The Pinkies

Dragons Abreast Gold Coast was first formed in early 2001 as part of the Currumbin Dragon Boat Club following a presentation by that club at a meeting at the Cancer Council Queensland which was attended by our Past President Fay Henderson.

Following this presentation Fay met with Currumbin Dragon Boat Club to investigate the possibility forming a team of breast cancer survivors to paddle with Currumbin.

A foundation group comprising Fay, and three other breast cancer survivors, Carol Mennie, Wendy Hall & Lorrie Ledwell, joined the Currumbin Dragon Boat Club. As the benefit of dragon boat paddling to breast cancer survivors became more widely known the club membership steadily grew and this special team paddled with Currumbin Dragon Boat Club as Currumbin Pinkies and Beyond Survival. In 2006, before the world championships in Singapore, the club became registered as Dragons Abreast Gold Coast (DAGC).

After two years of determination, fund raising and donations, DAGC raised sufficient funds to purchase their first dragon boat. The club were strongly supported by Hogs Breath Cafe who provided the sponsorship funds to purchase team uniforms in addition to donating funds towards the purchase of the boat.

The new boat was blessed by Buddhist Monks in a traditional ceremony at Marina Mirage in January 2005. and was christened BEYOND SURVIVAL. This boat was, and still is a beauty, and is still used regularly by DAGC for training. Launching the boat and paddling it across to the Marina, and dodging the hundreds of craft on the water was a mission in itself.

In July 2009, now with a very strong club membership “The Pinkies” became incorporated as DRAGONS ABREAST GOLD COAST.