In the mid-1970s, Tony and his wife Jacquie moved their young family from Scarborough and settled on a rural property in Margaret River. In 1976 Tony built a shaping bay and started making Hardy Surfboards on the property.
Click on this link to view 1976 Hardy Surfboards Margaret River blog posted 8 October 2014.
Photo: 1976 Tony country living on his Margaret River property. Ric Chan pic.
In the 1970s, goofy-footer Tony was arguably the best surfer riding Margaret River Main Break.
Independent newspaper surf journo Ric Chan captured these images of Tony surfing Marg’s Main Break in 1976.
Photo: 1973 surf photographer Ric Chan with his gold coloured kombi and ‘tools of the trade’ in the car park at Surfers Point.
Ric Chan – In this shot I was using an 1100mm catadioptric lens. It’s a mirror lens and is shorter with more power. It is not as long as a 600mm lens.
Photo: 1976 Tony Hardy surfing Marg’s Main Break. Ric Chan pic #1.
Photo: 1976 Tony Hardy surfing Marg’s Main Break. Ric Chan pic #2.
Photo: 1976 Tony Hardy surfing Marg’s Main Break. Ric Chan pic #3.
Photo: 1976 Tony Hardy surfing Marg’s Main Break. Ric Chan pic #4.
Photo: 1976 Tony Hardy surfing Marg’s Main Break. Ric Chan pic #5.
Photo: 1976 Tony Hardy surfing Marg’s Main Break. Ric Chan pic #6.
Photo: 1976 Tony Hardy surfing Marg’s Main Break. Ric Chan pic #7.
Photo: 1976 Tony Hardy surfing Marg’s Main Break. Ric Chan pic #8.
Margaret River surfing legend Tony Hardy still shapes the odd surfboard and surfs Margaret’s on his hand crafted single fin surfboards.
Tony’s granddaughter Willow Hardy is carrying on the family surfing traditional. Willow has won the 12-and-under-girls title two years in row at the Taj’s Small Fries Competition held in the Yallingup region. And in March 2017, Willow won her first State Title in the U/14 division held at Main Break Margaret River. Willow now joins her grandad Tony, father Gene and uncles Ryan and Brett in the record books, with all family members holding Surfing WA State Titles.
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