Volunteers at Marine Rescue Bunbury play a vital role in ensuring the Bunbury marine environment is a safe place to live, work and play. We operate three rescue/training vessels and a Hino tow vehicle.
The pride of our fleet is an 10.8-metre Elite Marine-built Oceancat fitted with twin Volvo-Penta diesel engines (740hp/1766Nm) and the latest communications and navigation equipment, including radar, auto pilot and FLIR night vision camera.
The group works closely with WA Police to coordinate and perform search and rescue operations offshore and in confined waterways for the community.
We conduct regular training exercises with RAC Rescue Helicopter that is based at Bunbury Airport.
Although Department of Fire and Emergency Services supported (via the Emergency Services Levy), Marine Rescue Bunbury is totally volunteer run and any funding shortfall is covered by donations and the money raised by our members. While saving lives is our principle aim, vessels may be towed and property saved at the discretion of the rescue boat skipper and/or the West Australian Water Police coordination center.
We educate the public in the principles of safe boating and survival at sea and can supply literature and offer advice from our base at Casuarina Harbour. We train our volunteers as skippers, crew, radio operators and all other proceedures concerned in search and rescue operations. We work with, aid or affiliate with any institution or association having objectives similar to ours.
Volunteers assume various roles according to their abilities and interests and what they are comfortable with. Volunteers can undertake extra training, including St John first aid, respond to emergency situations and may also involve themselves in marine educational activities designed to improve safety for the boating public.