Surfing in Australia

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Surfing in Australia
CountryAustralia
Governing body Surfing Australia
National team Australia
National competitions
Club competitions
International competitions
Bells Beach, Victoria surfers Bells beach surfers.JPG
Bells Beach, Victoria surfers
Mick Corbett riding Cowaramup Bombora, Western Australia, 2014 Mick Corbett at Cow Bombie.jpg
Mick Corbett riding Cowaramup Bombora, Western Australia, 2014

Australia is renowned as one of the world's premier surfing destinations. Surfing underpins an important part of the Australian coastal fabric, and forms part of a lifestyle in which millions participate and which millions more have an interest. For many years the sport was closely associated with the surf life saving movement in Australia. Australian surfboard-makers have driven innovation in surfboard design and production since the mid-1960s, and corporate giants Billabong, Rip Curl, and Quiksilver were established in Australia.

Contents

Bondi Beach surfers, 2000 Bondi Beach 4.JPG
Bondi Beach surfers, 2000

History

Jeff Rowley Jeff Rowley Big Wave Surfer Western Australia by Xvolution Media - Flickr - Jeff Rowley Big Wave Surfer.jpg
Jeff Rowley

Surfing was brought to Australia in 1915 by Hawaiian Duke Kahanamoku. [1] He demonstrated this ancient Hawaiian board riding technique at Freshwater (or Harbord) in Sydney, New South Wales. Kahanamoku's board is now on display in the northeast end of the Freshwater Surf lifesaving club, Sydney, Australia.

In the 1950s, surfing was so popular that the Australian Government put laws in place in an attempt to curb surfing during working hours. The laws were removed after they resulted in more people surfing than usual.[ citation needed ]

In 1956, a team of lifeguards from the US introduced Malibu boards to Australia. [2]

In the 1960s, Australian surfboard designer Bob McTavish invented the V-bottom surfboard, which is considered instrumental to the development of shortboard surfing. [3]

Australia has produced many Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) world champions, [4] such as Wayne Bartholomew, Tom Carroll, Barton Lynch, Damien Hardman, Mark Occhilupo, Mick Fanning, Joel Parkinson, Stephanie Gilmore, Layne Beachley, Wendy Botha, Pauline Menczer, Chelsea Georgeson, Sally Fitzgibbons, and Mark Richards. [5]

The World Surf League incorporates three major championship titles held in Australia: the Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast, Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach, and the Drug Aware Margaret River Pro.

One of the most successful Australian surfers, Mick Fanning, has won four titles at Bells Beach, Victoria, earning him the number one spot in the surfing ranks. [6]

Merry Beach, New South Wales, 2013 Merry Beach surfing 06.jpg
Merry Beach, New South Wales, 2013
Duranbah Beach in northern New South Wales View south from Point Danger Lookout, Coolangatta, Queensland.jpg
Duranbah Beach in northern New South Wales

Australia is renowned as one of the world's premier surfing destinations. [7] There are many popular surfing beaches around the continent, including Noosa main beach and Snapper Rocks in Queensland, and Cape Woolamai in Victoria. [8]

No surfing is possible in many parts of northern Australia due to coral reefs subduing waves. Modern surfboard design has been shaped by both Australian and Californian developments. [9]

Governing body

Surfing Australia is the national sporting body which guides and promotes the development of surfing.

Culture

Surfing is a popular recreational sport around Australia, and a culture has grown alongside. [10] The culture of surfing has grown dramatically from just being a relaxed way of living to a mainstream sport. The progression has led to research on the health benefits of surfing. The sport promotes cardiovascular fitness, muscular strength and balance. These physical benefits come from the constant paddling through the water, increasing arm and back strength whilst also increasing the heart rate. Surfing also gives one a chance to think and relax in an environment that decreases stress and relaxes the muscles. [11]

Brands

The country has launched corporate giants such as Billabong, Rip Curl, and Quiksilver. [12]

In film

Filmmakers Albe Falzon and Jolyon Hoff are known for their surfing documentaries. [13] Hoff created the Surf Film Archive [14] to preserve old deteriorating footage shot on celluloid film, by digitising it. [15]

Tournaments

Major Australian tournaments include the Men's Samsung Galaxy Championship Tour, [16] Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast (Gold Coast, Queensland), Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach (Bells Beach, Victoria) and the Drug Aware Margaret River Pro (Margaret River, Western Australia). Other tournaments include the Australian Boardriders Battle, Australian Open of Surfing, Beachley Classic, Breaka Burleigh Pro and the Noosa Festival of Surfing.

Australian World Title holders

Men

Women

Australian surfboard shapers

Australia is a leading country in surfing and surfboard design. Shaping is an important part of the innovation and progression of surfing. Australian shapers include:

See also

References

  1. ↑ Wendy Lewis, Simon Balderstone and John Bowan (2006). Events That Shaped Australia. New Holland. p. 115. ISBN   978-1-74110-492-9.
  2. ↑ Vertinsky, Patricia Anne; John Bale (2004). Sites of Sport: Space, Place, Experience. Psychology Press. p. 117. ISBN   978-0714682815 . Retrieved 16 January 2016.
  3. ↑ "History Of Surfing Innovation Part 5 - Disrupt Surfing". Disrupt Surfing. Retrieved 22 December 2015.
  4. ↑ DiMartino, Jay (2015). "Australia's surfing history". about sport.
  5. ↑ "Australia's Surfing History". about sport.
  6. ↑ "Mick Fanning wins men's title at Bells Beach". ABC News. 9 April 2015. Retrieved 15 April 2015.
  7. ↑ "Australian Geographic". Australian Geographic. 2014. Archived from the original on 3 February 2015.
  8. ↑ "Surfing spots Australia". Visit Australia. Retrieved 21 June 2025.
  9. ↑ Ford, Nick; David Brown (2006). Surfing and Social Theory: Experience, Embodiment and Narrative of the Dream Glide. Taylor & Francis. p. 52. ISBN   978-0415334334 . Retrieved 16 January 2016.
  10. ↑ "About Surfing Australia". Surfing Australia. 2015.
  11. ↑ "Surfing - health benefits - Better Health Channel" . Retrieved 15 April 2015.
  12. ↑ Warren, Andrew (2013). "Making things in a high-dollar Australia: The case of the surfboard industry". Journal of Australian Political Economy. 71: 26–50.
  13. 1 2 Hoff, Jolyon (21 November 2024). "Interview: Jolyon Hoff". Cinema Australia (Interview). Interviewed by Eeles, Matthew. Archived from the original on 16 March 2025. Retrieved 21 October 2025.
  14. ↑ "Surf Film Archive". Noosa Festival of Surfing 2026. 14 February 2023. Archived from the original on 4 August 2025. Retrieved 21 October 2025.
  15. ↑ "Australian and New Zealand Surf Film Archive". YouTube. 6 March 2024. Retrieved 21 October 2025.
  16. ↑ World Surf League, World Surf League (15 April 2015). "Men's Samsung Galaxy Championship Tour". World Surf League. Retrieved 15 April 2015.
  17. ↑ "Wayne Lynch, b. 1951". National Portrait Gallery people. 5 August 2025. Archived from the original on 6 May 2025. Retrieved 21 October 2025.
  18. ↑ Cole, Maurice (15 September 2020). "The Rage and the Pride of Maurice Cole". The Surfers Journal (Interview). Interviewed by Rielly, Derek. Archived from the original on 6 August 2025. Retrieved 21 October 2025.
  19. ↑ "History". maurice cole surfboards. 2 April 2019. Archived from the original on 21 October 2025. Retrieved 21 October 2025.
  20. ↑ Handley, Darren (2015). "Blog". Darren Handley Designs. © 2015 DHD Surf - Performance Surfboards. All Rights Reserved.
  21. ↑ Baker, Tim (2013). Australia's Century of Surf. North Sydney NSW: Random House Australia Pty Ltd. pp. 184–185. ISBN   978-1-74275-828-2.
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