Sydney Board Rider Clubs

[Peto]

I am about to begin a project researching the history of boardrider clubs in sydney (Palm Beach to Garie). The end result will (hopefully) be the publication of a book that will include a mixture of stories and photos on the beginnings and evolution of the clubs as well as the memorable stories of club members.

For those that have seen it, the book will be very similar to the 'Beyond the Green Room' book published a couple of years ago on the hisory of boardrider clubs on the Gold Coast.

I NEED YOUR HELP

I have a contact list of a number of clubs in Sydney (see list below) but I know there are heaps more clubs out there that I dont have. If you know the name and contact details (ie phone, email address, name of club presidents) of any of the clubs I dont have could you please post them.

Also if anyone knows of any clubs that were influential to surfing in sydney
but dont exist anymore could you also post them.

If you would prefer, you can email the contact details directly using my email address below.

Here is the list so far:
Christian Surfers Cronulla, Maroubra, Northern beaches;
Garie Boardriders Club
Maroubra Surfriders Inc;
Newport Plus Boardriders Club;
North Narrabeen Boardriders Club;
Sandshoes Boardriders Club Inc;
Southend Boardriders Inc;

[buzzy]

Wind'n'Sewerage Boardriders of North Steyne. Contact Mick Mock. He has a shop at Palm Beach called "Little Dragon" (address per Pacific Longboarder Vol 7 Number 3. They are no longer active but North Steyne Boardriders, which is active, has some common members (such as Jan deBruin).

You'd also be wanting QBC (Queenscliff Boardriders Club). They are still active. I have no idea who you should contact.

[Bunker Spreckels]

Wind'n'Sewerage Boardriders of North Steyne. Contact Mick Mock. He has a shop at Palm Beach called "Little Dragon" (address per Pacific Longboarder Vol 7 Number 3. They are no longer active but North Steyne Boardriders, which is active, has some common members (such as Jan deBruin).

You'd also be wanting QBC (Queenscliff Boardriders Club). They are still active. I have no idea who you should contact.

Brother, you mean Jan Van Dam!

Hooo haaar-I smash ez faze.

Peace Out

[Longygrom]

LRSA-
Long Reef Surfing Accosiation

DYSF-
Dee Why Surfing Fraternity

Plus 7 other sydney longboard clubs
- palmy
- long reef
-curl curl
- freshy
-Manly
-Bondi
-Southside

[buzzy]

Peto, if you want a contact on North Steyne Boardriders our very own Bunker Spreckles might be able to help. Otherwise Brett Curotta might be a good contact point. You can find him at the Surfection Board Store Carlton St/Pittwater Rd Manly.

[Bunker Spreckels]

Peto, if you want a contact on North Steyne Boardriders our very own Bunker Spreckles might be able to help. Otherwise Brett Curotta might be a good contact point. You can find him at the Surfection Board Store Carlton St/Pittwater Rd Manly.

Buzzoff-me thinks ya' all me North Shore Boardriders? Brett who?

Peazzzz Out

[spotty]

Do as Bunkers says... talk to Mick Mock,(just dont mention the war).
Contact Adam Hennesey at Aloha re North Steyne Boardriders.

[aaronn]

qbc still going

[purple pyramids]

http://www.sydneykneeboardclub.com/

contact adam: [email protected]

[Beanpole]

Well Bondi Boardriders has a big bus roaming around the place. Lets not forget ITN (In the nude) and Bronte.

[osakabob]

3 more for the Manly area . Manly Pacific boardriders , resurrected a few times over the years .Mid Pacific boardriders based around the green shed area on the beach front and Manly boardriders . Time frame for these clubs was from 60's until the early 80's.
Mick Mock's shop is at Newport now .

[Jorgo]

Osakabob - do you mean Mid Syeyne Boardriders with members "Parrot" Hall and Steve Lenard and Twizzle standouts from late 60's early 70s. They were the Shed club I believe

[Jorgo]

Yes - thats Steyne the T is next to the Y on keyboard - doh

[osakabob]

yes Jorgo you are right . Mid Steyne boardriders . Couldnt remember the name properly so details like how long it went for are out of the question for me. I do remember Peter ? Hall getting a cover shot on Surfing World at one time .

[Jorgo]

Yep - Peter Hall it is and yes I mthat cover shot too. Lot of good goofy footers down that part of the beach due to the famous Carlton St left and when there was big southerly swells that stretch between the North Steyne pipe and Manly pipe sure got their fair share.
Its funny for one stretch of beach, Manly to Queenscliff with Mid and North Steyne in between there were whole cliques and Boardriders clubs of the years - and still to today as some have said. Lots come and go too with inputs from the generations and popularity of surfing and access via public transport for groms who then became regulars as they got to an age where they could drive etc
But I digress - Manly Boardriders, Mid Steyne, Manly Pacific, QBC, Wind n Sewerage and now a "North Steyne"??? I've been gone from the area for 25 years - but my first 30 was spent in the midst of all that

[osakabob]

Jorgo , similar story for me too . left Manly in 1985 when i was about 28 .
enjoyed most of my time there but was glad to get out .

[moondoggie]

I have a photo of Manly "seagulls " Surf club ( North Steyne), Their members included Jack Reynolds and the Walker brothers who were the first boardriders club in Oz i.e. prior to Duke Kahanamoku doing his thing in 1914 at Manly one afternoon ( after he had surfed at Freshy in the morning)

Scored a free pass to the opening of the "Surf City" exhibition and if you made a purchase at the Sydney Museum shop they gave you a free copy of " BEYOND THE GREEN ROOM A history of Boardriders clubs from Bondi to Garie " .Geoff Cater from surfresearch put me on to it It is an extensive list of existing and long forgotten southside clubs their prominent members and charaters resplendant with plenty of great photos ( of when they were young and at their peak.
I find this stuff really fascinating and so was stoked to devour it and add to my collection.

SO, THE GOOD THE BAD AND THE UGLY...
The good news is if you hurry in there. Peto you may still be able to grab yourself a copy.(Sydney Museum)

The bad news is that at least half your project has already been done and dusted.

The ugly... well that would be me Peto, HappY Australia Day !

M.D.

[carlton St]

Manly was an interesting place in the early 70's and like Nat and Wayne proclaimed competitve surfing was around but it was not cool. This was the downfall of Mid Steyne and one of the original versions of QBC. Manly Boardriders and Manly Pacific hung in there and most of the blokes who still competed at Northern Beaches Titles etc were members of one or the other. Which brings me to Mid Pacific Boardriders. Rick Dabrow was running Sunshine Surfing and had a bunch of young blokes who stored their boards there and who surfed down the end of Carlton St between the Nth Ryde guys and the Balgowlah Boys. Like all young lads there was always a bit of shit about who was a best surfer and Rick was often asked for his opinion. So around the end of 1973 Rick shut us all up and held a contest. All very informal, just a bit of fun but one bloke did not agree with the outcome. (if you know Billy Thorpe's "It Almost Summer" and you know the bloke with the red pintail you know the bloke) So, there was another contest and interest grew from other juniors along the beach. Early 1974 Rick and a few other the older blokes then floated the idea of a new club with both seniors and juniors. The problem was to get the best surfers there was a bit of politics - as there always is. So Mid Pacific was the melding of Mid Steyne Board Riders and Manly Pacific. Tee shirts were printed, beige with red print for the juniors and dark blue with light print for the seniors, of course "Sunshine Surfing" on the pocket. There juniors were good but the senior were very strong: Pickles, D.C. Twizzle, George Stanchef, Neil Ohlback,Steve Lennard, Sludge, Larry M and maybe Parrot for a while. There was an old ad in Surfing World for Hot Roc or Sunshine taken at the cottage next to the shop with the boys standing on the verandah, it was pretty much a senior team photo. Despite their best efforts they could never sign the Knights or Baddie. For more details you can catch Rick at Dripping Wet from time to time. Doug Bell is at Bennetts and he can give you a rundown on Manly Boardriders. Reggae Ellis and the over 50s QBC guys can give you the history on "the garages" and how the young Mosman guys kick started QBC (one or two of them were Mid Steyne Juniors as well). Good luck with the book.