Top gong for Emily

A member of the Redcliffe Peninsula Surf Life Saving Club has been honoured with a state award.

Emily Robins – one of more than 11,000 Surf Life Saving Queensland junior members – was named Queensland's 2023 Under 14 Junior Lifesaver of the Year.

The award topped off a successful 2022/23 season for Emily – she was also awarded the Sunshine Coast Under 14 Junior Lifesaver of the Year, Club Nipper of the Year and Most Outstanding Surf Rescue Cadet of the Year.

Emily says she was shocked to win the state award.

“I was just really happy I got nominated for the (Sunshine Coast) branch one and then I was blown away that I won,” she says.

“When we went to states, I definitely didn’t think I was going to get that one - I was just happy to be in the top six out of 1200 Under 14s.”

Exclusive experiences

As part of the award, Emily received a $500 bursary towards training or training equipment, as well as a place in PCYC’s ESCape Week, which gives participants a taste of the work done by various emergency services agencies.

It included a day with Volunteer Marine Rescue on Bribie Island; time with Queensland Fire and Emergency Services; a visit to the Police Academy where they met Dog Squad pups, under-cover police and members of the Special Emergency Response Team; a surf life saving day and the chance to use fire hoses with the Rural Fire Service.

Emily was one of only two surf live savers on the course, alongside 21 emergency services cadets and two junior rural fire brigade members.

She started in Nippers in the Under 8s and moved into cadets for the 2023-24 season.

“I like being part of a big family here at Redcliffe,” Emily says.

Find out more about the Redcliffe Peninsula Surf Life Saving Club here.