Volunteer Marine Rescue (VMR) Jacobs Well is now part of Marine Rescue Queensland (MRQ), further enhancing the MRQ presence on the Gold Coast.
The 90-strong volunteer unit, which formed more than four decades ago, is the sixth Volunteer Marine Rescue unit in Queensland to transition to MRQ since 1 July 2024.
MRQ is Queensland’s first state-wide, State Government-funded volunteer marine rescue service dedicated to saving lives at sea and supporting those on or near the water.
MRQ is part of Queensland Police Service, which is responsible for coordinating the state’s disaster and emergency services response – but MRQ is a separate service with its own identity, structure, governance and uniforms.
VMR Jacobs Well covers the northern Gold Coast and southern Moreton Bay areas and typically averaged more than 600 activations a year, ranging from breakdowns, drifting vessels, grounding, insufficient fuel to search and sinking/sunk vessels.
The unit’s top three longest serving members are: Operations Manager John Jacobsen who joined in 1984, Senior Offshore and Bar Crossing Training Skipper Jeffrey Brayshaw who joined in 1986 and Sam Messina who joined in 1995.
MRQ Jacobs Well follows the transition of MRQ Hervey Bay which joined MRQ on 3 December 2024, MRQ Victoria Point on 19 November 2024, MRQ Currumbin on 14 November 2024 and MRQ Gladstone and Mackay units in July 2024.
Further marine rescue units from South-East Queensland are expected to follow in 2025.
MRQ Chief Officer Tony Wulff said VMR Jacobs Well’s move to MRQ was another exciting step for marine rescue in Queensland.
“This is a milestone for MRQ Jacobs Well and the northern Gold Coast’s on-water community,” he said.
“We know the community has relied on the Jacobs Well volunteers for more than four decades and they will continue to do so and the same, friendly faces will still be there.”
“The government’s commitment to marine rescue and the on-water community to keep everyone as safe as possible is testament to the thousands of marine rescue volunteers across our great state.”
MRQ Jacobs Well Unit Commander Stewart Wall said the volunteers were looking forward to continuing to keep the area’s on-water community safe, this time under the MRQ banner.
“We have always had strong ties to our community, starting in 1979 when the unit was known as Beenleigh Air Sea Rescue. Our current base facilities were opened in 1986 and we’ve remained here ever since,” he said.
“I am proud to lead our existing members, and welcome new ones to MRQ Jacobs Well.”
