Ulverstone Surf Life Saving Club's Hazell Bros 357 Mission Zero Big Swim won the Community Engagement Program of the Year at the 2026 Awards of Excellence, recognising one of the most powerful community-driven water safety initiatives in the state. 

Held on 7 February 2026 at Ulverstone SLSC, the Big Swim saw participants take to the water for 357 minutes - one minute for every life lost to drowning in Australia over the past year. With 123 swimmers rotating through the water between 2pm and 7.57pm, the event totalled an extraordinary 357 minutes swum, each one representing a life that should never have been lost.

Proudly supported as naming rights sponsor by Hazell Bros, the event was created to drive awareness of Surf Life Saving Australia's Mission Zero vision of a future with zero preventable drownings in Australian waters by 2030, and to reinforce the simple, life-saving message: swim between the flags.

But for the team behind it, the win is bigger than one club or one event.

"Honestly, it wasn't an I, it was a we. We did it as a state, we did it as a community. It couldn't have been done without all of Tasmania," said Evie Collins. 

"I think that we all put in a bit of effort and I think that we all had a plan to make it great, and that's what we did."

More than a swim, the event became a genuine grassroots movement and one that surprised even its organisers with how quickly it caught on.

"A lot of people actually didn't know what Mission Zero was, and then when we brought the idea and we told people about it, they were so excited about it. They were wanting to do it again. It was definitely a community thing."

The impact on drowning prevention awareness was immediate, and the team is already looking ahead to grow the initiative further.

"I think that we should make it a state thing. I think that it definitely got awareness out, and that the more we do it, the less time we have to be in the water, and it's definitely a part of Australia's strategic plan."

The win secured the club a nomination at the 2026 Surf Life Saving Australia’s Awards of Excellence for Community Engagement Program of the Year. 

We wish the club the best of luck in the category. The award winners will be announced on Saturday 7 November 2026.