Federal Member for Gilmore, Fiona Phillips, visited the Batemans Bay Surf Life Saving Club at Malua Bay yesterday (Wednesday August 17th) to present the club an all-terrain-vehicle. The ATV was purchased with $20,000 made available through the Stronger Communities Grant.
Ms Phillips said "Batemans Bay SLSC plays a vital part in our community. Volunteers were there during the Black Summer bushfires and they are there every day saving lives. That’s why I was delighted to provide a $20,000 federal Stronger Communities grant to buy a new ATV".
President of the Batemans Bay Surf Life Saving Club, Tracy Innes, told East Coast Radio the ATV will be a massive help for the club when carrying out surf lifesaving duties.
"Fiona was behind the Stronger Communities Grant that came out last year and we were lucky enough to be awarded that grant to purchase the ATV," Ms Innes said.
"We often have emergencies off the rocks around us, so it's also a much faster way of getting there, rather than getting there and not being able to swim straight away because we're puffed from running," she explained.
"So it's certainly going to be helpful."
An ATV (all-terrain-vehicle) is like a little dune buggy that, as the name suggests, can cover all terrain.
"They can go down the beach and handle that very well," Ms Innes said.
"They can tow our IRB (Inflatable Rescue Boat) down the beach and also our gear shelter, so it will really help out with that sort of thing," she said.
Image: Fiona Phillips MP
