The red and yellow flags at Werri Beach are more than just a sign of summer. 

They are a symbol of care, courage and community spirit, values beautifully captured in Wave Whispers, a new booklet launched on 22 March alongside the exhibition Swim Between the Flags at the Gerringong Museum.

The exhibition, curated by the Gerringong and District Historical Society’s archive team, celebrates the history of the Gerringong Surf Life Saving Club and the generations of volunteers who have watched over beachgoers. 

It is the latest in their Glimpses of the Past series, which has previously explored women’s hockey and the local Scouts and Guides.

Club president Gary George spoke movingly at the launch about how much he had learned from reading Wave Whispers, saying it deepened his appreciation for the club’s beginnings and the extraordinary dedication of those who came before him. 

He praised the Historical Society and archive team for their work, saying the project shows how telling the stories of our past helps bring people and community together.

L to R Gerringong SLSC Life Members Lois and David McCallum, Ken Hodges, Mark Booth, Christine Wallace and Club President Gary George 

Geoff Webb, president of the Gerringong and District Historical Society, also spoke at the launch and expressed deep pride in the community effort that brought the exhibition and book to life. 

He extended thanks to all involved and acknowledged the significance of preserving Gerringong’s surf lifesaving history for future generations.

The project has been a labour of love. Colleen Horner led the video production, Robyn Florance created the booklet and Judy Kelsall, Romy Speering, Kaye Turnbull and Val Cartwright supported every step.

Their determination brought this chapter of local history to life.

Fiona Phillips, federal member for Gilmore, Geoff Webb, President Gerringong and District Historical Society, Gary George, President Gerringong Surf Lifesaving Club

The exhibition features historic photographs, a short film and a surf reel which offers a tangible link to one of Gerringong's most iconic moments: the 1933 landing of Sir Charles Kingsford Smith on Seven Mile Beach. 

That event, as the exhibition explains, may never have happened if a young Kingsford Smith had not been rescued from the surf as a child in 1907, in one of the first surf reel rescues by the newly formed Bondi club.

Among the stories in Wave Whispers is a 1982 incident in which a mother and her two children were swept out by a rip near the unpatrolled end of the beach. Lifesavers sprinted from the flagged area, administered oxygen and called in the Westpac Rescue Helicopter. 

They all survived, but the story remains a powerful reminder of why we are told to swim between the flags.

Gerringong’s surf lifesaving journey began with a small patrol in 1914, re-formed in 1951 and again in 1976. Today, the club has more than 100 members and a thriving nippers program. A new clubhouse opened earlier this month on the site of the original one.

The launch was attended by Fiona Phillips MP, Kiama councillors, surf club life members, local community leaders and a wide cross-section of the public. Their presence reflected how deeply the club is woven into Gerringong’s story.

Wave Whispers is available at the museum for $10. The exhibition is open and well worth a visit.

Visit the museum website to find opening hours for the exhibition