It's known affectionately at Thirroul Surf Life Saving Club as "Barrie's bible".
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The hand-written book records all the officials, bronze medallions, awards, club presentations and beach, state and world records in the club's history, back to 1907.
It has been a labour of love for Barrie Stanford, who has been recognised with a Medal of the Order of Australia in the General Division.
Mr Stanford moved to Thirroul from West Wyalong in 1958 to play for the Thirroul Butchers football club but was drawn to the surf club.
"I just fell in love with it, absolutely in love," he said.
"I've had multiple jobs in the surf club. And when we had a reunion in 1977, I fell in love with the history of the club."
It took until the mid-1980s for Mr Stanford to start his record-keeping.
"At that stage there was no computers and I started a handwritten book," he said. "I'm continuing that, although we have it all on computer now also."
Mr Stanford's association with the club has been so strong that even when he was moved to Wagga Wagga for work in the hardware industry, he still came back to Thirroul at Christmas to do patrols. Mr Stanford said he was "flattened" when he heard he would be named in the Australia Day honours list.
"It shook me," he said.
"The surf lifesaving movement ... has probably been one of the most inspiring things I've ever been involved in."