Lifeguards gave the new facilities at One Mile Beach, including a shark observation tower, their seal of approval at the official opening on Monday.
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“It’s a very good facility and we’re grateful for it,” Port Stephens lifeguard supervisor Phil Rock said.
“It’s a quality facility.”
Port Stephens mayor Ryan Palmer officiated the handover of the $1 million facility.
“For anyone who had been here in the past this is a vast improvement,” he said.
“It mightn’t feel like it for the lifeguards but this is a facility that has sprung up quite quickly when [the need] was only brought up a few years ago.”
Work on the new facility began in May, shortly after the patrol season ended for summer.
The council’s community and recreation coordinator Brock Lamont said it had been subject to rigorous design and careful construction.
The design alone cost about $160,000 while construction was $840,000.
The $1 million project was funded through the Crown Holding Trust Reserve ($500,000), Section 94 developer contributions ($470,000) and NSW Department of Primary Industries shark observation grants ($34,000).
“Given the site it’s obviously quite constricted and it has to stand up to the conditions,” Mr Lamont said.
“Being built on a sand dune the footings had to go down four metres and it has to withstand coastal erosion. It gives us enough structural support that we can come in and push the sand back up to it after a storm.”
The Australian Lifeguard Service moved in on October 3, shortly after the season began on September 22. The facility includes a first aid room, garages, lunch room, storage, and two beach observation areas.
“As a standalone lifeguard facility it is one of the best I’ve seen, if not the best,” ALS manager Brent Manieri said.
“It can be quite taxing being in the sun and wind for eight hours a day. Keeping the lifeguards out of the elements for as long as possible helps manage any fatigue they might experience.”
Mr Rock said the facility would serve the community well but “people shouldn’t be complacent”.
“As always we’re reminding people to swim between the red and yellow flags,” he said.
“If people are ever in doubt they can talk to a lifeguard.”