Nick Thomas started surfing Cottesloe in the early 60s with his mates in the Bombora Surfriders Assoc. The lads rode kneeboards and Malibu’s at metro beaches and went on regular trips down south, sleeping on the beach at Yallingup and beyond.
1965 Nick with his kneeboard at Cottesloe Main Break.
In 1969 Nick married Suzanne in Perth and they moved to Busselton in 1972. He worked as a teacher in Busselton and in 1997 they moved to Dunsborough.
Nick was
artistic like his art critic father.
1970s Nick’s art studio in Court House Gallery Busselton 1970s Nick’s Busselton Jetty painting on Post Card for Court House Gallery Busselton. 1975 Sale of Nick’s ‘The Dancers’ painting at Geographe Guest House Busselton.
In 1971 Nick entered and won a Surfboard Design contest conducted by Tracks surfing magazine. He designed an all-purpose surfboard which could be fitted with inserts to change the outline of the board and make it suitable for riding small & large waves.
1971 Nick’s winning design in Tracks surf magazine.
Nick
continued free surfing with his kneeboard mates until he passed away in 1997.
His widow
Suzanne still lives in Dunsborough WA.
Nick was a
keen photographer and took many surf photos with his Brownie box Camera.
This is a collection of Nick’s vintage surf photos from his Photo Albums.
1964 Nick and the Bombora lads body surfing & riding malibu boards at Vera View Parade Cottesloe.1965 Bombora intra-club surf contest at Lennards Pool Cottesloe. L-R Nick, Boyd Warrilow & Roger Shields1965 Brian Holmes & Nick shaping Brian’s body boardat home in Swanbourne. 1965 Bombora boys at Cowaramup Bay car park Bruce Cresswell, Harry Grisk, Peter Fels, Mick Henryon (in car) & Roger Shields.1965 Bombora boys on Gallows trackin SW on Easter LWE. L-R Boyd Warrilow, Alan Briety, Nick & Roger Shields.1966 Nick’s brother-in-law Bob Gairdner surfboard builder West Coast Surfboards. Media article1966 Bombora Board riders fooling around in old Austin sedan at Surfers Point Margaret River.1966 Brighton Street Scarborough. L-R Peter Allen, Peter Sorenson & Nick1966 Cottesloe main break. Surfers Artie Shaw & others.1966 Dutch Inn Cottesloe. Paul Allen & Nickwith their Malibu surfboards.1966 Nick kneeboarding Vera View Cottesloe.1966 Nick with a friend’s Vee Dub on Esperance surf trip.1966 Nick with his FJ Holden on Willyabrup track in the SW. 1966 Nick (on the right) with his FJ Holden and friends at Margaret River Point on Queen’s Birthday LWE.
1966 Esperance surf trip. Bruce Cresswell & Harry Grisk at Twight Cove. Mid 60s Bombora Surfriders team photo at Cottesloe. Nick kneeling front right. Malcolm Henryon pic1967 Nick’s Bombora Surfriders mates standing on a rock at North Cottesloe. 1969 Scarborough boys at Bunker Bay in the SW.1969 Surfers Point car park at Margaret River. Tom Blaxell Surfboards panel van centre right.1970s George Greenough kneeboard designs article in Tracks Magazine.1977 Oddyssey Kneeboarder Pro & Scimitar board riders comp Trigg. Source West Coast Tubes column by Randell Owens in Independent Newspaper.
Many thanks to Suzanne Thomas of Dunsborough for sharing Nick’s vintage images.
Nick Thomas started surfing Cottesloe in the early 60s with his mates in the Bombora Surfriders Assoc. The lads rode kneeboards and Malibu’s at metro beaches and went on regular trips down south, sleeping on the beach at Yallingup and beyond.
In 1969 Nick married Suzanne in Perth and they moved to Busselton in 1972. He worked as a teacher in Busselton and in 1997 they moved to Dunsborough.
Nick was artistic like his art critic father.
In 1971 Nick entered and won a Surfboard Design contest conducted by Tracks surfing magazine. He designed an all-purpose surfboard which could be fitted with inserts to change the outline of the board and make it suitable for riding small & large waves.
Nick continued free surfing with his kneeboard mates until he passed away in 1997.
His widow Suzanne still lives in Dunsborough WA.
Nick was a keen photographer and took many surf photos with his Brownie box Camera.
This is a collection of Nick’s vintage surf photos from his Photo Albums.
L-R Nick, Boyd Warrilow & Roger Shields
Bruce Cresswell, Harry Grisk, Peter Fels, Mick Henryon (in car) & Roger Shields.
L-R Boyd Warrilow, Alan Briety, Nick & Roger Shields.
L-R Peter Allen, Peter Sorenson & Nick
Many thanks to Suzanne Thomas of Dunsborough for sharing Nick’s vintage images.
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malcolm-mick-henryon-1948-1967 published 15 Nov 2017.
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