DARREN Hauser loves starting his day with an ocean swim, even on his 63rd birthday, which happened to be the day of our interview.
Born in Glenelg, South Australia, Darren is the eldest of three. At age 12, his family relocated from Adelaide to the Sunshine Coast, where his parents set up an accountancy practice at Alexandra Headlands in 1974 and settled in Maroochydore.
Darren recalls, "We arrived at our little fibro house in Maroochydore during the '74 floods, and the removalist truck had driven through the waters. When they opened the truck doors, water poured out. Mum and Dad definitely questioned the move to Queensland at that moment. But despite the rocky start, it all worked out in the end."
As a kid, Darren struggled with chronic asthma. He once nearly drowned at an Adelaide beach, which led his parents to enrol him in the Somerton Surf Lifesaving Club. Despite his asthma, Darren excelled as a beach sprinter, representing South Australia in Nippers and winning two consecutive national titles. After moving to Maroochydore in 1974, he joined Alexandra Headlands Surf Club, where he continued his success, winning another national championship and finishing second in his fourth year.
After finishing high school at the end of 1978, Darren’s first job was as a surveyor's assistant. He then became a full-time lifeguard at Alexandra Headlands Beach at the same club as Grant Kenny who was winning National Championships. Darren also spent a couple of years as a volunteer crewman with the Westpac Rescue Helicopter Squad, performing rescue missions.
One memorable rescue involved locating an injured person on the Glass House Mountains, where they had to hike up with stretchers. Another more sombre experience was retrieving the body of a 25-year-old tourist who drowned near Noosa Beach. That moment hit hard, as Darren was roughly the same age at the time, highlighting the stark reality of lifesaving.
Next, Darren studied Community Recreation in Brisbane. Then was an Activities Officer on Lindeman Island. Darren later worked for the Queensland Recreation Council in Townsville. In the late 80s, he transferred to Maryborough with the Department of Sport and Recreation. There, he met his future wife Vicki, who was a teacher. The pair shared interests and socialised in Maryborough. They were married in 1991.
That same year, they joined the Hervey Bay Surf Lifesaving Club, which at the time was just an empty plot of land. Darren and a group of former lifesavers and locals formed a committee, launched a community campaign, and with strong local support, successfully had the clubhouse built.
Sadly, Darren's mum is in the early stages of Alzheimer's, and he is now her primary carer. His dad passed away from brain cancer years ago and the Leukemia Foundation were there to help the family during that difficult time. After his father's passing, Darren and his Hervey Bay surf lifesaver mates organised a Paddle for Leukemia, raising $12,500 by paddling from Rainbow Beach to Hervey Bay, giving back to the foundation that helped his family.
The Hauser name might ring a bell—Darren and his wife Vicki are the proud parents of Commonwealth Games gold Medallist and Olympian Matthew Hauser.
“Vicki and I have travelled to places we never imagined visiting—Mexico, Canada, the U.S., the Netherlands, Italy, and France—thanks to Matt’s sporting career. The hard work, dedication, and support from coaches and sponsors have all played a part in his success, and we couldn’t be prouder”.
They are equally proud of their daughter, Amy, a university graduate with a Masters in Acting and Performing. Amy works with the Australian Acting Academy, where she teaches theatre and acting to primary and high school students. She also works as an usher at Brisbane’s Powerhouse and loves what she does.
By Kim Parnell
From What’s On Fraser Coast
