The club has lodged a development application with Eurobodalla Shire Council for a planned expansion of its clubhouse, which is dependent on grant funding.

Club president Alan Veness said the gear shed was “busting at the seams” and the clubhouse had not been updated since it was built in 1979.

“The club had only 30 or 40 members when it started,” Mr Veness said. 

“Now we are the biggest club south of Wollongong and have 170 patrolling members, 170 nippers and several social members.”

Plans include expanding the gear shed, extending the clubhouse, a lift for disabled access, more showers and toilets for club members, offices and training rooms and a new bistro and kitchen. 

Also in the plans is to lift the radio room higher so patrol members can see the beach over the sand dune that has grown since the clubhouse was originally built. 

At a forecast cost of $65,000 for the gear shed and $800,000 for the clubhouse renovation, the club plans to do the works in stages. 

Mr Veness said the works were dependent on finance and how successful the club was with grant applications. 

“The cost is totally beyond what a volunteer organisation can raise,” he said. 

“We have submitted a grant application to the state government for $65,000. 

“We are willing to put in our own funds as well but we can’t afford to fund the whole project.”

Although Mr Veness said it was “a great old club”, it was just too small for the club’s needs.

“We use it on a very regular basis,” he said. 

“We want to keep as much of the building as we can. 

“The new part of the building will be made to fit in with the existing clubhouse.”

He said Broulee sSurf club was one of the “lucky ones” and was growing in size, not decreasing like many of the clubs along the coast. 

“Some of the smaller clubs have newer and better facilities than we do,” Mr Veness said.