FEW better ways exist to celebrate Australia Day than a day at the beach, unless it is made even better by free food, music and amazing weather, as it was on Bennetts Beach, Hawks Nest, this year.
Thanks to a grant from Surf Life Saving NSW, Tea Gardens Hawks Nest Surf Life Saving Club (TGHN SLSC) was able to host all that and more from midday.
TGHN SLSC Registrar Kerrie Moore told News Of The Area the Club’s Events Committee were keen to present an event with a beach theme in keeping with the National Australia Day Council aim of “respect, reflect, celebrate”.
“The Club was successful in gaining a grant from National Australia Day Council to hold the event,”
“The grant enabled TGHNSLSC to support local businesses in provision of food, drink, music and photography, with the Tea Gardens Soccer Club also assisting with the servicing of the beef and gravy rolls, they did a great job.”
“The event gave TGHNSLSC an opportunity to show off what skills our Life Savers have in both water craft and rescue, demonstrate first aid skills and also [showcase] the culture of friendship and team work within the Life Saving Community.”
Activities included volleyball, sack races and tug-o-war organised by Abbey Keighran and the Bush Turkeys Youth Group for the kids.
Music provided by local superstar DJ Jomeca pumped loud enough to be heard from out in the water, taking the party offshore too.
With water temperatures above 20 degrees, the beach itself played host to several demonstrations, including first aid, inflatable rescue boat (IRB) and rescue jet ski launches.
Murky waters and a steady south-westerly offshore wind kept swimmer numbers low, but there were plenty of free coffees, temporary tattoos and showbags to go around.
The last Australia Day event hosted at Bennetts Beach was prior to COVID, so 2026 saw a welcome return and a nice addition to the Tea Gardens Lions’ Australia Day Breakfast just down the road.
The community response was overwhelming, with a significant number of children and adults turning out, many pleasantly surprised by the return of the event after many years off.
Volleyball proved popular, along with demonstrations showing how to use a defibrillator and tourniquet.
Many enjoyed the lighter conditions of the afternoon, taking a much-needed aquatic cool-down before a restful evening on the national public holiday.
By Thomas O’KEEFE
You can help your local paper.
Make a small once-off, or (if you can) a regular donation.
We are an independent family owned business and our newspapers are free to collect and our news stories are free online.
Help support us into the future.
