Australian Volunteer Coast Guard
The Australian Volunteer Coast Guard Association was established in 1961, and modelled on the US Coast Guard Auxiliary, the Association is an organisation composed entirely of volunteers. It guards the coast in the most effective way - initially by education, example, examination and finally by search and rescue.
The Australian Volunteer Coast Guard has no law enforcement powers and enjoys a reputation for being helpful and courteous to all boat owners.
Australia, the world’s largest island, has a coastline of nearly 20 000 km. (12 200 miles). 90% of Australia's population of 22 million live within 120 km of the coast and over 70% live in the coastal belt from Cairns in Queensland to Adelaide in South Australia.
Flotillas and radio bases are located from the Skardon River in the Gulf of Carpentaria, down the eastern seaboard to Ceduna in South Australia, including Tasmania and major inland lakes and weirs. Coast Guard currently has more than 2,500 Regular members and 9,000 Associate members. Expansion is continuing in areas of need.
Coast Guard resources across Australia include:
- 107 Association-owned rescue vessels
- 147 radio bases under the control of 72 local flotillas
- 30 communication and display vans and 4WD vehicles
- Registered Training Organisations delivering competency based training
- Formal affiliations and collaborations with similar organisations in Australia, New Zealand, North America, the Philippines and Europe.
Coast Guard services include:
- Public Education Courses
Covering Boat license testing and safe boating seminars Basic Seamanship, Marine Radio Procedures, Navigation and Bar Crossing
• Training
Coast Guard is the only dedicated marine rescue Registered Training Organization with courses accredited nationally
• Safety Patrols
Association and member owned vessels patrol our waterways assisting the public with safe boating advice, mechanical problems and responding to distress calls when they occur. All rescue vessels are on 24-hour standby.
• Radio Monitoring
Each flotilla has radio facilities monitoring marine distress frequencies including VHF Channel 16, 27 MHz Channel 88 and HF band 2182 kHz.
• Log On – Log Off
Coast Guard Radio Bases will keep track of recreational boaters whilst on a coastal passage or moving in and out of the same port
• Search & Rescue
Coast Guard works closely with the State Water Police and other volunteer rescue organisations in search and rescue operations
For further information, visit http://www.coastguard.com.au
Read more about this topic: Coast Guards In Australia
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—Charles Osborne (b. 1927)
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“Those that I fight I do not hate,
Those that I guard I do not love.”
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