The Swinging Sixties
The beginnings of surfing on the Hoax Coast; we need submissions and photos of early surfing experiences, even things that may have happened in the (gulp) 50s?!!
SIXTIES PHOTO GALLERY - COMING SOON
1962 - Quarantine Announced to the Surfing World.
In Surfing World - Sept 1962, Vol 1, No. 1, the following letter appears, the very first letter in the first issue of the magazine:
Extraordinary
I have recently visited a place here in Victoria called Quarantine, which is the most extraordinary I have ridden. The conditions must be strong South winds with high tide on the fall at Port Phillip Heads.
An example: High tide noon - low tide 6.00 pm - wave are ridden only between 12.45 pm to 3.45 pm - no reefs, very deep water and deserted - we arrived by speedboat and disembarked fully dressed, 1 1/2 hours later 10ft waves 500 yards offshore, standing green and not breaking until 30yds from the beach. Only setback is when large ocean liners pass and their wash chops up the water with a backwash.
Please don't think this is a fancy - it really is fact.
Signed - Peter "Boy" Troy
Torquay. Vic.The Editor wrote: 'We believe you Peter and will come and take look see soon.'
[from the Peninsula Surf Centre Archives - Supplied by Ted Bainbridge - 30/3/2004]
1960s - George Rice Surfboards, made out of Heidelberg of all places becomes one of the biggest manufacturers of surfboards in Australia. With the resurgence of the mal, original George Rice boards are becoming collector items and Trigger Brothers began making replicas in early 2001. Below: George Rice with quiver from the photo in Australian Longboarding magazine. There's more about George Rice on the Trigger Site.
December 1967 - Prime Minister Harold Holt disappears in the surf at Cheviot Beach, near Portsea and despite a massive search, is never found. A recollection of that day.
1968 - First Trigger Brothers surfboard (for Phil) launched at Point Leo (an 8' x 22" vee bottom) The shop would soon follow.
1968 - Alan Oke starts making surfboards in a small shop in Edithvale
1968-1969 - Phil Grace and Mick Pierce do some work for George Rice Surfboards, honing skills that would later come to fruition in their own surfboard design and construction.
1969 -George Rice Surfboards move to Nepean Highway in Bonbeach for a while.
Ted's PSC Car - Was it really ever like that in the 1960s on the Hoax Coast, or is this a California dreamtime?
