Organisations begin with goals. People form into groups or organisations for a purpose. The formation may take place because one individual, an entrepreneur, has a vision of a service or product to bring to the market and recruits other to help accomplish the goal.
An organisation maybe based on the congruence of desires or interests of a number of individuals who band together to achieve their goal. Whatever the stimulus, the core of the organisation is its goal. -Martin Hahn PhD Organisational/Industrial Sociology.
In the early summer of 1961 E.S. Madden, “Ted” as he is more popularly known, then Operations Officer of the Beaumaris Motor Yacht Squadron, Victoria, appalled by the horrendous accidents occurring on local waterways, wrote to the Director, United States Coast Guard Auxiliary, for information about their Public Education Program related to boating safety. The reply was prompt and friendly, the material response prolific. It was accompanied by a short polite note. “It is probable that a comparable organisation may afford your people an equally effective means of improving boating standards”. Thus, was planted the seed from which the Australian Volunteer Coast Guard Association was to grow.
The organisation recruited members through its public education program, turning novice boat operators into subject matter experts and with additional equipment carried on board a fleet of vessels evolved ready to assist those in need. After a period of consolidation, the unit at Frankston was chartered as Flotilla 1, establishing itself with a permanent headquarters – the old log cabin, formally a beach café constructed during the second world war, was located on the foreshore just north of the current yacht club.
During the 60s Frankston residents, the late Mr Les Swift, the late Mr Don Harper and the late Mr Hans Schwob were the pioneers that extended the service of the association beyond rescue. Les Swift developed seamanship and navigation courses which the association used to teach the boating public with the objective of making search and rescue unnecessary. Later Les became National Commodore and was instrumental in establishing the association in Queensland.
Don Harper was the driving force in establishing the Flotilla as an elite service provider, as a Flotilla Leader he facilitated the acquisition of a six-metre bond wood rescue craft and the construction of a communications base, ‘the tower’ , located adjacent to the log cabin. Don’s home was located at Oliver’s Hill so he was usually first to respond when the rescue boat needed to go to sea. In the 70s Don became Squadron Commodore.
Hans Schwob (Proprietor of Schwob’s Bread), who resided in Mt Eliza, was not only an active boaty, but also an enthusiastic scuba diver, he soon identified the need for such a service within the Flotilla, and so he and other novices formed a diving section. So successful was the unit, that Police activated them as first responders in the search for the Prime Minister, Harold Holt in 1967.
Mr Peter Swan OAM a Life Member, has been active since the association’s formation at Beaumaris in September 1961, making him the longest serving member of the Association in Australia.
In 1974, Flotilla One’s crews were activated by Police to assist with rescue efforts during the Maribyrnong floods. The Flotilla reach was often extended beyond Frankston in particular, Westernport and at times as far east as Corner Inlet, Wilson’s Promontory, testimony to the skill set that had evolved over a very short period of time.
In its bid to promote safety on Port Phillip and Westernport, in partnership with the new local radio station that had recently gone to air in 1977, the 3MP Coast Guard ‘Red’ and ‘Blue’ alerts were broadcast daily, the program provided a warning of impending conditions and the suitability for small boat operators intending on heading out to sea.
In 1980 the Flotilla 1 members were devastated when a fire swept through the building destroying three rescue craft, safety equipment and radios within the communications tower. A community campaign was launched and with support from the local community and Council, a site was allocated just south of the Frankston pier. With funds raised from the campaign the membership, not easily deterred, constructed a new building which was overseen by Peter Swan, a builder by profession.
The Flotilla remained operational at this location through to 2018 when the building was demolished to make way for the foreshore development.
For nearly 60 years the Flotilla has operated its rescue craft via the shallow entrance to the Kananook Creek. Often in hazardous conditions, members have risked their own lives to assist those in peril. Heroism was witnessed during a ‘perfect storm’ that crossed Port Phillip on the 4 January 1976, if not for the efforts of the members of the Flotilla many lives would have been lost on that day.
In the mid-80s, marina developments at nearby Patterson Lakes resulted in larger ‘cruiser’ type craft venturing across Port Phillip and beyond. Combined with a fleet of vessels out of St Kilda marina, the Flotilla needed a vessel to cater for the increased towing tonnage and endurance for extended assists. In 1985 the Flotilla acquired ‘CG31’, a twin engine, 10 metre aluminium ex-Water Police vessel. Moored at Whaler’s Cove, Patterson Lakes, the vessel was operated for more than two decades by Flotilla One crews.
In early 2000, the Marine Board of Victoria and Victoria Water Police commissioned Ernst & Young to conduct a review into marine rescue services in Victoria, the outcome of which amalgamated several independent rescue units into the AVCGA, mainly in Gippsland and western Victoria where two new Flotillas were chartered at Portland and Warrnambool.
The Government increased funding through the Boating Safety and Facility Grants scheme (Boat Registration and later license revenue) and gradually the old fleet was replaced with fit for purpose vessels constructed to commercial survey standards, consequently crew’s competencies had to meet commercial national standards. Frankston’s rescue vessel CG31 was replaced with an 8.5 metre craft built locally by Pro Marine Pty Ltd, it was powered by twin outboards.
Frankston’s quick response vessel, stored at Flotilla 1's headquarters, was replaced with a 5.8 metre rigid inflatable vessel making it more suitable for launching at the creek, or weather permitting, at the Oliver’s Hill launching ramp.
By 2010, marine search and rescue had become a demanding business, the recreational boating population had grown in numbers from 108,000 to 165,000 within a 20-year period, most operating on Port Phillip and Westernport assists increased in proportion. In addition, in order to remain competent volunteer crew’s required sea time which was achieved by on water training exercises, combined with fund-raising activities, membership conflicted with family commitments which led to membership attrition.
In 2014, the Premier, Denis Napthine launch a parliamentary inquiry into marine rescue services in Victoria. The volunteer Coast Guard association’s submission proposed the formation of a new entity that would amalgamate all Flotillas and independent units across the State. The model was based fundamentally on the then newly formed volunteer organisation in NSW which had faced similar challenges to that of Victoria, the outcome of it’s inquiry created a single organisation, Marine Rescue NSW.
The Coast Guard submission highlighted several regions as being ‘over resourced’ including the area between Mornington and Carrum (5 rescue craft to service a radius of 7 Nm) under a new entity it proposed an amalgamation of the Frankston Flotilla with the Volunteer Marine Rescue unit at Mornington.
The area being over resourced was more a perception than fact, in reality had conditions at Frankston been improved, for example continuous dredging of the creek entrance, then Flotilla 1 would have been able to respond effectively to assists when needed. Instead, the resources at Mornington and Carrum had been left to meet the increased demand. Consequently, the number of activations and response times achieved by Flotilla One, portrays a false picture of the real need, Interestingly, the number of activations achieved by the Frankston Flotilla exceeds those of units servicing other regions of the State.
In managing crew member fatigue, the distribution of assists amongst three units justifies the continued operation at Carrum, Frankston and Mornington. In addition, whilst the proposed marina development at Frankston changes the demographics of the region, the need for a permanent mooring for the Flotilla’s rescue vessel has been identified as critical in order to cater for the forecast increased activity and mitigation of the associated risk.
In 2016, Emergency Management Victoria (EMV) established a marine search and rescue (MSAR) office to administer organisations approved to provide marine search and rescue services, an outcome of the parliamentary inquiry. EMV has been successful in achieving increased funding, which has reduced the fund-raising burden, enabling members to spend more time on the water training.
By service agreements rescue vessels are owned by the State and issued, to Flotillas, maintenance costs and operational costs are funded by the State Government, including a contribution for fuel. Members are also relieved of the cost associated with insurance which previously the membership fund raised.
Whilst EMV has implemented many of the recommendations outlined by the parliamentary committee’s final report, it has neglected to recognise services that the association has been active in providing the community for the past 60 years, in particular programs that have the potential to prevent marine incidents occurring. The adage, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, is particularly relevant in the context of marine incidents.
The Frankston Flotilla has been active in the development of such projects and programs since foundation in particular, marine communications. This has been a core function of the association, the monitoring of marine radios for the recreational sector as well as providing a relay between the control agency, Melbourne Water Police and the association’s rescue vessels at sea.
Unfortunately, the Andrew’s Government decided that Marine Communications was best outsourced to the private sector operating out of Canberra. As the AVCGA highlighted during the inquiry, such a move would have a detrimental impact on the association’s operations, in particular the closure of Limited Coast Radio Stations (Flotilla Marine Communications bases) and the consequential resignation of volunteer members engaged in this field.
As predicted, within 12 months of the outsourced operation going to air, the association curtailed the monitoring of marine communications, local knowledge provided by Flotilla radio operators has since been lost. As for the recreational boaty the service provided by the Canberra based operation is limited to providing weather forecasts and requests for assistance.
The association once operated a tracking system for vessels transiting Bass Strait, along with a log on/log off service, vessel operators were encouraged to utilise the coast guard radio repeater network. The network, designed and maintained by members of the Frankston Flotilla, provided extended VHF coverage from Mallacoota to Portland, including Port Phillip, Westernport and the enclosed waters of Gippsland including the Lakes. The network has since become redundant to the detriment of the recreational and commercial boating sector.
So, what is the future for the Frankston Flotilla? It would seem EMV are shaping the volunteer marine rescue service into a despatch and retrieve utility, whether this is deliberate or the outcome of a long-term strategy, the elimination of the Flotilla’s proactive services combined with the demise of the Frankston Marina/Safe-Haven project the members fear that the Flotilla will be forced to cease operations.
What is concerning is that an investigation into a number of marine incidents involving the Flotilla’s rescue vessel, resulting in equipment damage, has led to ‘the powers that be’ to censure the Flotilla’s Executive Officers.
The question being raised by the members is, ‘who conducted the investigation’?
The regulator (Australian Maritime Safety Authority - AMSA) insists that safety incidents be reported to their office where the resulting analysis of events enhances the development of more effective safety guidelines and advice for owners, operators and crew to avoid similar events in the future.
Incident reporting helps build an accurate and reliable database to guide future education and compliance activities. In addition, provides the regulator and industry with assurance that safety culture is improving.
This action by ‘the powers that be’ seems extreme and counter-productive to the regulator’s marine incident reporting objectives.
Given that both the Flotilla’s rescue vessels have been relocated to other Flotillas, members are suggesting that the extreme disciplinary actions taken by the ‘powers to be’ are merely a justification to curtail the Frankston Flotilla’s operation for budgetary reasons.
As for Flotilla 1, the ‘powers to be’ needs to reassess its demeaning actions and consider Flotilla 1’s wide-ranging services provided to the community over six decades and not just the ‘response to incidents’ where it has been constrained by the environment in which it operates.
In addition, operations on the water have been severely interrupted during the COVID pandemic period, where meetings, training and general contact with peers has been constrained to on-line Team meetings. The general stress endured during this period for any individual has been painfully enduring, for volunteers to continue community service for the safety of others is commendable and certainly ‘beyond the call of duty’.
The Marine Search and Rescue office of Emergency Management Victoria was established to provide more appropriate governance arrangements. It is then incumbent on the head of this office to conduct its own investigation to ensure the volunteers at Flotilla 1 are given every opportunity to close any operational gaps in performance so that learnings can be captured to prevent similar incidents occurring across the sector, in line with the objectives of the AMSA reporting objectives.
Surely the Flotilla’s 60-year resume’ demonstrates that it has always strived to achieve a controlled environment ‘prevention is better than cure’, of which its members are well versed, particularly given that the Flotilla members were delivering boating safety courses and marine communications services some 40 years prior to the introduction of Transport Safety Maritime’s Boat Licensing program and the outsourced marine radio network.
As demonstrated in NSW, the volunteers of Marine Rescue logged 77,921 boats on to its marine communications system and participated in 4,251 rescue missions during the 2020/21 season, this world class organisation is testimony that volunteers provide the most effective and efficient proactive marine safety service as long as it is supported by an all-encompassing government strategy that supports emergency service volunteers.