In the early years of the surf club funds were raised in many ways to provide the lifesaving equipment to keep our beach safe. There was no bar or pokie facilities and over the Christmas period the Club members took part in many fund raising activities.

A chocolate wheel was run every night with the raffle being run almost outside the doors of the “Sorrento” shop. The surf club ran a dance every night in our own hall with music provided by a band who would bunk with the Club Members for the holiday season.

Another method involved the boat crew setting a drum line in the hope of catching a shark which would then be put on display and the public would be asked for a donation to view the animal.

The pictures depict one of the monsters dragged to the beach by the boat crew for display. The effort to drag the shark to the beach by the rowers was not easy and would be a mammoth task. The animal was kept in the gear room of the clubhouse for the short time before it would start to become very smelly. Then came the onerous task of disposing of the carcass. Access to 4WD vehicles was not as easy as today!

Obviously it would not be environmentally acceptable to encourage this activity today but 40 years ago this was not given a thought.