In 2004 Surf Life Saving Australia inducted surf lifesavers into the national Hall of Fame.

In total 47 individual Surf Life Saving members and two teams were inducted in one of three categories: lifesaving service, administration or sport.

Those inducted for their outstanding contributions to Surf Life Saving included Professor Tess Cramond AO, OBE who supervised demonstrations of the latest resuscitation techniques on anaesthetized and unconscious volunteers in the early 1960’s and Earle Smith, who developed the Angled Type Ross Safety Belt. Bill Winters MBE, O. St. J. and Frank Venning MBE were also inducted for their role in starting the Queensland State Centre’ (now known as Surf Life Saving Queensland).

Among sporting greats to be honoured were Clint Robinson OAM, winner of 31 Australian titles and two Olympic medals; Grant Kenny OAM winner of 14 titles including four consecutive Ironman championships; and Karla Gilbert, who has won 16 Australian titles in the Ironwoman and has represented Australia in Surf Life Saving.

Other Surf Life Saving greats’ from around Australia were also honoured with induction into the Hall of Fame. The man known as the father of Surf Life Saving’, Sir Adrian Curlewis was among 16 honoured for their contribution to building SLSA to the point where it has more than 106,000 members. As a prisoner of war at Changi during World War II, Sir Adrian maintained morale by teaching Surf Life Saving techniques to other prisoners.

Lyster Ormsby was a foundation member of Bondi SLSC, where he was part of the team responsible for the design of the original surf rescue reel in 1907, which became a fundamental rescue tool at Australian beaches up until the early 1990s. Tom Meagher who participated in the mass rescue at Bondi Beach in 1938, the day known as Black Sunday’ was also inducted.

Source: Annual Report 2003-2004 – Surf Life Saving Queensland