The Warrington Surf Life Saving Club has revived a historic
name by adopting Moana Rua as its official Maori title.
The move came as the club reviewed its constitution at its
annual meeting recently.
A draft template from the national body provided for a Maori
name.
Moana Rua Surf Life Saving Club was founded as a women's club
at Middle beach, near St Clair, in 1961, when surf
life-saving was mainly a male domain.
After erosion caused rip problems there, it relocated patrols
to Warrington in 1976 and a new building was officially
opened in 1980.
After a short time, the by-then-unisex club renamed itself
Warrington Surf Life Saving Club.
"The name Moana Rua comes from the whakapapa of our club,"
outgoing president Pete Russell, of Warrington, said.
The club had a much longer history than its presence at
Warrington beach.
The name also reflected the position of Warrington beach
between two "seas": the Pacific Ocean and Blueskin Bay, he
said.
It was also pointed out at the meeting that Warrington beach
had gained much of the sand from Middle beach. Mark Familton
was elected president with a committee of six other members.
The Warrington/Moana Rua club will be 50 years old next year.
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