For Katrin Baldow, the journey began with a simple mother’s instinct.
She first walked into the Coogee Surf Life Saving Club not to volunteer, but to ensure her children were safe in the Australian surf.
"I grew up in Berlin, which is far away from any ocean, so I really just started to learn into about the ocean in my adult life," Baldow said.
Katrin, who moved to Australia 20 years ago, is now in her seventh year patrolling the beach on weekends and public holidays, especially during the busy summer months.
"I joined the Coogee Surf Life Saving Club with my kids since 2019...It's more than just the lifesaving. It's a really big community," Baldow said.
"I think I can relate to people who come to Australia and come to the ocean in a later part of their life and don't necessarily have the knowledge about ocean safety and how to be safe around the ocean," she said.
Growing community of multicultural volunteers
Nearly 44 per cent of Coogee’s residents are born overseas.
Royal Life Saving reports that, on average, 288 people drown in Australia each year, with about one in four of them born overseas.
And these volunteers also come from diverse backgrounds, who not only watch the waves, they also help everyone feel safe and welcome.
From increased vigilance after recent shark sightings to wider water safety concerns, these volunteers prove that looking out for each other transcends language and culture.
Doug Hawkins, the club’s community education coordinator, says the Coogee Surf Life Saving Club has more than 800 volunteers from 24 different nationalities.
"We've got people from all over the world. We've got people with Vietnamese background. We've got people with Indian background...We have a really cohesive club in the sense that we're all there for one purpose," Hawkins said.
Madhav Ramen, who has an Indian-Kenyan background, has spent years delivering safety programs for refugees and international students.
As Patrol Vice-Captain, he believes visibility plays a vital role in keeping people safe.
He says when lifesavers reflect the community, it breaks down barriers.
"So when you have people from different nationalities patrolling at the beach and you see your fellow country members or your fellow community members, then they feel a bit safe," Madhav said.
"It's more inviting for them to come up and ask questions and find out more information," Ramen said.
Elnaz Talebi, originally from Iran, echoes similar sentiments.
She joined Coogee SLSC two years ago to bridge the gap in safety knowledge within her own community.
"Like my people (from Iran), we do have a limited knowledge. So I saw this as an good opportunity to raise awareness within my community," she said.
Strengthening community bonds
For these volunteers, lifesaving goes beyond protecting swimmers, it’s about forging friendships and fostering a sense of community.
Outside the patrols, the club has built a social safety net that endures long after each shift.
"From my three, four years of being in surf lifesaving, you get to develop really good relationships. We do catch up, for coffee catch-ups or maybe go to the club after patrol...chat about life and share stories," Madhav said.
For Katrin, that sense of community is the ultimate reward.
"It did change my life. It did really bring me close to the community. I know there's people that I can rely on for help or support," she said.
" I've made really good friends in the team as well...It really does give a sense of belonging and does give me a sense of community," she added.
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