East Coast Surfing History

A brief history of surfing on the Mornington Peninsula
by Warrick Wynne

When was the East Coast first ever surfed and by who? Who named the early spots? And what do those names mean? Who were the standouts in the 1960s? What's the biggest swell ever to hit this coast? How have the beach breaks changed over the years and does Crunchy Point get more swell now than twenty years ago? The Suicide Savages, the Reefies, Mexico Rollers and the dirt road to Gunna. The Clubbies, the board riders clubs, Morning Star, the rages. This page will explore the surfing history of the East Coast with a somewhat potted time line. Contribute your story! There's so many stories we don't want to forget; like the Point Leo 1200 Contest and the time the Australian Titles were held at Point Leo! These pages are an attempt to document this stuff before it's forgotten. They take a timeline approach, running through the years so move back and forth through it however you like.

Photo above taken at a Peninsula Surfriders Club comp. at Gunna  in the late 70s.  Some of the guys featured   are Brett O'Louchlin, Skip, Ross Jameson, Steve Wilkinson, Koala, Dean Pugsley, John Ross, Ian Cochrane and Jamie Cook. [Photos: Mick Tregaskis]