60s

Who named Huzza Wouie and Other Side of the Moon?

In surfing circles there have been questions for some time about who found and named down south surf breaks Huzza Wouie (Huzza’s) at Gracetown and Other Side of the Moon at Cape Naturaliste.

State surfing championships have been held at Huzza Wouie since 1964 and the Other Side of the Moon has been a popular summertime surf spot since the early 60s.

WA surf industry pioneer Len Dibben (age 81) has researched this matter with his former work mates Leon Cole and Dave Ellis from Dibben-Cole Surfboards (early 60s) and may have the answers.

 

Image: 1962 Dibben & Cole Surfboard factory 2 Stirling Hwy North Freo. Dave Ellis pic

L-R Leon Cole, Dave Ellis, Julian Mazelli & Len Dibben.

These are Len’s comments: –

Huzza Wouie

Dave reminded me about a surf trip Leon, Dave & I made down south in Leon’s Morris Oxford about 1958 -1960, maybe earlier. We got to Cowaramup Bay and walked around the cliffs to see where the waves were on the south side of the bay and saw these waves breaking in the area now called ‘Huzza Wouie’. We were just watching, and Leon yelled out “huzza wouie” like (did you see that!) or (gee, that is a great wave). And that’s how it got its name!

Leon Cole was a very good fitter & turner as well a talented musician, playing the Piano, Guitar, Banjo & Trumpet. He also had a very good voice to match. As was musician Don Bancroft I still remember Don blowing his Trumpet at Yalls between surfs.

 

Image: 1965 Unknown and Ron Moss surfing Huzza. Ron Moss pic

 

Image: 1967 Contestants on the beach State Surf Championships at Huzza. Still frame ex City Beach Surf Riders Super 8 movie film.

Standing L-R John Balgarnie, Terry James (RIP), Steve Cockburn, Rob Farris & David Moss.

 

Image: 1967 Contestant Bruce King on the beach State Surf Championships at Huzza. Still frame ex City Beach Surf Riders Super 8 movie film.

 

Image: 1967 Robin Sutherland competing State Surf Championships at Huzza. Len Dibben pic

 

Image: 1967 Steve Farbus competing State Surf Championships at Huzza. Len Dibben pic

 

Image: 1969 South Point & Huzza line-ups. Ric Chan pic

 

Image: 1970 Unidentified on Huzza right. Ric Chan water shot.

 

Image: 1970 Huzza unknown surfer. Ric Chan water shot

 

Images: 1971 Al Fixter and Ian Mitchell free surfing Huzza. These Rob Farris pics appeared in WA’s Country Surf Magazine in the 70s.

Other Side of the Moon

Dave also told me that he and Rex Cordingley from Cordingley Surfboards in Subiaco (mid 60s) and another unidentified surfer were looking for on a surf on a small day at Yalls and drove north towards Bunkers looking for a surf near Cape Naturaliste. The boys found a rough bush track at the back of the lighthouse and set off in bare feet with their heavy surfboards.  While walking towards a surf break, Dave remarked that the track covered with limestone & rocks looked like the ‘other side of the moon’. After getting back to Margs where they were lodging, a chap there asked where they had surfed, and Rex told him the ‘Other Side of the Moon’.

 

Image: Early 1960s Surfers leaving Lighthouse surf break at Other Side of the Moon Cape Naturaliste. Terry Williams pic

 

Image: 1960-61 Steve Mailey surfing Lighthouse. Steve Mailey pic.

 

Image: 1967 Young Jim McFarlane surfing Lighthouse. Jim McFarlane pic

 

Image: 1967 Murray James surfing Lighthouse. Jim McFarlane pic

 

Image: 1972 Mick Black surfing Lighthouse. Ric Chan pic

I also surfed Transit reef at Rotto back in 1958 and outer Transit with Leon, Dave and the late Howard ‘The Ghost’ Kent.

 

Many thanks Len, Dave and Leon for sharing your recollections.

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