Greg Woodward was a WA surf photographer and writer from 1966 to 1974. He photographed in Perth, Mandurah, Cape Naturaliste and the Eastern States. His articles and photos were published in the then new OZ surf magazine Surf International.
He has kindly allowed Surfing Down South to display his 1960-70s beach images.
These are Greg’s 1968-70 Eastern States images and comments with layout design by Surfing Down South editor Jim King.
Greg’s images are displayed in four groups: –
National Service – Basic Training Puckapunyal Victoria.
Victoria surf coast
Queensland surf coast
After National Service Victoria
#1. National Service – Basic Training Puckapunyal Victoria.
In 1968 along with many other young Australians, I began two years of National Service in the Army. Selection for the call up was by a lottery. If your number came out……off you went to another life!
National Service was introduced by the Menzies Government in 1956 and continued until 1972. In 1956 the draft period was for 3 months and by 1972 had gone up to 2 years. A total of 287,000 young males were conscripted into the Armed forces during this time.
Image: 1968 Nashos roll call parade – Puckapunyal Vic
Push ups were a regular feature of Drill. “Get down and give me 20”. Was a common refrain from the drill sergeant when trainees stuffed up. Arms and wrists benefit from the exercise as does memory.
Image: 1968 Nashos meal parade – Puckapunyal Vic
During basic training, mealtimes were a big event, a break from the sergeant and free food!
Image: 1968 Sleeping soldiers dozing after a hard day at the sports comp – Puckapunyal Vic
Image: 1968 Nashos first leave – Puckapunyal Vic
Recreation leave was scarce in basic training and eagerly anticipated. Home sweet home for all the Victorians.
Image: 1968 The long march begins – Puckapunyal Vic
#2. Victoria surf coast
On army leave I travelled to surf spots in the Torquay region of Victoria and made friends with the locals.
Image: 1968 Victorian surfing legend Rod Brooks surfing Winky Pop Vic.
Rod wrote the Surfing Column for a Melbourne newspaper and very kindly put me up on leave weekends at Torquay whilst I was at Puckapunyal. Many thanks Rod. Hope you are still sliding.
Image: 1968 Rod Brooks surfing Winky Pop Vic.
Image: 1968 John Clark surfing Bells Beach Vic
Image: 1968 Unidentified surfer on a long wall at Bells Beach Vic.
Image: 1968 The cover of Surf International Vol 2, No.9. Charlie Barlett sliding at Bells beach photo by John Hogan. Cost of magazine 60 cents.
Image: 1968 Charlie Bartlett surfing Bells Beach Vic
Image: 1969 Charlie Bartlett surfing Bells Beach Vic
Charlie was a Bells regular and devotee of the pure surfing life and the Ocean. What a sumptuous wall!
Image: 1968 Poster advertising The Endless Summer movie at the Avalon Theatre Vic.
You could devote a whole book to Bruce Brown’s movie The Endless Summer. It influenced so many people and sent a whole generation of young surfers out into the world to become International in their outlook. It was originally shot on 16mm film stock and was so popular it was dubbed into 35mm for the big screen movie theatres around the world (Baby boomers won’t need to access Google to find out what 16mm and 35mm film means).
Image: 1969 Some of the Torquay crew in Victoria who befriended me during nashos.
Before leaving Victoria to return to WA I took this farewell pic of the crew. The beach shack in the background was where Rip Curl began making wet suits on Singer sewing machines. A real cottage industry then! Wonder what happened to everyone, all oldies now! Thank you team.
Image: 1969 Phil surfing Winki Pop on his trusty mattress.
You didn’t need a leg rope with the mattress, just a claw like grip on the rubber and flippers for the take-off. I think Californian George Greenough was the first to surf them in Australia. Lots of fun. Surfing snakes.
Image: 1970 Surf cottage at Torquay Vic
In the sixties surfers all over Australia moved into cottages and old farm houses to start their new lives by the sea – brown rice and vegies for soul surfers. (JW – take a bow).
Image: 1969 Anne rugged up with pup at Torquay Vic.
Image: 1970 Anne and Charles at Torquay Vic
Image: 1970 Jan Juc Beach Torquay Vic
Image: 1970 Glen just near Geelong, sleeping bag under arm, hitching a ride to Geelong Vic
Sometimes we had to hitch a ride to Torquay from Melbourne. No mean undertaking on Friday nights. Haven’t seen anyone hitching for years, the big fear machine saw to that!
#3. Queensland surf coast
In 1968-69 I travelled to Noosa Heads and Coolangatta in Queensland while on army leave.
Image: 1968 uncrowded waves at Noosa Heads Qld
After surfing in Perth, Queensland surf was amazing, especially Noosa Headland which on a big swell provided four plus breaks of varying wave height – pick your level of competence. It was a surfing heaven before the condos and is now a National park full of heritage surfers – um well, anyway in 1968 and well before, it was a magical place.
Image: 1968 Down to the beach – Noosa Heads Qld.
Image: 1968 surfer with single fin surfboard entering the water at Noosa Heads Qld
Where’s the time machine and that sixties body, just for a couple of days, no weeks!
Don’t know how long it took the waves to round down these beautiful stones on the beach at Noosa as they are in protected bays and do not face the open ocean. They must be up there with the Greeks and the Romans on the heritage timescale. Glad they made Noosa a heritage site and put an end to gardening enthusiasts making rockeries and kidnapping ancient artefacts by moonlight.
Image: 1969 Empty wave Kirra surf break Qld
Image: 1968 Flying free – Coolangatta Qld.
Somewhere inland from Coolangatta was where the action took place when the surf disappeared. A steep cliff face to launch and a river below to soften the landing.
#4. After National Service Victoria
After National Service I returned to Melbourne and Torquay to study photography on an Army Study Grant.
Image: 1970 long haired Greg at Bells Beach Vic.
Zenza Bronica camera on my shoulder – poor man’s Hasselblaad…serious stuff!
Image: 1970 The big smoke – Bourke Street Melbourne Vic
Click on these links to view Greg’s previous beach images: –
Greg Woodward was a WA surf photographer and writer from 1966 to 1974. He photographed in Perth, Mandurah, Cape Naturaliste and the Eastern States. His articles and photos were published in the then new OZ surf magazine Surf International.
He has kindly allowed Surfing Down South to display his 1960-70s beach images.
These are Greg’s 1968-70 Eastern States images and comments with layout design by Surfing Down South editor Jim King.
Greg’s images are displayed in four groups: –
#1. National Service – Basic Training Puckapunyal Victoria.
In 1968 along with many other young Australians, I began two years of National Service in the Army. Selection for the call up was by a lottery. If your number came out……off you went to another life!
National Service was introduced by the Menzies Government in 1956 and continued until 1972. In 1956 the draft period was for 3 months and by 1972 had gone up to 2 years. A total of 287,000 young males were conscripted into the Armed forces during this time.
Image: 1968 Nashos roll call parade – Puckapunyal Vic
Push ups were a regular feature of Drill. “Get down and give me 20”. Was a common refrain from the drill sergeant when trainees stuffed up. Arms and wrists benefit from the exercise as does memory.
Image: 1968 Nashos meal parade – Puckapunyal Vic
During basic training, mealtimes were a big event, a break from the sergeant and free food!
Image: 1968 Sleeping soldiers dozing after a hard day at the sports comp – Puckapunyal Vic
Image: 1968 Nashos first leave – Puckapunyal Vic
Recreation leave was scarce in basic training and eagerly anticipated. Home sweet home for all the Victorians.
Image: 1968 The long march begins – Puckapunyal Vic
#2. Victoria surf coast
On army leave I travelled to surf spots in the Torquay region of Victoria and made friends with the locals.
Image: 1968 Victorian surfing legend Rod Brooks surfing Winky Pop Vic.
Rod wrote the Surfing Column for a Melbourne newspaper and very kindly put me up on leave weekends at Torquay whilst I was at Puckapunyal. Many thanks Rod. Hope you are still sliding.
Image: 1968 Rod Brooks surfing Winky Pop Vic.
Image: 1968 John Clark surfing Bells Beach Vic
Image: 1968 Unidentified surfer on a long wall at Bells Beach Vic.
Image: 1968 The cover of Surf International Vol 2, No.9. Charlie Barlett sliding at Bells beach photo by John Hogan. Cost of magazine 60 cents.
Image: 1968 Charlie Bartlett surfing Bells Beach Vic
Image: 1969 Charlie Bartlett surfing Bells Beach Vic
Charlie was a Bells regular and devotee of the pure surfing life and the Ocean. What a sumptuous wall!
Image: 1968 Poster advertising The Endless Summer movie at the Avalon Theatre Vic.
You could devote a whole book to Bruce Brown’s movie The Endless Summer. It influenced so many people and sent a whole generation of young surfers out into the world to become International in their outlook. It was originally shot on 16mm film stock and was so popular it was dubbed into 35mm for the big screen movie theatres around the world (Baby boomers won’t need to access Google to find out what 16mm and 35mm film means).
Image: 1969 Some of the Torquay crew in Victoria who befriended me during nashos.
Before leaving Victoria to return to WA I took this farewell pic of the crew. The beach shack in the background was where Rip Curl began making wet suits on Singer sewing machines. A real cottage industry then! Wonder what happened to everyone, all oldies now! Thank you team.
Image: 1969 Phil surfing Winki Pop on his trusty mattress.
You didn’t need a leg rope with the mattress, just a claw like grip on the rubber and flippers for the take-off. I think Californian George Greenough was the first to surf them in Australia. Lots of fun. Surfing snakes.
Image: 1970 Surf cottage at Torquay Vic
In the sixties surfers all over Australia moved into cottages and old farm houses to start their new lives by the sea – brown rice and vegies for soul surfers. (JW – take a bow).
Image: 1969 Anne rugged up with pup at Torquay Vic.
Image: 1970 Anne and Charles at Torquay Vic
Image: 1970 Jan Juc Beach Torquay Vic
Image: 1970 Glen just near Geelong, sleeping bag under arm, hitching a ride to Geelong Vic
Sometimes we had to hitch a ride to Torquay from Melbourne. No mean undertaking on Friday nights. Haven’t seen anyone hitching for years, the big fear machine saw to that!
#3. Queensland surf coast
In 1968-69 I travelled to Noosa Heads and Coolangatta in Queensland while on army leave.
Image: 1968 uncrowded waves at Noosa Heads Qld
After surfing in Perth, Queensland surf was amazing, especially Noosa Headland which on a big swell provided four plus breaks of varying wave height – pick your level of competence. It was a surfing heaven before the condos and is now a National park full of heritage surfers – um well, anyway in 1968 and well before, it was a magical place.
Image: 1968 Down to the beach – Noosa Heads Qld.
Image: 1968 surfer with single fin surfboard entering the water at Noosa Heads Qld
Where’s the time machine and that sixties body, just for a couple of days, no weeks!
Image: 1968 Sparkle arkle and backlit unidentified surfer Noosa Heads Qld.
Image: 1969 Ancient stones at Noosa Heads Qld
Don’t know how long it took the waves to round down these beautiful stones on the beach at Noosa as they are in protected bays and do not face the open ocean. They must be up there with the Greeks and the Romans on the heritage timescale. Glad they made Noosa a heritage site and put an end to gardening enthusiasts making rockeries and kidnapping ancient artefacts by moonlight.
Image: 1969 Empty wave Kirra surf break Qld
Image: 1968 Flying free – Coolangatta Qld.
Somewhere inland from Coolangatta was where the action took place when the surf disappeared. A steep cliff face to launch and a river below to soften the landing.
#4. After National Service Victoria
After National Service I returned to Melbourne and Torquay to study photography on an Army Study Grant.
Image: 1970 long haired Greg at Bells Beach Vic.
Zenza Bronica camera on my shoulder – poor man’s Hasselblaad…serious stuff!
Image: 1970 The big smoke – Bourke Street Melbourne Vic
Click on these links to view Greg’s previous beach images: –
1966-74 Scarborough Beach images
1966-76 Cottesloe Beach images
1966-77 Trigg Beach images
1960-70s Metro Beach images
1967 Knee boarding Cottesloe Beach images
Coming soon: –
1960s My first surfboard by Greg Woodward
1960s Cape Naturaliste images
Greg is now retired and lives with his wife Anne in Perth.
Thank you Greg for sharing your vintage beach images.
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