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Beach in his blood

Augusta Margaret River Times
Kirra Jay Fisher is patrolling Rivermouth beach this season.
Camera IconKirra Jay Fisher is patrolling Rivermouth beach this season. Credit: Tanya Newton

An agreement between the Shire of Augusta-Margaret River and WA’s peak surf lifesaving body has brought a local man full circle.

After starting his surf lifesaving career with the Margaret River Surf Lifesaving Club as an inaugural nipper in 2007-08, Kirra Jay Fisher can now be found patrolling Rivermouth beach.

Now a qualified professional lifeguard, Fisher is also coaching and mentoring as part of the new nippers program, which started in 2019.

Fisher trained with the Crescent Head Club in NSW, as well as the Bunbury and Cottesloe surf lifesaving clubs.

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Kirra Jay — whose name comes from the two famous surf breaks, Kirra Point and Jay Bay — is also studying Computer Science at The University of WA. He said he had loved keeping busy at Rivermouth during the summer break.

The third-generation lifeguard also has two brothers who have come through the Margaret River Surf Lifesaving nippers program and are setting their sights on becoming lifeguards at beaches in the South West.

The Fisher family have been involved in the development of surfing and surf lifesaving in the South West during the past 70 years, and have run the stand-up paddle board business at Gnarabup for the past decade.

Margaret River Surf Lifesaving Club president Aaron McRae said Fisher’s journey was one the whole community could celebrate.

“To see young kids coming up through the program, learning skills, having fun and gaining respect for the ocean gives the club, parents and kids all a huge sense of satisfaction,” he said.

“To see someone come all the way and to give back to the club and the community is just fantastic.”

Late last year, the Shire entered into a three-year agreement with SLSWA to provide patrols, with plans to establish a permanent clubhouse on Farrelly Street in Margaret River.

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