Kingston Beach SLSC is among 12 deserving Surf Life Saving Clubs from across Australia that have been awarded with Inflatable Rescue Boats (IRB) as part of Ampol's long-standing commitment to supporting grassroots surf life saving.

The return of the Ampol IRB Hull giveaway, now in its fourth year, increased from 2 to 12 IRBs, with surf life saving clubs from Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, Western Australia, Tasmania, South Australia and Northern Territory all worthy recipients of IRBs. 

The IRB was an innovation in the 1970s and continues to be a vital piece of equipment that has saved countless lives across Australia. The IRB is one of the critical items used by clubs across the country, to protect local communities and visitors to the beach.

For Kingston Beach SLSC President, Danielle Campbell, the honour of receiving an IRB is a huge morale boost for the club. 

“In terms of the grassroots of our club, we’re very much into development and leadership. From our Nippers up, you can only be what you can see and the more you can see young people doing the most they can at our club, the more energy and education there is. 

“We’re a bit low on IRB crew and drivers at the moment, which we’re trying to remedy, so to have another boat that we can get out there for some really good practice and confidence building is pretty exciting,” she said. 

In terms of the local community and the club, Campbell said having another IRB will just mean that the club can do more. 

“The more craft we can get out there, the more likely we are to make a successful rescue. For our youth, it’s seeing those pathways more prominently for them. It gives them real motivation to do the work, so I think that’s a big deal.”

Surf Life Saving Australia CEO Adam Weir was delighted to see clubs across the country receive their IRBs, thanks to the strong support from Ampol. 

"Inflatable Rescue Boats are vital for our community Surf Life Saving Clubs when it comes to rescues and surveillance," Weir said.

"The Ampol IRB Hull Giveaway has provided 12 clubs with the opportunity to have the latest equipment on their beaches, which is tremendous. 

"We see first-hand the impact vital rescue equipment has in local communities all across the country, not just along the coastline but also in the broader area.

"This initiative from Ampol has received strong applications nationwide and we're thrilled to be able to provide these 12 IRBs to the clubs." 

Ampol Chief Brand and Customer Officer, Jenny O'Regan said the program's expansion was to ensure more deserving clubs could be provided with the equipment they need to perform rescues, train members, and serve their communities.

"With summer fast approaching we hope that our contribution of this vital rescue equipment will play a crucial role across Australia's surf life saving landscape," O'Regan said.

"Awarding 12 IRBs to these deserving clubs across the nation is Ampol's way of supporting our generous volunteer lifesavers who safely patrol our great Australian coastlines."

Ampol will further support surf life saving communities through a fundraising campaign across the Ampol Foodary retail convenience network in November. Donations from this campaign will go directly towards empowering volunteers with specialised skills needed to save lives, including advanced lifesaving training, coastal and remote rescue capabilities, emergency response training, flood and swift‑water rescue techniques, and advanced rescue training for abalone divers. This will ensure our teams are prepared for emergencies in every environment across Australia.