South Coast Surf Branch Training, Administration and Storage Centre officially opened

The South Coast Branch Training, Administration and Storage Centre (South Coast TAS) was officially opened in a ceremony on Saturday (April 30).

For South Coast Branch president Steve Jones, who has been the driving force behind the project, it was the conclusion of a 15-year journey, and a result many believed would possibly never happen.

"It's been a long journey but here we are and we have a wonderful new facility," a proud Mr Jones said.

"I'm really chuffed to see what we have here.

"I feel a weight lifted from my shoulders - there's been some testy moments with the project but it's a magnificent outcome."

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The new complex, which is part of the Shoalhaven emergency services precinct at West Nowra, includes two training rooms, multiple administration areas which will also be home of the branch administration officer Sean Hendry, and storage areas for the branch's $180,000 of assets and equipment.

Mr Jones was joined by Gilmore MP Fiona Phillips, South Coast MP Shelley Hancock and Shoalhaven Mayor Amanda Findley in officially declaring the facility open, in front of a large, appreciative crowd.

The $1.54 million complex was the result of a 2019 bipartisan election commitment by both major political parties worth $1.2 million, Shoalhaven City Council which provided the land on which the complex is situated, and $350,000 from the State Government's Surf Club Facilities Fund.

A number of special guests including the president of NSW Surf Life Saving George Shales, Surf Life Saving NSW CEO Stephen Pearce along with a number of life members of both the South Coast Branch and Surf Life Saving NSW attended the official opening.

The South Coast Branch boasts nine surf clubs from the southern shores of Lake Illawarra to the border with the Eurobodalla Shire in the south, near Batemans Bay.

The nine clubs are made up from Warilla-Barrack Point, Shellharbour, Kiama Downs, Kiama, Gerringong, Shoalhaven Heads, Nowra-Culburra, Sussex Inlet and Mollymook, with 3800 members of which 1000 are volunteer patrol members and 1600 juniors, aged five to 13 years.

Gilmore MP Fiona Phillips paid tribute to Mr Jones for his "tireless advocacy for the wonderful facility".

"Steve came to me many years ago and he's never stopped with his passion for creating this building and a home for the South Coast Branch Surf Life Saving," she said.

"There is no doubt about the need for this facility - we have 180 kilometers of coastline with nine surf clubs and 11 patrolled beaches.

"That's a lot of coastline to patrol, but it says a lot about our volunteer surf lifesavers and their absolute commitment to supporting people in the community.

"It is important to have this home for South Coast Surf Life Saving. There have been troubles along the way but this is a hub for everyone in eSouth Coast Surf Life Saving, for all the members and is about supporting the community."

South Coast MP Shelley Hancock said the complex is an example that "miracles really do happen".

"A lot of people said to me and Steve Jones that the building would never happen," she said.

"You will have to have a Master Plan process, studies done, find a site - my initial discussions started with Steve in 2007 - 15 years ago.

"In politics you learn to be patient - and if you are resilient and determined things happen but they can take a long time.

"Steve, this is an incredible achievement on this site.

"I pay tribute to the life members and everyone concerned who had anything to do with this but it comes down to Steve Jones' leadership, his vision, making sure that vision became a reality, obtaining the funding.

"This site will continue to grow, that's what it is planned to be Well done to all our volunteers who are out there on our beaches doing incredible things every day keeping our community and visitors safe."

Shoalhaven Mayor Amanda Findley said the centre opening was "a tenacious journey by Steve Jones".

"Without Steve as the driving force this would not have happened," she said.

"Council is proud to be a partner and stakeholder in this facility.

"It is great to see the conclusion of this journey and there is a lot more that will happen from this site.

"A whole bunch of new men and women will come together here through surf life saving for training, whether for paid training for paid work, or volunteer work, we know that's going to happen."

NSW Surf Life Saving president George Shales, described the complex as "amazing".

"We take our hats off to Steve and the team and the journey they have undertaken," he said.

"The amount of work and effort that goes into producing a facility like this is enormous.

"But it would not be able to be done without the help of local, state and federal governments.

"A facility like this enables us to provide services across the South Coast of NSW, ensuring we save those lives between the red and yellow flags.

"But it is not only between the red and yellow flags, as we know now the last three years, despite what we've been doing for a long time, we are now acknowledged and became an emergency service and pushing ourselves beyond the red and yellow flags.

"And that has certainly been evident in the past three years with the bushfires and floods.

"A facility like this will allow us to provide training facilities for future surf life savers across the South Coast Branch.

"On behalf of Surf Life Saving NSW, the members of your branch and nine surf clubs, we commend Steve on the amount of work to ensure the facility has been delivered."

Warilla-Barrack Point president Alan Beveridge, speaking on behalf of the South Coast clubs, said it was fantastic "to finally have a home".

"We were originally part of the Illawarra Branch which took in from Stanwell Park to Mollymook before breaking away to form the South Coast branch in 1978," he said.

"This has been a long time coming but we finally have somewhere we can permanently call home.

"Over the years we have met at numerous different locations but for 44 years we were essentially homeless.

"Now we have a permanent home - an education centre - you can call it headquarters, a training centre, an administration centre but it is realistically our home for the future development and future expansion of the South Coast Branch.

"Thanks to Steve and the building committee, without your drive and tenacity this would not have happened. There were a few of us who thought we would never see the day."

In response Mr Jones relived the 15-year journey and paid credit to builders Edwards Constructions who built the facility, thanked the branch building committee and branch council for its enduring support, and a number of individuals who helped throughout the process, including David and Andrew Goodman who designed the complex.

He also paid credit to his family for all their ongoing support, but especially his wife Sally.

The opening ceremony also saw the presentation of National Emergency Medals to a number of South Coast members.