Community Clubhouse Funding Drive
On behalf of the Community Clubhouse Management Committee, the Windansea Surf Club respectfully request your financial support to assist us to complete the Community Clubhouse in Buderim Street, Currimundi.
The Clubhouse will be a shared community space, run by a volunteer management committee including representatives from the Windansea Surf Club, the Disabled Surfers Association, Indigenous Surfers Chapter, Women on the Water, the Moffateers and the Caloundra Malibu Club. The Clubhouse will provide a general meeting place, a community asset, and a place to build community. This is an opportunity for the Surfing community of Caloundra to become custodians of their own place and to advance the sport of Surfing in a way that is unprecedented in Australia.
Today, the Clubhouse is near completion, but the volunteer builders need $20,000 to complete the build. Funding has run short due to a protracted court case to prove the importance of promoting the sport of surfing here on the Sunshine Coast, which has cost the club a considerable amount of money. When up against the odds, club members and Harcourts Caloundra financially contributed to the court case, alongside kind pro bono support from expert witnesses and our planning lawyer Andrew Davis, that helped to offset costs. Having overwhelming support from the Caloundra community, in February 2021, the court case went in favour of the Windansea Surf Club.
Today, for Windansea to finish building the clubhouse they need your generous financial donation to do so. 100% of your gift will immediately go to finishing the building. Windansea wishes to thank you in anticipation of whatever support you can muster.
You can make donations directly to the ‘Clubhouse Account’ at:
Bendigo Bank BSB: 633 000 ACCOUNT No: 154 958 276
Below is a flyer that can be printed at A4 Landscape double sided (flip on short side) for distribution. Any assistance would be greatly appreciated.
What is the Community Clubhouse?
The proposed clubhouse will be a shared community space, run by a committee of surfers and community members representing diverse groups to provide a general meeting place, a community asset and a place to build community. The groups include Windansea Boardriders, the Disabled Surfers Association, the Indigenous Surfers Chapter, Women on Water, The Moffateers and the Caloundra Malibu Club. This is an opportunity for the surfing community of Caloundra to become custodians of their own space to advance the sport of surfing in a way that is unprecedented in Australia.
A dedicated clubhouse will greatly expand the opportunities to advance the sport of surfing in Caloundra by offering a place to facilitate club meetings, presentations, events & competitions, run training workshops and activities, engage with local schools, hold community workshops and mentoring activities as well as uniting our surfing community. A good place for young people, local school lessons and a place for minority groups. The clubhouse will support the teaching of surfing culture and history to a younger generation. It will promote physical activity, family activity, outdoor lifestyle and recreation as well as promote environmental awareness and care for the environment.
Robert “Bushy” Mitchell, who has achieved many things in surfing, described the opportunity this clubhouse represents best when he penned the following from his letter of support;
Younger members, both current and future, will hold and have something, ‘in – hand’, to cherish. A place to learn and study, Judging, Coaching, Surf skills and administrative courses. A place that allows, other like-minded organisations a footing. A place they too can feel at home. A place for the community. A place where historical knowledge can be handed down, displayed and most importantly a place to care for.
Robert “Bushy” Mitchell past Club President & Life Member, SC Surfing President, Surfing Queensland President, Surfing Queensland CEO, Surfing Australia President and Chair, Billabong Events Manger and lifetime contributor to the sport of surfing.
The full letter is at the bottom of this page, and is well worth a read as a reminder of how special this Clubhouse will become and what it can do for our future generations of surfers. Once in operation the clubhouse will be a hub for the Caloundra surfing community, a shared space to advance our local talent, come up with new and innovative pursuits, display our rich history and support our greater surfing community. The opportunities are open-ended.
Documentation
June 2022 Site Fencing Established
A very significant milestone in the project has been reached today. The construction fencing was established onsite and club members along with Andrew Wallace MP and our sponsors from Harcourts Caloundra Luke and Kath Carter gathered to assist and then celebrate the milestone. A very special moment a decade in the making. Read the article here.
May 2022 Construction to Commence
After a decade of tireless efforts construction is commencing in June 2022. The first actions onsite will be to establish temporary construction fencing and install the power connection. Then our fauna experts will action the fauna management plan to ensure any little critters are safe when the building footprint is cleared. Our team and builder, Integrale Homes, is busily making preparations and materials are being ordered. We have some amazing support from our community with donations of construction services and materials, as well as offers of support. From construction through to completion and fit out for operation, if you are able to assist, please contact wsclubhouse@hotmail.com and don’t forget to hit the link to GoFundMe if you haven’t already. https://gofund.me/7efdeb4b
December 2021 Lease is Signed
Tuesday 21st December was another big milestone in the Clubhouse. We signed the lease with council. A dedicated community clubhouse is just around the corner. It was great to see all 3 levels of government attending with Andrew Wallace, Jarrod Bleijie and Terry Landsberg at the signing. A huge thank you to everyone involved for your support. We couldn’t have got this far without every single one of you. Stay tuned for more updates as we progress the next steps preparing for construction 2022 and don’t forget to hit the link to the GoFundMe if you haven’t already. https://gofund.me/7efdeb4b
Jason Daley Vice Pres Signs 
Tim Carter Club Secretary Signs 
Jarrod Bleijie Witnesses 
L-R Murray Johnson, Tim Carter, Terry Landsberg, Jason Daley, Don Smith, Andrew Wallace & Jarrod Bleijie
June 2021 Funding Drive Now Underway
The Windansea Boardriders are now actively seeking funding for construction of the clubhouse facility. The approval is now complete and the next phase of the project is construction. We greatly appreciate all of the community support that has progressed the project to this point and call upon the wider community to support the construction phase. Any donations big or small will be greatly appreciated. You can access the gofundme page by clicking on the link below.
December 2020 WindanSea wins Court Case to Develop Community Facility
Post approval a small group of people lodged an appeal in the planning and environment court. Appeal number 3720/19 lodged on the 15th October 2019 . The appeal was opposing council’s decision to grant Windansea Boardriders approval to build a Community Clubhouse on lot 708 CG 386 Buderim street.
On Friday 18th December 2020 WindanSea Surf Club and the broader Sunshine Coast community were delighted to recieve the judgement of the Planning and Environment Court advising approval to build a new community clubhouse behind the dunes and in front of Currimundi State School on Buderim Street.
https://www.facebook.com/viewnews/videos/3421593634605365
The Caloundra based WindanSea Surf Club and the broader Sunshine Coast community received an early Christmas gift Friday 18th December 2020 with a Planning and Environment Court judgement approval to build a new community clubhouse behind the dunes and in front of Currimundi State School on Buderim Street.
Club President Terry Landsberg said he was thrilled that the eight-year battle undertaken by the WindanSea members along with the local community had achieved a positive outcome.
It’s a magnificent result for our club and the broader community, we finally have approval to develop a 178m2 clubhouse where a number of local groups, including the Caloundra Mal Club, Moffateers, Indigenous Surfing, Disabled Surfing and other local clubs can also access.
As a club, we’ve never had a space where our members and other community groups can meet to enjoy their passion for surfing as well as other community and environmental pursuits.
“We now have a place where a range of community groups can meet and socialise and there will also be opportunities for small operators to run low-impact classes like yoga and Pilates and other community activities,” Terry said.
Club member and former Caloundra Deputy Mayor Don Smith said the result was a terrific boost for local youth who now have a base where they can pursue their passion for surfing and other community pursuits.
Over 50 per cent of the club’s membership is juniors with women and girls representing more than 20 per cent of total membership. A further 30 per cent are males over 18 so we have a young membership base and actively encourage youth and females to be more active and this new club house will stimulate a range of activities for current and future members.
This is a great day for our community and I am inspired by the work of our dedicated committee including past President Tim Hindley, as well as the club’s hard working solicitor Andrew Davis from QuDA Planning Lawyers who has worked tirelessly on this matter and all at no expense to the club. Club member and local planner Brad Williams has also played an instrumental role in achieving this approval and without them we would not be here today.
Sunshine Coast Regional Council’s staff and councillors, including former Deputy Mayor Tim Dwyer and current Councillor Peter Cox also deserve a lot of credit for supporting our club through this extended process. We’ve been pleased to have the support of local indigenous groups as well as Surfing Australia, Surfing Queensland and surfing clubs across the Sunshine Coast.
“It’s now time to start the heavy lifting with Council and the community with the aim of commencing construction in 2021,” Don said.
“The 145 member Windansea Boardriders Club….was needed in the community and would improve the physical wellbeing of the community”
July 2019 The Approved Clubhouse Development Application
In July 2019 Sunshine Coast Council Approved the Clubhouse Development Application. The full details are on councils development website under MCU18/0165. Below are some of the concept drawings from the approval showing the proposed space. These are not the construction drawings and so may change as the clubhouse progresses through its final stages.
November 2018 And Finally The Letter from Bushy
To whom it may concern.
Regarding: WindanSea Surf Club proposed Club house.
November 22nd 2018.
Dear Sir/Madam,
I personally owe this surf board riding club – WindanSea – so very much.
So much more than pure words can convey.
Whilst this may be somewhat of a unique opening, it is none the less, in this instance, so very true.
Without involvement within the aforementioned club, my personal surfing career would not have had the ‘kick start’, I craved.
And now, it has come to my attention that said club is well within sight of having its own Club House. For years, along with many others, both past and present we dreamed of having such a facility. That this process has now reached the Public consultation period is in a word – outstanding.
Over a considerable time frame this club has produced World, National, State, Regional and local champions, runs and administers one of the longest surfing events within Australia – if not globally, carried out innumerable charity functions and events for the local community, given a base to aspiring athletes and administrative persons alike, but most of all is standing the test of time. This fact is born out by the influx of new members to the club and the position of strength it holds within Caloundra – notwithstanding, but the overall surfing community.
That it is aligned with the original WinanSea in America, showers it in greater strength. Being, other than the parent club in America, the only other WindanSea surf board riding club globally, is undoubtedly unique. Members travelling internationally are fondly embraced when wearing club caps and t/shirts and as such conversations are to the fore. Friendships flourish and last a life time.
Dwelling back personally (apologies for sounding egotistical); I became a member of this club, then its President. My time within the club was one of learning skills, making mistakes, listening and building knowledge. This very back ground allowed me to progress in years to become Sunshine Coast President, Surfing Queensland President, Surfing Queensland CEO, Surfing Australia President and Chair and Billabong Events Manager. There is nil doubt in my mind that if not for having the opportunity to ‘learn the ropes’, first hand and at the coal face that the positions and opportunities noted would have not come to be.
For me this is the beauty of having one’s own facility. Younger members, both current and future, will hold and have something, ‘in – hand’, to cherish. A place to learn and study, Judging, Coaching, Surf skills and Administrative courses. A place that allows, other like-minded organisations a footing. A place they too can feel at home. A place for the community. A place that historical knowledge can be handed down, displayed and most importantly a place to care for. A place that a member will say; “I’m a member of WindanSea and we have our own Club House”.
Thus, I have no hesitation in giving my unbridled support towards this venture for WindanSea.
I personally congratulate the current administration on their vision and undoubted hard work towards this worthy project.
Equally, I doff my hat to the Caloundra City Council for acknowledging the growth, development and strength that the sport of surfing now holds.
If you require further information please contact the writer via email.
Email contact: bushyman.mitchell@gmail.com
I am yours in surfing.
Robert “Bushy” Mitchell