The ILS is pleased to announce that Greg Allum has been awarded the title of Member (AM) in the General Division of the Order of Australia for his significant service to lifesaving at the local, national and international level on 8/06/2020.
Greg Allum, whose name is synonymous with surf lifesaving in Sutherland Shire, has been honoured for the second time in the Order of Australia awards. In 2006, he received a Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) for service to surf lifesaving. In this year’s Queen’s Birthday Honours, Greg Allum was appointed a member of the Order of Australia (AM) for “significant service to surf lifesaving, to international federations, and to the community”.
Greg made his mark with the Wanda and Cronulla Surf Lifesaving Clubs, winning the 1979 Australian Open Ironman title, the Veterans Surf Race,10 Australian R&R championships and 32 other national championship medals.
He was also runner-up in the 1978 and 1981 Australian Open Ironman, as well as winning two world championships, four New South Wales Open Ironman titles and more than 50 New South Wales championship medals.
After retiring from competition, he gave back to the sport as a coach, manager, referee and administrator at the national level and has also served in a range of roles with the International Life Saving Federation (ILS).
His other honours include the Australian Sports Medal and life membership of the Wanda Surf Life Saving Club and Surf Life Saving Sydney, New South Wales and Australia.
Greg Allum was inducted into Surf Lifesaving Australia’s Hall of Fame and the International Lifesaving Federation Hall of Fame (Sport) after earlier being made a Grand Knight in the Order of Lifesaving.
His contribution to lifesaving over 50 years has been entirely voluntarily. Until his retirement about 10 years ago, he worked for the Commonwealth Bank.
“I think I have been one of the most fortunate people in surf lifesaving,” he said of his AM honour.
“I have been given remarkable opportunities to contribute in ways that I would never have dreamed of. Awards such as this are a great honour, but they also representative of the organisation and family support I have received. I couldn’t have achieved anything without the support of my wife Patricia and our children, Kate, Hayden and Christopher, all of whom have been Australian Surf Life Saving Champions.”
Greg Allum said surf lifesaving was “in great shape”, particularly with the success of Nippers, the number and dedication of members and public appreciation.
In another community contribution, Greg Allum is a staunch member of St Andrew’s Anglican Church, Cronulla and is a parish representative on the Sydney Diocese Synod. He has also been a Justice of the Peace for 35 years and has been a member, Cook Community Classic Committee since 2011.
