One of WA’s original pioneering surfers Bruce (Moonshine)
Hill recently passed-away age 89 in NSW. Moonshine only resided in WA during
the 1950’s but had many surfing friends in WA who continued to catch with him
over the years.
Kevin Merifield – Moonshine together with Bill
Pratley and Bernie Huddle are credited as being the very first to surf Yalls
way back Easter 1953. Bill Pratley tells the story it pissed down rain that
night and they found refuge in the one room Yallingup primary school Corner
Caves Rd. and Wildwood Rd. Yallingup. Moonshine was a very stylish and
accomplished surfer and together with Davo (Dave Williams) were the pick of the
bunch from the early brigade. Moonshine has lived on the East coast for the
past 50 years or more and until recent years was still surfing. He was also a
keen snow skier and kept it up until his recent passing. Not sure how old he
was, but I think either 86 or 89 depends who you talk to. Jim Keenan was a
great mate of Moonshine and kept in regular contact with him.
1957 Miami near Mandurah. Bruce ‘Moonshine’ Hill with balsa board. John Budge pic 1957 Yallingup main break. John Budge water pic. L-R Colin Taylor & Moonshine wave sharing. 2018 Kevin Merifield and Moonshine celebrating Kevin’s 80th birthday at Marmion Angling and Aquatic Club.
Jim Keenan –Moonshine was born February 1931
in Melbourne Victoria. From what I can gather he was, as a teenager a regular
surfer at Torquay Victoria.
In the early 50’s he moved to Perth and befriended a
few body surfers at City Beach, namely Bernie Huddle, Bill Pratley and Gerry
Denny.
Unlike most surfers in those early days he, was not a
member of a SLSC.
I guess one could call him a surfing freelancer.
As a young City of Perth SLSC member, I along with
Dave Williams, Graeme Killen and Tony Harbison admired Moonshine for his
surfing prowess and fun-loving nature. He was at least six years our senior
but, the age gap posed no problem as it did with society in those early days.
Eager to seek out surfing spots other than the Perth
coastline and Rottnest Island, Bruce along with Bernie and Bill embarked on a
journey south, where luck would have it, they witnessed Yallingup in its full
glory. It can be argued they were the first to challenge Yallingup, no mean
task considering the boards in use then were 16ft bondwood (marine plywood)
Toothpicks which were more suitable for firewood than surfing. The year was
early 1953 and mals had not yet arrived on the scene. The mals took off in 1956
following the visit to Australia by Californian and Hawaiian lifeguards to an
international surf carnival at Torquay and also the northern beaches of Sydney.
The visit to Yallingup in 1953 was soon to open-up to a number of other like-minded surfers such as James Keenan, Dave Williams, Tony Harbison, Graeme Killen, John Budge and Kevin Merifield. There were others, but that group along with the senior guys formed what one would consider to be the regular originals. Fantastic days to say the least. (Refer Jim Keenan’s anecdotes Surfing Down South book pages 27-29).
About 1958 Bruce returned to the East Coast, this time
Sydney northern beaches. He was a recognised and accomplished surfer where-ever
he went.
Others including myself journeyed to Sydney to enjoy
its wonderful and at that time uncrowded surfing.
Contact with Moonshine was lost for most of us when he
married and was building houses. It was not until many years later that we
caught up with Moonshine during a Malibu competition at Crescent Heads, a great
reunion for all involved.
From that day until his passing, regular catch ups with Moonshine took place.
Apologies to the many friends of moonshine that have
not been mentioned. There are too many to list, but one can be sure they also
will rejoice in a life well lived.
Early 1950s Yallingup beach. Surfers with hollow plywood boards. John Budge pic. L-R Moonshine, Keith Kino & John Budge. 1957 Yallingup main break surfer Bruce ‘Moonshine’ Hill. John Budge water pic 2017 Moonshine and mates celebrating Jim Keenan’s 80th birthday at Marmion Angling and Aquatic Club. Jim Keenan pic. Moonshine is standing on the right in white shirt and tan shorts.
Tony Harbison – Moonshine was the Taj Burrow of
the 50s. (Source Surfing Down South book p51).
1958 City of Perth SLSC. John Budge pic L-R Bernie Huddle, Tony Harbison, Artie Taylor, Dave Williams, Colin Taylor and Moonshine.
1958 Yallingup beach. Photographer unknown L-R Dave Williams, James Keenan, Bernie Huddle, Colin Taylor, Tony Harbison, Bruce Hill, Kevin Merifield, Graeme Killen, rear Ray Evans. 1958 Mettams beach near North Beach. John Budge pic L-R Colin Taylor, Dave Williams, Cocko Killen, Moonshine & Artie Taylor.
One of WA’s original pioneering surfers Bruce (Moonshine) Hill recently passed-away age 89 in NSW. Moonshine only resided in WA during the 1950’s but had many surfing friends in WA who continued to catch with him over the years.
Kevin Merifield – Moonshine together with Bill Pratley and Bernie Huddle are credited as being the very first to surf Yalls way back Easter 1953. Bill Pratley tells the story it pissed down rain that night and they found refuge in the one room Yallingup primary school Corner Caves Rd. and Wildwood Rd. Yallingup. Moonshine was a very stylish and accomplished surfer and together with Davo (Dave Williams) were the pick of the bunch from the early brigade. Moonshine has lived on the East coast for the past 50 years or more and until recent years was still surfing. He was also a keen snow skier and kept it up until his recent passing. Not sure how old he was, but I think either 86 or 89 depends who you talk to. Jim Keenan was a great mate of Moonshine and kept in regular contact with him.
L-R Colin Taylor & Moonshine wave sharing.
Jim Keenan – Moonshine was born February 1931 in Melbourne Victoria. From what I can gather he was, as a teenager a regular surfer at Torquay Victoria.
In the early 50’s he moved to Perth and befriended a few body surfers at City Beach, namely Bernie Huddle, Bill Pratley and Gerry Denny.
Unlike most surfers in those early days he, was not a member of a SLSC.
I guess one could call him a surfing freelancer.
As a young City of Perth SLSC member, I along with Dave Williams, Graeme Killen and Tony Harbison admired Moonshine for his surfing prowess and fun-loving nature. He was at least six years our senior but, the age gap posed no problem as it did with society in those early days.
Eager to seek out surfing spots other than the Perth coastline and Rottnest Island, Bruce along with Bernie and Bill embarked on a journey south, where luck would have it, they witnessed Yallingup in its full glory. It can be argued they were the first to challenge Yallingup, no mean task considering the boards in use then were 16ft bondwood (marine plywood) Toothpicks which were more suitable for firewood than surfing. The year was early 1953 and mals had not yet arrived on the scene. The mals took off in 1956 following the visit to Australia by Californian and Hawaiian lifeguards to an international surf carnival at Torquay and also the northern beaches of Sydney.
The visit to Yallingup in 1953 was soon to open-up to a number of other like-minded surfers such as James Keenan, Dave Williams, Tony Harbison, Graeme Killen, John Budge and Kevin Merifield. There were others, but that group along with the senior guys formed what one would consider to be the regular originals. Fantastic days to say the least. (Refer Jim Keenan’s anecdotes Surfing Down South book pages 27-29).
About 1958 Bruce returned to the East Coast, this time Sydney northern beaches. He was a recognised and accomplished surfer where-ever he went.
Others including myself journeyed to Sydney to enjoy its wonderful and at that time uncrowded surfing.
Contact with Moonshine was lost for most of us when he married and was building houses. It was not until many years later that we caught up with Moonshine during a Malibu competition at Crescent Heads, a great reunion for all involved.
From that day until his passing, regular catch ups with Moonshine took place.
Apologies to the many friends of moonshine that have not been mentioned. There are too many to list, but one can be sure they also will rejoice in a life well lived.
L-R Moonshine, Keith Kino & John Budge.
Moonshine is standing on the right in white shirt and tan shorts.
Tony Harbison – Moonshine was the Taj Burrow of the 50s. (Source Surfing Down South book p51).
L-R Bernie Huddle, Tony Harbison, Artie Taylor, Dave Williams, Colin Taylor and Moonshine.
L-R Dave Williams, James Keenan, Bernie Huddle, Colin Taylor, Tony Harbison, Bruce Hill, Kevin Merifield, Graeme Killen, rear Ray Evans.
L-R Colin Taylor, Dave Williams, Cocko Killen, Moonshine & Artie Taylor.
R.I.P. Moonshine.
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