History

Marine Rescue NSW was established in July 2009, with the support of the NSW Government. We officially took to the water on New Years Day 2010, backed by our volunteers' decades of skill and experience. We are not a Government agency but a not-for-profit, community-based organisation.

The organisation brings together members from three former marine rescue organisations that had long served our community with distinction - the Australian Volunteer Coast Guard Association, Royal Volunteer Coastal Patrol and Volunteer Rescue Association's marine fleet - into a single integrated service.

• - The Royal Volunteer Coastal Patrol was formed in 1937, following a suggestion from the Director of Naval Intelligence, Commander Rupert Long OBE RAN that a group of trained yachtsmen be formed as a Naval Auxiliary Service. All members were volunteers and in 2009 provided marine rescue services from 25 divisions in NSW.

• - The Australian Volunteer Coast Guard Association was established in 1961. Modelled on the US Coast Guard Auxiliary, the Association and had 17 bases in NSW.

• - The marine branch of the NSW Volunteer Rescue Association was formed in 1969 and by 2009 comprised of 14 marine units in NSW.

In 2007, the State Government appointed the former Deputy Speaker of the Legislative Assembly, the Hon John Price MP, to undertake a wide-ranging review of the delivery of volunteer marine rescue services in NSW.

This review, which included widespread consultation, identified that the cost of membership, operations and training, along with vessel and communication equipment replacement, was overtaking the ability of each organisation to recruit and adequately fundraise.The key recommendation of this report was the establishment of a single, consolidated marine rescue organisation.

This was supported by the State Government, which appreciated the resource efficiencies and improved services that could be delivered to the boating community.

The Government provided a one-off capital payment of $3 million as seed funding to help with the cost of setting up the new service, including uniforms and corporate identification, as well as new or replacement vessels or equipment.

Marine Rescue NSW was formally incorporated on July 1, 2009 and its operational launch was on January 1, 2010 with our volunteers taking to the water in new royal blue uniforms on vessels bearing our new distinctive red and white livery.

The organisation has continued to grow since that time, with more than 3,000 members now proudly part of Marine Rescue NSW.