Queensland's second-oldest surf life saving club at Kirra on the Gold Coast is celebrating its centenary.
One hundred years ago two men went for a swim at an unpatrolled beach at Kirra on the southern Gold Coast.
One made it back, the other did not.
There was so much reaction to this tragedy that the mayor of Coolangatta called a public meeting at the old town hall for January 7, 1916.
It was at that meeting a decision was made to create the Kirra Surf Lifesaving Club.
Initially the club was just a handful of people, but over the years numbers have ebbed and flowed, and today it boasts around 400 members and volunteers.
Author Peter Kelly joined the Kirra club at age 15 and has been a member for 50 years.
He has written a book about the club's history on the coast.
"It's been an interesting journey ... a lot of interesting photographs and lots of stories," he said.
"It's been quite a cathartic."
The book details the highs and lows of the club and its members; from the world-renowned Kirra surf barrels to World War II, when more than half members left to fight overseas.
"They were fairly adventurous sort of guys, so it wasn't surprising to see them become seamen, commandos, people who escape from prison camps and set up guerrilla warfare," Mr Kelly said.
Fatal shark attack 'watershed moment'
A fatal shark attack in 1937 that rocked the community would prove one of the most pivotal incidents in the clubs history.
"A fellow Jack Brinkley had only been engaged that day, when he was taken by a shark with another fellow called Norm Girvan off the point at Kirra — both members of the club," he said.
Mr Girvan — then 19 — was never seen again. Mr Brinkley, who was 23 at the time, was rescued but later died of his injuries.
Mr Brinkley's fiancee never married.
"He was the love of her life and many years later when she died, she had her ashes spread at Kirra near where he had been killed by the shark," Mr Kelly said.
People recoiled in horror when they realised that the contents of the shark contained human body parts
The day after the attack a huge crowd gathered at the beach to hunt the shark, which was soon found and shot by life savers who carried rifles at the time.
"They loaded the shark onto the boat and brought it back to the shore ... where it was opened," Mr Kelly said.
"People recoiled in horror when they realised that the contents of the shark contained human body parts of Girvan."
Mr Kelly said the tragedy prompted the then-state government to begin financially subsidising surf life saving.
"So that was a fairly watershed moment for life saving as well," he said.
Celebrating 100 years
The centenary will feature a weekend of gala balls, demonstrations and a cake cutting.
Kirra Surf Life Saving Club 100 Year Anniversary chairwoman Yvonne Mullins said they had been planning for the centenary for 10 years.
Ms Mullins said the club has a strong history of success in competition and saving lives.
"Like a lot of clubs, like all of the clubs in Queensland in fact, no lives have ever been lost between the flags," Ms Mullins said.
"We're very proud of that history."
The club has changed over the years, but its core of local volunteers has remained strong.
"This year when we're celebrating 100 years of surf life saving at Kirra, our Nippers are celebrating 50 years," she said.
Despite the celebrations, there will be life savers watching the beaches over the anniversary weekend.