Ampol delivers Inflatable Rescue Boats to help save Victorian lives

03 June 2026

Victorian beachgoers and wider community will be safer thanks to two clubs being awarded Inflatable Rescue Boats (IRB) during the Ampol IRB Hull Giveaway.

Woolamai Beach SLSC and Point Lonsdale LSC were among 12 deserving Surf Life Saving Clubs across Australia that have been awarded Inflatable Rescue Boats (IRB) as part of Ampol’s long-standing commitment to supporting grassroots surf life saving.

Woolamai Beach SLSC Club President Jason Close said the IRB was critical to rescuing lives.

“Our club is wrapped that we were fortunate enough to receive an IRB through Ampol, it really means a lot to us,” Close said.

“We are very unique that we patrol 100km of coastline on Phillip Island and we patrol two beaches, quite often we get remote callouts, we have a lot of international visitors and people from Melbourne that aren’t aware of the conditions and go to beaches away from where we patrol, we are often called out to do rescues.

“We have a few IRBs that are showing some wear and tear, it means a lot to us to get a new one.

“IRB’s are such an important part of the work we do, I think it is a great scheme, we are really grateful for Ampol running this, not just for our club, but clubs all over Australia have to do a lot of fundraising and hard work to try to get an IRB.

“To be able to get our hands on one is terrific. It is really good for lifesaving in general that Ampol have come on sponsoring this initiative with Surf Life Saving Australia.”

The return of the Ampol IRB Hull giveaway, now in its fourth year, increased from 2 to 12 IRBs, with surf life saving clubs from Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, Western Australia, Tasmania, South Australia and Northern Territory all worthy recipients of IRBs.

The IRB was an innovation in the 1970s and continues to be a vital piece of equipment that has saved countless lives across Australia. The IRB is one of the critical items used by clubs across the country, to protect local communities and visitors to the beach.

Point Lonsdale Club Captain Jess Robinson has seen firsthand the importance of IRBs with three rescues from her club that would not have been possible without the vital equipment in the last few months alone.

“It means a lot to be awarded an IRB from Ampol,” Robinson said.

“We have seen an increase in the number of rescues all involving an IRB.

“The IRB is able to access areas that other vessels can not, they can get close to rocks and navigate the surf, it means our community will be safer having this IRB.

“Our community is 3,000 people and the smallest local government area in Victoria, but we get a lot more people during Summer and we are really thankful and thrilled to have an IRB we know is high quality and we can rely on during rescues.”

Surf Life Saving Australia CEO Adam Weir was delighted to see clubs across the country receive their IRBs, thanks to the strong support from Ampol.

“Inflatable Rescue Boats are vital for our community Surf Life Saving Clubs when it comes to rescues and surveillance,” Weir said.

“The Ampol IRB Hull Giveaway has provided 12 clubs with the opportunity to have the latest equipment on their beaches, which is tremendous.

“We see first-hand the impact vital rescue equipment has in local communities all across the country, not just along the coastline but also in the broader area.

“This initiative from Ampol has received strong applications nationwide and we’re thrilled to be able to provide these 12 IRBs to the clubs.”

Ampol Chief Brand and Customer Officer, Jenny O’Regan said the program’s expansion was to ensure more deserving clubs could be provided with the equipment they need to perform rescues, train members, and serve their communities.

“With summer fast approaching we hope that our contribution of this vital rescue equipment will play a crucial role across Australia’s surf life saving landscape,” O’Regan said.

“Awarding 12 IRBs to these deserving clubs across the nation is Ampol’s way of supporting our generous volunteer lifesavers who safely patrol our great Australian coastlines.”

Ampol will further support surf life saving communities through a fundraising campaign across the Ampol Foodary retail convenience network in November. Donations from this campaign will go directly towards empowering volunteers with specialised skills needed to save lives, including advanced lifesaving training, coastal and remote rescue capabilities, emergency response training, flood and swift‑water rescue techniques, and advanced rescue training for abalone divers. This will ensure our teams are prepared for emergencies in every environment across Australia.

Ampol IRB Hull Giveaway Winners:

  • Chiton Rocks SLSC
  • Cooks Hill SLSC
  • Darwin SLSC
  • Forrest Beach SLSC
  • Killcare SLSC
  • Kingston Beach SLSC
  • Point Lonsdale SLSC
  • Point Lookout SLSC
  • Shoalhaven Heads SLSC
  • Sorrento (WA) SLSC
  • Tallebudgera SLSC
  • Woolamai Beach SLSC