Warneet Association celebrated its 80th anniversary on Sunday 9 November.
About 200 locals gathered at the Warneet Motor Yacht Club, where about 19 photographic displays, including old maps and pictures of the old days, were put up to present the history of the association and the contributions volunteers had given to the community over the 80 years.
President Chris Groves said they were trying to tell the story of the volunteerism around Warneet.
“Warneet has only got 500 people, but it’s a town full of volunteers, so we invited all those groups (Lions Club, CFA) to contribute, and they’re all there on the day,” he said.
“That was really the story we’re trying to tell, not just about our organisation but about volunteers.”
Warneet’s long tradition of community-driven progress dates back to 27 December 1945, when a small group of locals banded together to form the Warneet Progress Association, now known as the Warneet Association Inc.
In its early years, the fledgling group laid the foundations of the coastal village.
Members helped establish Warneet’s first shop in 1950, campaigned for telephone lines in 1951, and oversaw the construction of the yacht club in 1952.
Their advocacy also secured connection to the state power grid in 1956 and mains water by 1969, milestones that transformed Warneet from a weekend retreat into a thriving residential community.
The momentum carried through the 1970s, when the Association championed a string of improvements: a boat club at the north slipway, new playgrounds and pedestrian crossings, dredging of the inlet to boost boating access, volunteer-led jetty repairs, and upgraded car parking at the south jetty.
One of its proudest achievements came in 1976-77 with the formation of the town’s own fire brigade — today the Warneet-Blind Bight CFA — after residents raised funds and purchased their first trucks.
Through the 1980s and 1990s, members continued to shape the town’s landscape, creating a BMX track, sealing the ring road, and restoring boat sheds and cricket pitches at the recreation reserve.
Since 2000, the Association has kept that community spirit alive, hosting snake-safety days, installing defibrillators and public seating, distributing free native plants, adding bike racks at bus stops, managing the recreation reserve, and continuing to lobby council and government for better facilities.
Looking into the future, Mr Groves said members of the association would still do physical work within their capability, and if it’s something larger, they would advocate for the community.
At the moment, they are hoping to get the town’s toilets refurbished.
“We do lots of work around town. We physically get out there. But it’s also advocacy to the State Government, the Council, and the Federal Government,” Mr Groves said.
“We have a larger voice as a group to advocate for some large infrastructure things like building a new toilet or putting in a new playground.”
After talking with a local historian, Mr Groves shared that the Warneet Association had been one of the oldest continuous community organisations in the area.
“Obviously, there are some really old sporting clubs, but as in a not-for-profit community organisation, the librarian thinks,” he said.
“Not saying we’re the oldest, but she doesn’t think there are too many that have been going longer than 80 years continuously.”
