Held at the Shoalhaven Heads Bowling and Recreation Club, the evening recognised the outstanding volunteer surf life savers within the South Coast Branch’s nine clubs.

Mollymook’s dominance at the awards night was highlighted by them winning the 2017/18 club of the year - the second straight year the club has done so.

Not to be outdone was Mollymook’s Danielle McKenzie, who took out the trainer of the year.

The club also made a clean sweep of the local Shoalhaven lifesavers surf sport awards, with Sam Zustovich (cadet male championship winner), Brock Scrivener (under 19 male champion winner) and Kate Lewis (under 19 female champion winner) being acknowledged for their achievements.

The evening was capped off when South Coast Surf Life Saving Branch’s deputy president Rex Russell took  the microphone and announced the awarding of life membership of South Coast Surf Life Saving Branch to Branch president Steve Jones as well as to the long serving Mollymook SLSC president Rod Austin OAM.

“I was very shocked and extremely humbled when it [life membership] was announced,” Austin said.

“The life membership means everything to me – it shows that all the time and effort you put in is being appreciated.

“You don’t volunteer your time to get awards like this though but it’s an honour to be recognised.”

Austin, who has been part of the Mollymook SLSC for more than 50 years, as well as the South Coast Surf Life Saving Branch for more than 40 years, was also excited to see his club claim numerous other awards.

“Our club has grown immensely since I first started here – going from 40 active members to more than 200,” he said.

“We have a great team here at the club, who strive to make the club bigger and more successful by continually implementing new programs and equipment – not to mention patrolling three beaches during summer.

“To win the club of the year again highlights the efforts we are all putting in but we don’t do all this hard work to get awards like this – we just want to provide a successful operation that people want to be a part of and I think we are doing that.

“We aren't going to rest on our laurels though, as we want to continue to build as a fun and community orientated club – I think our future is very bright.”

Other awards on the night went to Shellharbour SLSC’s Dean Boyton (surf lifesaver of the year), patrol four of Kiama Downs SLSC (lifesaving patrol team of the year), Warilla-Barrack Point SLSC’s Ross Day (junior activities age manager of the year) and Warilla-Barrack Point SLSC’s Jason Krstevski (junior activities volunteer of the year).