Woolamai Newsletter - Oct 2026 - Farewell 2025/26 Season Edition
Web: www.woolamaibeach.org.au | Email: secretary@woolamaibeach.asn.au | Postal Address: PO Box 49, San Remo, VIC 3925 | Telephone: 0467 475 263
In this Edition:
President's Report
Celebration of the Life of Graeme Clauscen
Life Saving Victoria Awards for Excellence
HMAS Cape Woolamai
Speak & Share Mental Health Workshop
The Penguin Classics Orchestra
Vale Rod Lay
Board Update
President’s Report - Jason Close
Celebration of the Life of Graeme Clauscen
Recently we were saddened to hear of the passing of Graeme Clauscen, our longest serving life member and current Club historian.
Graeme was an incredible person who contributed so much to our Club since joining in 1961. Graeme, or GC as he was affectionately known, served as Club President, Treasurer, Secretary and many other roles which he carried out with distinction. He was also a terrific ambassador for our Club and was active in several other community organisations.
In accordance with GC’s wishes, there will not be a funeral service held for him.
Instead, the Clauscen family & Peter Brookes have invited members and friends to a Celebration of his life on Saturday 10 October, at the Woolamai Beach Surf Life Saving Club clubhouse from 12-3pm
Come along and celebrate Graeme and his remarkable life of service to not only the WBSLSC but the wider local community he so passionately contributed to in his extraordinary life!
Phone or text Graeme’s nephew Jason Clauscen on 0427 392 212.
To read more about Graeme’s life and his achievements at our Club, please see the tribute on our Club Facebook page posted on 17 September.
Life Saving Victoria Awards for Excellence
Woolamai Beach SLSC was honoured to be awarded a Ross and Andrew Powell Rescue Recognition Award at this years Life Saving Victoria Awards of Excellence.
This was a joint award with the Lifesaver 30 Helicopter crew in recognition of the outstanding teamwork and support provided by Woolamai Beach SLSC during the successful rescue of 3 kayakers from Westernport Bay, near Corinella on Christmas Day 2025.
The award was an announced at the Awards of Excellence held on Saturday 15 August at the Pullman Hotel, Albert Park.
Maddy Reynolds accepted the award on behalf of the Club and other members involved in supporting the rescue. Maddy, Nick and Tommy Reynolds played a key role in treating patients being brought to shore, while Alan Hailes, Sophia Hungerford and Josh Broughton provided important behind the scenes support.
The award honours the sacrifices and selfless community service of volunteer life savers performing rescues.
According to Club President, Jason Close ‘We are very proud of the efforts of our lifesavers who supported Lifesaver 30, Ambulance Victoria and Victoria Police in a difficult multi-agency rescue, and are very thankful that everyone made it home safely.’
HMAS Cape Woolamai
A very proud day for our Club, on August 6th, with a visit from Lieutenant Commander Danielle Couch and the entire crew of the HMAS Cape Woolamai.
The ship’s company are visiting Phillip Island to take part in a historic Freedom of Entry Ceremony in Cowes.
The Club has formed a unique relationship with the crew and we were very honoured that they found time in their busy schedule to visit and join us for lunch.
It was a great opportunity for our members and the crew to mix and swap stories. The crew have a keen interest in learning more about the Club, Cape Woolamai and the community of Phillip Island.
They loved the Club stubby holders and Barb’s beanies -very popular on a cool winters day.
During the visit the ship’s company even took the opportunity to present crew member of the quarter awards.
Thank you to our members who came along today and helped make a great event.
Speak & Share Mental Health Workshop, Sat 28th Mar
Erin Close
Wow!!! What a fantastic morning. Thanks so much to @speak__share for coming to Woolamai Beach SLSC and encouraging conversations around mental health.
A massive thankyou to the Victoria Government Sporting Club Grants Program for 2024-2025 for making this day possible. We are so lucky to receive this grant that has enabled us to give our members such important mental health training.
We all learnt something and despite being a very close knit community, we still found ways to strengthen our connections with our peers. It was a great reminder that no matter how well we know someone, we can always initiate conversations to check in and support our mates. We are so grateful for this opportunity and hope to see you again soon!
The Penguin Classics Orchestra Inaugural Concert, Saturday 11th April
Bec Scully
The Woolamai Clubhouse hosted the launch of The Penguin Classics - an orchestra for Phillip Island and Cape Paterson made up of local and visiting musicians. The group performed works of Mozart, Boccherini and Tchaikovsky and also featured a work from Australian composer, Alice Chance, conducted by Stuart Riley. Local violin student, Yuri, performed Boccherini’s Minuet as a solo item with the orchestra.
As well as being a cultural milestone for the Island, the event raised over $650 for the Club.
In the audience was local taxi driver and former-nipper, Richard, who sported his original 1970s Nippers (née Penguins) badge.
A massive shout out to Maddie Hungerford who jumped in to help with ticket sales and stayed back to help with the pack-up as well.
Vale Rod Lay
Jason Close
I am very sad to share the news of the sudden passing of Rod Lay, a former member of our Club. who patrolled and competed with our Club from 1977 through until the mid 80’s.
Rod was part of a Bronze squad with his twin brother Mike, their Waverley High School friend Brian ‘Reggie’ Whittaker and Matt Turner. They gained their Bronze medallion on 13 November 1977 and enjoyed many years together in the Club, patrolling and competing at Surf Carnivals, even going to the Aussies as 16 year olds.
Competing for Woolamai, Rod achieved some great results in beach sprints, relays and beach flags. Along with his brother Mike, Bernie Neubauer, Matt Turner and Andrew Barratt formed part of a boat crew that had some really special times.
A few years into his time at the Club, younger brother Tim joined and the 3 brothers made significant contributions.
Rod and Mike were twins and with matching hairstyles and moustaches had a lot of fun fooling people who thought each was the other.
Brian Whittaker shared the following story involving Rod “ When we were barely 16yo, Rod and I were hitchhiking from Cowes back to the Club at dusk and were picked up by the police. On the way to the Club we became passengers in a police chase that ended in San Remo and we had to wait while they charged some guy before they took us to the Club and dropped us off without any issues.”
Rod was a good friend to many and I found him to be one of the most welcoming people when I first joined the Club.
Our thoughts are with his fiancée Deb, children Melissa and Josh, grandchildren, brothers Mike and Tim and sister Robyn.
He will also be greatly missed by all who associated with him at Woolamai Beach SLSC
A funeral service for Rod was held on Monday 6th July at Stratus Reflection Space, Bunurong Memorial Park, Frankston-Dandenong Rd, Bangholme
Board Updates
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On Saturday 25 July 2026 the Woolamai Beach SLSC held its Annual General Meeting at the Clubhouse.The following members were elected to the Club’s Board of Directors for the 2026/27 season.
President -Jason Close
Vice President -Nick Reynolds
Director Admin/Secretary - Nic Frances Gilley
Director Finance/Treasurer -Janine Lloyd
Director Life Saving Services/Club Captain -Jordan Kuerschner
Director Member Development & Nippers -Heather Ridley
Director Buildings & Infrastructure/Assets -Darrell Clark
Director Member Engagement -Ryan Andreola
We welcome Janine Lloyd & Ryan Andreola to the Board, and thank our retiring Directors Fi Blackmore, Grant Edmunds and Erin Close for their enormous contribution to the Club.
Also at the AGM, Michelle Murphy was elected to the Development Fund Board and we we thank retiring Board member Georgie Wettenhall for her significant contribution.
This year’s AGM was reasonably well attended with about 34 members in attendance. A big thank you for coming along and braving the Island’s wintery conditions.
After the AGM everyone enjoyed drinks and amazing grazing platters prepared by Rachel Costello.
Thank you to Rachel and also to Maddie Hungerford, Fi Blackmore, Nick Reynolds and Roz Reynolds for their help in the kitchen, behind the bar and cleaning up.
Minutes for the meeting will be circulated in the not too distant future.
Here’s looking forward to a great 2026/27 season.
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Description text goes here
We held a short online meeting at 7.30pm on Tues 29 September.
At this meeting we:
-voted to endorse very minor changes to our financial statement (a preliminary version was endorsed at the July 2026 AGM but small changes have has to be made since)
-voted to endorse a change to our Constitution to confirm the Treasurer’s role on the Development Fund Board (this was endorsed but not minuted at the 2025 AGM)
27 members were present.
At the conclusion of the meeting, the 2025/26 season was officially over and we met all of our LSV, incorporated association, charity reporting requirements.