Ffyon McCabe, a teenage surf lifesaver from Eastlakes, has been named the 2026 Sydney City/Eastern Suburbs Young Volunteer of the Year for her outstanding work with the South Maroubra Surf Life Saving Club.
Recognised by The Centre for Volunteering, McCabe contributes about 90 hours each year to beach patrols alongside developing her Beach Safety Awareness Program—an initiative that has grown from a small local project into an impactful campaign delivered by young volunteers to more than 3,500 students across 10 schools.
An idea that started in local classrooms
McCabe’s beach-safety work began on a much smaller scale. South Maroubra Surf Life Saving Club reported in 2024 that McCabe, then serving as Youth Club Captain, had started the Beach Safety Awareness Program after becoming concerned about drowning statistics.
At that stage, the program had reached about 300 kindergarten and Year 1 students across three primary schools in the Randwick local government area. The program took beach-safety education into those schools, initially targeting younger primary students.
Its subsequent expansion to more than 3,500 students across 10 schools represents a more than tenfold increase in the number of students reached since those early reports.
Young volunteers extend the program’s reach
The program is now being delivered by a broader group of young volunteers. According to the Centre for Volunteering, young volunteers are delivering the program across participating schools, helping extend its reach.
South Maroubra Surf Life Saving Club has previously reported that McCabe was leading a team delivering community education and surf-awareness programs to schools in the area.
The school-based program gives students access to surf-awareness education away from the beach itself. For South Maroubra, it extends the club’s safety work beyond beach patrols and into community education.
From Nipper captain to youth leadership
McCabe’s involvement with South Maroubra has included a series of youth leadership roles.
Club records show she was named a Nipper Club Captain for the 2023/24 season, at a time when South Maroubra reported having more than 1,100 nippers and cadets. She later served as Youth Club Captain and was jointly named an Outstanding Cadet for the 2023/24 season.
Her role has since extended beyond South Maroubra. Surf Life Saving Sydney currently lists McCabe as Youth Manager, representing South Maroubra on its Youth team.
She was also one of four young members invited to speak at Surf Life Saving Sydney’s 2025/26 pre-season briefing about why involvement in Surf Life Saving is worthwhile.
Ninety hours a year on patrol
The education program sits alongside McCabe’s regular lifesaving duties. The Centre for Volunteering says she contributes about 90 hours each year patrolling beaches and keeping watch over beachgoers.
Patrol work remains a central part of surf lifesaving, alongside the education and youth-development activities documented by South Maroubra.
McCabe’s award recognises both her beach patrol work and her efforts to extend beach-safety education into local schools.
Regional recognition for a young lifesaver
McCabe received the Young Volunteer of the Year honour as part of the 2026 NSW Volunteer of the Year Awards, run by the Centre for Volunteering.
The awards are now in their 20th year and recognise volunteers and volunteer teams from regions across New South Wales. Other Sydney City/Eastern Suburbs recipients this year include Maroubra netball volunteer Tanya Coleman, Chippendale volunteer Susie Elelman and Bondi lifesaver Robyn Farmer.
Published 12-Aug-2026
