Life saving reel

Lyster Ormsby, Percy Flynn and Sig Fullwood are credited as the inventors of the first life saving reel in 1906.

The actual reel and rope would weigh about 50–60 pounds and was officially made part of the surf lifesaving community on Sunday 24 March 1906.

This large reel was redesigned to the modern design by members of the Tamarama Surf Life Saving Club in 1908 and has remained fundamentally unchanged to the current day.

On this day a series of freak waves hit the beach and washed about 300 bathers into rough surf conditions where most required assistance.

80 surf life savers equipped with 8 reels saved all but 4 swimmers that died before reaching shore.