Volunteer Marine Rescue Whitsunday is a squadron of Marine Rescue Queensland with our main objective being to SAVE LIVES AT SEA We provide marine search and rescue services to the boating public and island communities on a volunteer basis.
We achieve this by operating a "Marine Safety Net" in the Whitsunday region from Gloucester Island/ Passage to Cape Conway and Shaw Island in the South (Out from Midge Point and Repulse Bay).
We own and operate two purpose-built Rescue vessels – an 11.9 metre NoosaCat for open waters, large vessels and Medivacs, supplemented with a 6.7 metre Naiad RHIB for smaller vessels and inshore assists. Our operation is run entirely by volunteers including boat crew, radio operators, management, fundraisers, trainers and every other person in our organisation.
We also own and operate two VHF radio repeater stations located on Hayman and Whitsunday Islands. These installations are also supplemented with AIS receivers and are independently powered with solar and wind power generation.
We receive a small annual grant from the QLD State Government through the Department of Emergency Services (Via Marine Rescue Queensland), with the remainder of our operating costs being met through local fundraising, generous sponsorship, membership fees and the charging of non members for assistance provided.
In an average year we are activated 120 times, about 10 times a month for a mixture of tow assists, search and rescues, medical evacuations from boats and island resorts (and campers), transfers of Queensland Ambulance Service, Queensland Fire and Rescue and also the Queensland Police Service to emergency situations.
On average our volunteers put in over 2000 man hours a year, our vessels use over 20,000 litres of fuel a year and including depreciation costs $150,000 a year to run. This is a lot of time and money, but given the lives we save and the safety net we provide, the money and
sacrifice is small.
Various training sessions are run throughout the year at discounted prices for our volunteers and members, including Senior First Aid, Restricted Radio Operators Licences and more. This is a great opportunity to increase your skills and knowledge for boat operations and safety.
Download KEY FACTS about VMR Whitsunday (PDF)
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