Wilderness Surfboards started in Santa Barbara USA by George Greenough and Michael Cundith before George Greenough moved the label to Oz and began operations near Angourie in 1969. In OZ the Wilderness Surfboards factory was located on an old cane farm inland from Yamba in northern NSW.
Renowned OZ surfers and shapers Bob McTavish, Greenough, Chris Brock, Baddy Treloar (R.I.P.), the Keyes brothers and Brad Mayes (R.I.P.) all served time at Wilderness.
Image: 1969 Wilderness Surfboards decal. Rob Walters pic ex 2017 Pristine Wilderness in Yamba article by Stu Nettle on Swellnet.
The following comments by Bob McTavish NSW and image of the old surfboard Factory near Yamba are extracts from a 2013 web article by Adrift Surf The Entrance NSW.
Bob McTavish – In 1969 Gary Keyes, Chris Brock, George Greenough and I were making boards in this groovy old house at Palmer’s Channel, just inland from Yamba, surrounded by sugar cane. Shape and sand downstairs under the awning where the shower was, glass and gloss in one of the bedrooms. It cost us just $3 a week to rent, and Gary and Chris (plus their girlfriends!) moved in to live amongst the half-made boards, as did George. Hangin’ in the itchies and resin smell!!
We surfed Angourie every day it was good, as well as every spot from Sandon to Iluka. Pippies in Yamba was a nor-easterly favourite. We made a few boards a week, just enough to survive on. The Sydney market was hungry for whatever we could make, and the Grafton Railway Station was our connection.
The house was featured in two movies: Alby Falzon’s epic ‘Morning of the Earth‘ and also in George’s classic ‘Innermost Limits‘.
These shots were taken by a visiting surfer Ric Chan and show his travelling companions hanging on the verandah. That’s Ric’s Kombi in the front yard. Great memories.
Wilderness Surfboards started in Santa Barbara USA by George Greenough and Michael Cundith before George Greenough moved the label to Oz and began operations near Angourie in 1969. In OZ the Wilderness Surfboards factory was located on an old cane farm inland from Yamba in northern NSW.
Renowned OZ surfers and shapers Bob McTavish, Greenough, Chris Brock, Baddy Treloar (R.I.P.), the Keyes brothers and Brad Mayes (R.I.P.) all served time at Wilderness.
Image: 1969 Wilderness Surfboards decal. Rob Walters pic ex 2017 Pristine Wilderness in Yamba article by Stu Nettle on Swellnet.
The following comments by Bob McTavish NSW and image of the old surfboard Factory near Yamba are extracts from a 2013 web article by Adrift Surf The Entrance NSW.
Bob McTavish – In 1969 Gary Keyes, Chris Brock, George Greenough and I were making boards in this groovy old house at Palmer’s Channel, just inland from Yamba, surrounded by sugar cane. Shape and sand downstairs under the awning where the shower was, glass and gloss in one of the bedrooms. It cost us just $3 a week to rent, and Gary and Chris (plus their girlfriends!) moved in to live amongst the half-made boards, as did George. Hangin’ in the itchies and resin smell!!
We surfed Angourie every day it was good, as well as every spot from Sandon to Iluka. Pippies in Yamba was a nor-easterly favourite. We made a few boards a week, just enough to survive on. The Sydney market was hungry for whatever we could make, and the Grafton Railway Station was our connection.
The house was featured in two movies: Alby Falzon’s epic ‘Morning of the Earth‘ and also in George’s classic ‘Innermost Limits‘.
These shots were taken by a visiting surfer Ric Chan and show his travelling companions hanging on the verandah. That’s Ric’s Kombi in the front yard. Great memories.
Image: 2013 Former Wilderness Surfboards factory Yamba NSW. Source Adrift Surf
These are Ric Chan’s 1969 Wilderness Surfboards images:-
Image: 1969 Hanging on the verandah at Wilderness Surfboards – Bob McTavish NSW (second from left) and Lane Habib South Aust (far right).
Image: 1969 Ric’s gold coloured Kombi in the front yard at Wilderness Surfboards
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Image: 1969 Bob McTavish in the glass and gloss / bedroom.
Image: 1969 Bob McTavish portrait
Image: 1969 Unidentified sanding outdoors.
Image: 1969 Unidentified sanding outdoors.
Image: 1969 Unidentified girlfriend housekeeping.
Thanks for sharing your Wilderness Surfboards surf history material Ric and Adrift Surf.
Coming soon 1960s Angourie surf images by Ric Chan
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