Long before red-and-yellow flags were planted on beaches at the Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast, surf lifesaving in Queensland originated from a need to watch over people in the Brisbane River.

"When the first Europeans came to Queensland, most of them couldn't swim and they were afraid of the water," historian Helen Gregory said.

"Still-water lifesaving was the earliest form of lifesaving that came to Queensland.

"The rivers became useful, and places, especially in the Brisbane River, were fenced off and formed swimming baths."

Families enjoying swimming in Brisbane River baths in 1925. ( Supplied: State Library of Queensland )

During the early 19th century, many homes didn't have bathrooms so residents would bathe in those areas along the river.

"They were segregated between men and women, but gradually people wanted to swim and enjoy the water — but there were drownings," Ms Gregory told ABC Radio Brisbane's Emma Griffiths.

Swimming for joy sparked need for life saving

The Royal Life Saving Society was established in England in 1896 to teach people how to save others who had fallen into water or had gone for a swim and ran into trouble.

Within 10 years, a branch was established in Queensland due to the increased popularity of swimming for enjoyment.

Multiple images of a swimming carnival in Yeppoon estuary in 1933. ( Supplied: State Library of Queensland )

"They sent people around the state to teach people basic skills — the three Rs: rescue, release and resuscitation," Ms Gregory said.

"In 1905, a trainer named Colonial Roth came from Sydney to Brisbane to train women as lifesavers and not just men.

"For that era it was ground-breaking to involve women, yet they were supposed to wear their 47 articles of clothing while in the water, which was rather adventurous for then."

Ms Gregory added that in 1908 there was also a branch of the Royal Life Saving Society established in Rockhampton.

It was surprising move, as many crocodiles called the Fitzroy River home, but the residents were undeterred.

The Neptunes were an all-women Royal Lifesaving Club in Noosa in 1935. ( Supplied: State Library of Queensland )

Hide naked legs and ankles please

Ms Gregory said in the early days there was a ban on daylight swimming so that people did not see each other's naked legs and ankles.

"The local governments got into the act and they could control the swimming and what you could and couldn't wear," she said.

"They even implemented what swimming costumes could be worn and segregate bathing from men at certain times and women at others."

In 1908 surf lifesaving began on the beaches in Queensland as more and more people wanted to swim in the surf.

The first volunteer surf lifesaving club began in Sydney a year earlier in 1907.

The Coolangatta Surf Lifesaving Club with the rope and reel in 1934. ( Supplied: State Library of Queensland )

Before flotation devices, rescuers would have a seatbelt over their bodies and be attached to a line on the beach as they went to the aid of swimmers.

"It was called the old reel, line and belt and was brought to Brisbane by dentist Harold Bennett," Ms Gregory said.

"So there were qualified lifesavers on Greenmount Beach at the Gold Coast and Maroochydore, which was then known as the Maroochy Heads.

"They installed the lifesaving apparatus on the beach but many at the time didn't know exactly what it was."

Clubs emerge with help from the 'burbs

Maroochy Heads Surf Club was formed and then others at South Port and Kirra followed in 1916.

"When the Maroochydore club first opened they performed five rescues on their very first day, so clearly there was a need for that," Ms Gregory said.

Young surf lifesaving relay champions on a Gold Coast beach in 1932. ( Supplied: State Library of Queensland )

She added that one particular club was a combination of city and coast — the Burleigh Mowbray Park Club.

"Although Mowbray Park is in Brisbane, the training would happen in the Mowbray Park pool before they went on duties at Burleigh Heads.

"In a funny way, this untied still water activity and lifesaving united with the surf."

She added that it took a few decades for things to become more formalised and school students began earning their bronze medallions.

Today, Surf Life Saving Australia includes masters, juniors and nippers as part of its clubs throughout the country.

In Brisbane, nippers learn to save lives in still water at South Bank. ( ABC Radio Brisbane: Jessica Hinchliffe )

"Until 1953 we followed the English manual and it wasn't until then that the Australian manual came out and it was very similar and formal," Ms Gregory said.

"Students in the 1950s probably remember earning their bronze medallion, where you had to simulate a rescue and that was based on the new manual."