose many active members to war duty from 1939 to 1945. During this time the club was kept alive by our large and dedicated women's membership, and through the strong leadership and administration of members such as Reg Sanderson and Jackie Mayberry.

The war ended in 1945 and huge crowds were back to the beach and a new lookout tower was constructed.

On Sunday, 10 February 1946, a large crowd was spread along the beach. Suddenly, a breathless and distressed member of the public relayed the news that a shark attack had occurred at the northern end of the beach. City members took to the water in the surf boat, and when the crew sighted the shark, a blue whaler more than four metres long, they took several shots at it with a hand-held harpoon. This served to merely annoy the shark, which attacked the surfboat, knocking one of the crew overboard (he is said to have climbed back in without getting wet!). The shark then swam off to the north, leaving two teeth in the hull of the boat, which were later mounted and are still at the club. The victim of the attack was rushed to hospital, where it was necessary to amputate his left leg below the knee.

City's surf lifesavers continued their outstanding record in the Patrol Efficiency Trophy, winning five times in the 50s. We also achieved success in interclub competition, with Bill Mattingley winning five Open Beach Sprints and the surfboats, under the guidance of Don Arcus and Alan White, dominating the competition. The strong lifesaving emphasis of the club paid off not only with success in Champion Lifesaver events, but time and again members were putting their skills to the test in rescue situations.

In August 1959 Ian Scott and Doug Napier rescued four people from heavy surf at City Beach. Two were swept onto the rocks, but heroic action by Ian Scott, who was himself injured in the rescue, saw them escape with only cuts and bruises. Ian's actions were later recognised with a Bronze Medal for bravery from the Royal Humane society.

Surfboats at this time not only provided the club with regular competitive success but were also used for a variety of memorable recreational activities. Weekend shark fishing trips were eventually abandoned when it was realised that other sharks were following the surf boat and the trail of blood from it's catch back to the beach, although this did contribute to some outstanding times in club swims.

In 1960 City took a leading role in the promotion of the new mouth to mouth and mouth to nose resuscitation techniques and in November 1960 Mick Mickle gave the first resus demo to be shown on TV in WA.

The 60s were not our best years as a club, numbers and spirit dwindled. The women's membership had been forced to form a separate Ladies Club, with their role reduced to little more than cleaners and tea-makers, and many of these members were lost. The emergence of surf board riding as an alternative beach culture meant the loss of younger members who would rather be out catching waves than doing patrols and other club duties.

While competitive highlights were few and far between, Mick Mickle achieved success in the water, and in 1967 Ric Roberts won the inaugural State Iron Man Title.

The dominant figure at City of Perth in the 1960's however was Warren 'Wonk' Somerford who was Captain for 11 years then became Club President for another five.

The new clubhouse was officially opened by the Lord Mayor on 29 January 1970, one of the club's proudest occasions. From then on a magnificent clubhouse with facilities and a wonderful club spirit reigned for the coming decade.