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Leave a legacy that saves lives.

A gift in your Will helps volunteer surf lifesavers protect Australian beaches and communities for generations to come.

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Your legacy becomes part of a future where every life counts — long after today.

Leaving a gift in your Will is a deeply personal decision. Many supporters choose to include Surf Life Saving Australia through Surf Life Saving’s national giving program — formerly Surf Life Saving Foundation — helping keep lifesaving services, training, and rescue equipment available for future generations across Australia.

If you are interested in learning more, please download our legacy guide below.


Request a Bequest Guide

Why people choose to leave a legacy

Some do it to honour a loved one. Some because Surf Life Saving once helped their family. Others because they believe no one should lose their life in the water. A bequest is a way to turn what you care about into a lasting impact for people and communities you may never meet.

A legacy in action



“My father had a very kind heart and liked to help people. Leaving a gift to Surf Lifesavers felt right, because he knew it would help save lives. He admired that they were volunteers — people willing to put themselves at risk to help others.”

“If Dad could see how his gift is being used to buy real lifesaving equipment, he would be thrilled. It makes us proud to know his legacy is still out there, helping people come home safely.”

Leaving a gift in your Will is a way to be remembered for the lives you helped protect.

The impact that lives on

"Protection across generations

Your gift helps ensure that children, families, and visitors to Australia’s beaches and waterways are protected not just today — but for decades to come."

Courage when it’s needed most

Your legacy stands behind the volunteer who runs toward the water in a moment of crisis, giving them the training, confidence, and support to act without hesitation."

A name remembered through lives saved

Your gift becomes part of stories that continue — moments where fear turns into relief and families are reunited because someone was ready to help."

How to include Surf Life Saving Australia in your Will

Decide what kind of legacy you’d like to leave — whether it supports lifesaving services where the need is greatest or reflects a cause close to your heart.
Speak with your solicitor or Will writer to include a gift to Surf Life Saving Australia in your Will.
Let us know about your decision so we can thank you and keep you connected to the impact of your future gift.
Notify Us

Create your Will online with our trusted partners

We’ve partnered with trusted online Will providers to make creating or updating your Will simple, secure, and meaningful. Each option below allows you to include a gift to Surf Life Saving Giving — so your values can live on through the lives you help protect

EveryWill— Your legacy, made simple

A clear, guided process to help you write a legally valid Will online. Gathered Here helps you thoughtfully include the people and causes that matter most — including a future gift to Surf Life Saving Giving.Designed for clarity, care, and confidence.

EveryWill and Surf Life Saving Australia

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Safewill — A simple way to protect what matters most

Create or update your Will online in minutes with Australia’s leading digital Will platform. Safewill guides you step-by-step, making it easy to include a gift to Surf Life Saving Giving as part of the legacy you leave behind.Secure, legally recognised, and designed for peace of mind.

Safewill and Surf Life Saving Australia

Willed — Plan today for tomorrow’s impact

Willed combines online Wills with end-of-life planning tools, helping you organise what matters and include a lasting gift that supports surf lifesavers and the communities they protect.Trusted by Australians to plan with purpose.


Willed and Surf Life Saving Australia

How should I word my Will?

If you have not yet made a Will, you should know that there are a number of different ways to make a gift in your Will - known as legacies or bequests. To help you choose the one that suits you best, we have provided a list of the most common forms of bequests, together with a brief explanation of each one.

You can review the different types of gifts that you can leave in the boxes below. We also share the correct wording for your Will for each of the options, so that you can simply copy it.

A gift of a fixed percentage of your estate (often known as a 'proportional legacy') allows you to nominate a specific percentage of your estate to Surf Life Saving Australia. A legacy of this kind does not depend on your estate being of any set value or size and it is flexible enough to allow for changes in the composition of your assets or financial situation. No matter how your estate changes, whether it grows or decreases in value, your decision as to the proportions will always remain the same.
 
The correct wording for such a gift is: “I [Your Name] give and bequeath to Surf Life Saving Australia, free of all duties, ___% of my estate and I direct that receipt by the Proper Officer of Surf Life Saving Australia shall be sufficient discharge to my Executor for the Bequest which is to be applied to the general purposes of Surf Life Saving Australia”
A gift of a specific sum of money or specific assets in the form of property, shares or articles of value (known as a 'specific legacy') enables you to have the full use of your assets during your lifetime. An advantage of this form of bequest is that it gives you the comfort of being certain about exactly how your estate will be divided. This is a common legacy, however certain considerations need to be taken into account. Firstly, when you make your will you have no way of knowing what the value of your estate will be. Secondly, with inflation, the value of your gift may change. In order to maintain the value of your gift you may need to revise your will on a regular basis.
 
The correct wording for such a gift is: “I [Your Name] give and bequeath to Surf Life Saving Australia, free of all duties, the following (whichever is applicable): - the sum of $___ - Property (details) - Or other assets (details) and I direct that the receipt by the Proper Officer of Surf Life Saving Australia shall be sufficient discharge to my Executor for the Bequest whish to be applied to the general purposes of Surf Life Saving Australia".

The correct wording for such a gift is: “I [Your Name] give and bequeath to the Surf Life Saving Foundation, free of all duties, the following (whichever is applicable): - the sum of $___ - Property (details) - Or other assets (details) and I direct that the receipt of the Treasurer or other Proper Officer of the Foundation shall be sufficient discharge to my Executor for the Bequest which is to be applied to the general purposes of the Surf Life Saving Foundation”
A gift of a remainder of your estate (often known as a 'residuary bequest') allows you to make specific gifts to family and friends and leave the whole or portion of what remains of your estate to Surf Life Saving Australia.
 
The correct wording for such a gift is: “I [Your Name] give and bequeath to Surf Life Saving Australia, free of all duties, the following (whichever is applicable): - the sum of $___ - Property (details) - Or other assets (details) and I direct that the receipt by the Proper Officer of Surf Life Saving Australia shall be sufficient discharge to my Executor for the Bequest wish to be applied to the general purposes of Surf Life Saving Australia".
Often this refers to the whole of the Estate. This is a 'contingent gift' in that the money or property that you nominate will only pass to Surf Life Saving Australia if the primary beneficiary does not survive you. In this instance we strongly suggest you seek professional legal advice to ensure your wishes are detailed correctly.
A Life Estate may be created in real property or in personal property. It is a term used to describe ownership of an asset for the duration of the person’s life. The owner of a Life Estate is called a ‘life tenant’. The life tenant has the right to possession and enjoyment of the asset and its income until their death. Once the life tenant dies, ownership of the asset goes to the ‘remainderman’. Most often this is a charity such as Surf Life Saving Australia, who is entitled to take the asset upon the termination of a Life Estate. In this instance we strongly suggest you seek professional legal advice to ensure your wishes are detailed correctly.
 

You can use a Trust to make a gift to Surf Life Saving Australia through your Will. Firstly, you may choose to create a fund which entitles a friend or family member to receive the interest from the fund during their lifetime. Upon their death the fund can pass to Surf Life Saving Australia. Alternatively, you may prefer Surf Life Saving Australia to receive the interest on the fund for a specified number of years. After this period the fund then passes to a nominated beneficiary. We recommend that specific legal advice be sought to establish a Trust and to ensure the wording of your Will is appropriate for your chosen Trust circumstances.

You may nominate a specific Surf Life Saving program to benefit from your gift, for example, rescue equipment. Gifts for specific rescue equipment are often difficult as the cost of the equipment is likely to change between nominating the gift and the gift being realised. Where there is a difference, Surf Life Saving Australia will do its best to ensure the intent of the gift is still achieved.
 
The correct wording for such a gift is: “I wish to give and bequeath to Surf Life Saving Australia the sum of $________ specifically for: (whichever is applicable) - Rescue equipment, and/or - Education programs for surf lifesavers, and/or - Community surf safety programs, and/or - Research and development and I direct that the receipt by the Proper Officer of Surf Life Saving Australia shall be sufficient discharge to my Executor for the Bequest which is to be applied to the general purposes of Surf Life Saving Australia”.
You may wish to benefit a specific Surf Life Saving Club from your estate. In such cases, all of your gift will benefit the nominated club, and Surf Life Saving Australia acts to ensure your gift has the maximum long term benefit through its national buying power and investment options.
 
The correct wording for such a gift is: “I wish to give the sum of $________ to Surf Life Saving Australia specifically for ____ Surf Life Saving Club, and I direct that the receipt by the Proper Officer of Surf Life Saving Australia shall be sufficient discharge to my Executor for the Bequest which is to be applied to the general purposes of Surf Life Saving Australia”.
If you already have a Will and you would like to make a simple addition, you may add a Codicil to your existing Will. A Codicil is a legal term for a document that forms part of your Will. If you make a Codicil, you simply need to use the same wording as you would use if you were writing a new Will. In all of the above cases, it is best you seek legal advice and have your Will prepared by a professional entity or your State Public Trustee. For any queries, contact us.

Start a conversation about your legacy

Whether you’re ready now or just exploring, our team is here to help — with no obligation and complete confidentiality.

Alternatively, you can email us at [email protected]

Surf Life Saving Giving — formerly Surf Life Saving Foundation (ABN 47 945 812 553) is a core part of Surf Life Saving Australia. Your legacy supports training, patrols, and equipment, keeping Australian beaches and communities safe for generations.

Request a Bequests Guide