***Update 3 April 2021*** Correction US International Surfing magazine evolved into Surfing mag and folded in 2017. John Severson’s original The Surfer, became Surfer mag and ceased production in October 2020 (I think). Thanks Gary Gibbon, Margaret River for clarifying US surf mag information.
Surf journo/photographer
Ric Chan left his homeland NZ during the mid-60s and toured the East Coast of
OZ in his gold VW Kombi meeting the locals and snapping surf shots for surf
magazines.
In January 1969 California’s International SurfingMagazine featured Ric’s OZ surf photos on the front cover and centre spread of the mag. They also published three of Ric’s OZ surf stories and photos in the same edition.In March 1970 the same US surf mag published Ric’s Memoirs of a Few Months Past story and photos and he scored the centre spread again.
Note: International Surfing Magazine was later renamed Surfer Magazine and has since ceased print publication. The last issue of the magazine appeared in January 2017. ***see Update 3 April 2021***
Budding oriental surf correspondent Ric Chan was on the road to stardom and earning a living doing what he loved best.
Ric Chan – “I’m the first Chinaman to shoot surf photos in NZ and OZ.”
Ric now resides in NZ and will turn 76 on Monday 5 April 2021. To help celebrate the renowned surf photographer’s birthday, we are looking back over his career to date.
“Ric has an eccentric mix of Chinese & New Zealand heritage, he had an urbane air of cool, and a wild adrenaline that was clearly magnetic.
In his youth Ric was lead singer in ‘The Morguemen’ band in New Zealand. He left his homeland in 1965 and travelled the East Coast of Australia, capturing some of the hottest up and coming locals between Manly NSW and Noosa in Queensland. In 1969 he drove to Melbourne, then to Adelaide at the invitation of Lan Habib. While in Adelaide he met surf industry legend John Arnold, who asked him to shoot the first Australian Surfing Championships in Western Australia and design the ticket/poster for Paul Witzig’s surf film Evolution. Then he drove his gold coloured VW Kombi van across the Nullarbor to Western Australia, he settled in at Margaret River and continued to snap surf photographs for WA & East Coast surf magazines.
During this period, he supplemented
his surf photography with a stint at the Independent Newspaper, then as a sales
rep for Hanimex, plus the occasional gig as male model, as well as moonlighting
as a DJ in the Hilton Hotel and Gobbles nightclubs. He photographed high profile
musicians and some of the big bands touring Australia at the time, including
Mick Jagger, The Bee Gees, Elton John and Nina Simone. He also made guest
appearances on local TV shows.
When the opportunity arrived in the 80s to set up Cheaters Night Club in Kuta Bali he jumped at the chance. Living in Bali for several years he married Queensland girl Sami and had two sons Taron & Tao. Sadly, Sami passed away in the early 90s and Ric returned to New Zealand with his sons. Back in his homeland a new career opened up after he won ‘voice over’ radio awards and acted as the Master Swordman in the Xena: Warrior Princess movies.
In 2013 surf historian Jim King rediscovered Ric’s vintage photos and camera equipment in Graham Noakes’ scrap yard in Margaret River, Western Australia, where they had been stored for approx 20 years. Ric’s pics were used in the Surfing Down South book published in 2014. His images now appear in other surf books and adorn WA Hospitality sites.” – Extract from author John Ogden’s Australian Surf Photographers book to be released online soon.
This is a collection of Ric Chan images from 1960s to present.
1963 NZ Ric (age 18) at the beach with his car & surfboards.Mid 60s NZ Ric (in cardigan) lead singer in ‘The Morguemen’ band. 1968 NSW Bernard ‘Midget’ Farrelly surfing Manly Mid-Steyne. Ric Chan pic1968 NSW Ric’s gold kombi parked outside Bob McTavish place Northern NSW.1969 South Aust Wayne Lynch surfing Yorke Peninsula. Ric Chan pic. 1969 South Aust. Ric modelling O’Neil wetsuit advt. Source Surf International Mag. 1969 WA Ric with East Coast surfers at Aust Surfing Titles Margaret River. Source Independent Newspaper 1969 WA Ric with his Gold Kombi on the Nullarbor Plain heading to WA. 1969 WA Dapper Ric with his maroon Jaguar in Perth City. 1972 WA Ric’s surf column in Independent Newspaper 1971 Blaxell Surfboards factory Osborne Park. L-R Ric, Bunky Miller, Vin Nolan & Tom Blaxell. 1973 WA Mick Jagger fronting the Rolling Stones Perth Concert held on 24 February 1973 at the Western Australia Cricket ground (WACA). Ric Chan pic. 1970s WA ‘I’ve Got a Secret’ TV Show. Ric Chan (left) being interviewed by panel including media personality Jenny Clemesha (far right). 1980 WA models Sharon Stackpool and Ric in fashion photo shoot Perth WA. 1980s WA Gobbles Night Club DJ Ric & Bob McKenzie. 1981 Bali Steve Koehne & Ric hanging in Medewi warung. 1980s Bali Cheaters Night Club in Kuta. Manager Ric Chan 1980s Bali Sami and Ric in Kuta. 2001 NZ Ric’s Master Swordman character on Xena TV show. Screenshot image. 2014 NZ Ric’s NZ radio ‘voice over’ award. WA Ric’s mate Graham Noakes in Margaret River WA. Ric Chan images. Left: 1980 Graham’s Margaret River garage advt created by Ric. Right: 2014 Graham in his metal scrap yard with West Coast Magazine. 2014 Ric Chan & Ian Cairns celebrity guests at Surfing WA50th Anniversary celebrations held at Margaret River. Jim King pic. 2019 Ric with youngest son Tao with 1969 Evolution movie ticket/poster on display at WA Surf Gallery, Aravina Estate Yallingup. Jim King pic.
“Model, nightclub manager, fashion plate and photographer, Ric Chan was a blast of Chinese-Kiwi exotica when he arrived in Margaret River in the late sixties. He’s since moved back to New Zealand, leaving a massive cultural imprint. The locals of the southwest are still recovering.” – Extract from author Jock Serong’s ‘Wandering Eye’ article in Great Ocean Quarterly magazine Vol 1:4 2014.
***Update 3 April 2021*** Correction US International Surfing magazine evolved into Surfing mag and folded in 2017. John Severson’s original The Surfer, became Surfer mag and ceased production in October 2020 (I think). Thanks Gary Gibbon, Margaret River for clarifying US surf mag information.
Surf journo/photographer Ric Chan left his homeland NZ during the mid-60s and toured the East Coast of OZ in his gold VW Kombi meeting the locals and snapping surf shots for surf magazines.
In January 1969 California’s International Surfing Magazine featured Ric’s OZ surf photos on the front cover and centre spread of the mag. They also published three of Ric’s OZ surf stories and photos in the same edition. In March 1970 the same US surf mag published Ric’s Memoirs of a Few Months Past story and photos and he scored the centre spread again.
Note: International Surfing Magazine was later renamed Surfer Magazine and has since ceased print publication. The last issue of the magazine appeared in January 2017. ***see Update 3 April 2021***
Budding oriental surf correspondent Ric Chan was on the road to stardom and earning a living doing what he loved best.
Ric Chan – “I’m the first Chinaman to shoot surf photos in NZ and OZ.”
Ric now resides in NZ and will turn 76 on Monday 5 April 2021. To help celebrate the renowned surf photographer’s birthday, we are looking back over his career to date.
“Ric has an eccentric mix of Chinese & New Zealand heritage, he had an urbane air of cool, and a wild adrenaline that was clearly magnetic.
In his youth Ric was lead singer in ‘The Morguemen’ band in New Zealand. He left his homeland in 1965 and travelled the East Coast of Australia, capturing some of the hottest up and coming locals between Manly NSW and Noosa in Queensland. In 1969 he drove to Melbourne, then to Adelaide at the invitation of Lan Habib. While in Adelaide he met surf industry legend John Arnold, who asked him to shoot the first Australian Surfing Championships in Western Australia and design the ticket/poster for Paul Witzig’s surf film Evolution. Then he drove his gold coloured VW Kombi van across the Nullarbor to Western Australia, he settled in at Margaret River and continued to snap surf photographs for WA & East Coast surf magazines.
During this period, he supplemented his surf photography with a stint at the Independent Newspaper, then as a sales rep for Hanimex, plus the occasional gig as male model, as well as moonlighting as a DJ in the Hilton Hotel and Gobbles nightclubs. He photographed high profile musicians and some of the big bands touring Australia at the time, including Mick Jagger, The Bee Gees, Elton John and Nina Simone. He also made guest appearances on local TV shows.
When the opportunity arrived in the 80s to set up Cheaters Night Club in Kuta Bali he jumped at the chance. Living in Bali for several years he married Queensland girl Sami and had two sons Taron & Tao. Sadly, Sami passed away in the early 90s and Ric returned to New Zealand with his sons. Back in his homeland a new career opened up after he won ‘voice over’ radio awards and acted as the Master Swordman in the Xena: Warrior Princess movies.
In 2013 surf historian Jim King rediscovered Ric’s vintage photos and camera equipment in Graham Noakes’ scrap yard in Margaret River, Western Australia, where they had been stored for approx 20 years. Ric’s pics were used in the Surfing Down South book published in 2014. His images now appear in other surf books and adorn WA Hospitality sites.” – Extract from author John Ogden’s Australian Surf Photographers book to be released online soon.
This is a collection of Ric Chan images from 1960s to present.
Source Independent Newspaper
L-R Ric, Bunky Miller, Vin Nolan & Tom Blaxell.
Left: 1980 Graham’s Margaret River garage advt created by Ric.
Right: 2014 Graham in his metal scrap yard with West Coast Magazine.
“Model, nightclub manager, fashion plate and photographer, Ric Chan was a blast of Chinese-Kiwi exotica when he arrived in Margaret River in the late sixties. He’s since moved back to New Zealand, leaving a massive cultural imprint. The locals of the southwest are still recovering.” – Extract from author Jock Serong’s ‘Wandering Eye’ article in Great Ocean Quarterly magazine Vol 1:4 2014.
Happy Birthday Ric for Monday 5 April. 😊
Related content.
Ric Chan in the Flesh video by Margaret River Press 2014.
Surf Photographer Ric Chan makes a comeback article by Sophie Mathewson 13 Feb 2018
Fishing & Joel Parkinson stories video by Ric Chan 2018
Ric’s surf photos and camera equipment are on display at the WA Surf Gallery Aravina Estate Yallingup WA.
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