For almost three decades, Cameron Read, Northern Beaches 2026 Citizen of the Year, has volunteered countless hours patrolling, training and mentoring at Dee Why Surf Life Saving Club (SLSC).
“I get a lot out of it, which is why I give a lot,” the Club Captain told Manly Observer.
“A friend of mine who recently passed away introduced my wife and me to the Club in 1998. All three of my now-grown children participated in Nippers, and it got me back into patrolling.”
Mr Read is also the Patrol Captain, Jet Ski Captain, Inflatable Rescue Boat Trainer and Assessor, and Rescue Watercraft Trainer for the Sydney Northern Beaches Branch. He also runs his own business, Kinetic Building Solutions, a residential building company with four staff.
“I do the day-to-day running of the Club as the Club Captain, so looking after patrols, making sure equipment is organised and serviced, or making sure someone is on top of that,” he said.
“After a rescue, I make sure the equipment is restocked, ready for the next rescue, and that everyone involved in that rescue is okay and if they need any additional support.
“During the off-season (winter), training comes out of Dee Why, so we train and facilitate that. There’s always something to do.”
Mr Read, who reckons he logs about 15 hours a week volunteering for Dee Why SLSC, added he wouldn’t be able to do what he does without a great team, who also all donate many hours to keeping swimmers safe in the surf. The one thing he’s most proud of is the Club’s inclusivity and multicultural membership.
“We’ve got nearly 20 different nationalities, and that’s really incredible,” he added.
Dee Why SLSC has around 200 patrol members to cover the 70 patrolling sessions during summer, while the ideal number would be 250 members.
However, the Nipper program at Dee Why continues to grow. Mr Read pointed out this was thanks to the excellent work of those volunteers coordinating the program, with 450 nippers taking part this season, plus their parents, taking the total number of members close to 900 (with the target total member number set at 1,000).
Nippers and members are why Mr Read volunteers. To see kids and adults gain skills in the ocean, increase their confidence, and later return as patrolling members.
“I love seeing people grow,” he explained.
“One of our patrollers, who is studying a medical degree at uni, came through the Nipper program, and she was incredibly insecure and insular. During Nippers she came out of her shell and gained all this confidence.
“It’s really about seeing some kids who can’t swim, and we get them to the point of swimming around the cans. Or training people on jet skis with absolutely no skills, and by the end of it, they’re charging through some pretty big surf.”
Mr Read said he was humbled by the Citizen of the Year award handed out by Northern Beaches Council on Australia Day, which recognised his work boosting volunteer morale and retention as well as introducing initiatives to make volunteering for Dee Why rewarding.
He’s also a big believer in making sure the volunteer lifesavers are okay, especially after rescues, which, although an inevitable part of being a lifesaver, have recently made headlines.
“I was away during last year’s shark attack where Mercury Psillakis was attacked and passed away,” he said.
“But I remember spending the whole day on the phone, making sure everyone was okay, everything was done. Our President and a few of our team were supporting the medical staff. You know, there wasn’t much we could do, but we still made sure our volunteers were okay after attending the scene.”
He also recalled a near drowning and possible spinal injury that took place at the end of November 2025.
A man aged in his 40s was body surfing when he went headfirst into a sandbank. Swimmers pulled his unconscious body to shore, and lifeguards and lifesavers immediately began CPR while the CareFlight Rescue Helicopter and NSW Ambulance were called. It took five minutes to revive him, and he was transported to hospital.
“I was on patrol that day and doing CPR can be quite traumatic and emotional, so I made sure all my volunteers were comfortable to have a conversation about what had happened,” Mr Read recalled.
“And when I felt everyone had the support they needed, then it’s about restocking all the equipment to be prepared for the next rescue. It’s not a big thing to make sure everyone’s okay, but it’s important.”
Dee Why SLSC has an in-house peer-support network where members can seek support after witnessing traumatic events, and then another level of external support if required.
So, how do lifesavers witness something like a shark attack or a near drowning and keep jumping into the ocean? How do we, as community members, heal our relationship with the ocean after last summer?
“I’ve had volunteers on patrol who’ve said I can’t get into the water today, and we respect that, especially after the shark attack,” Mr Read said.
“Look, I’ve been back in the water, I know it’s their (sharks) territory and it’s about being careful and having the information to support your decisions.
“We’re all about keeping the community safe, whether that’s additional patrols during Nippers or lending our expertise to politicians as they figure out a way forward.”
