In 1956 the US and Hawaiians lifeguard teams brought their finned “Malibu” surfboards to Torquay Vic and Sydney NSW and started a revolution. They were in Australia for the 1956 Melbourne Olympics, where surf lifesaving was a demonstration sport.
‘The Yanks’ Down Under visit changed Australian surfing forever. Most young Australian surfers were still riding ‘Toothpicks’, long laminated hollow plywood boards that went straight into the beach. They were so heavy that almost no-one took them home, storing them instead in surf clubs. The Americans and Hawaiians arrived with boards that weighed a less punishing 10 kg. Made from balsa wood and fiberglass they were shorter, lighter and far more manoeuvrable, and the American’s had developed new ways to ride them.
Australian Screen is part of the National Film and Sound Archive of Australia and has original newsreel footage showing Californians Mike Bright & Greg Noll and Hawaiian Tommy Zahn hotdogging the corner at Bondi NSW and blowing minds in the process.
The Sydney Morning Herald newspaper 14 November 1956featured a front-page photo of the visiting US surfers arriving in Australia. L-R Dave Ballinger, Mike ‘Bone’ Bright, Greg ‘Da Bull’ Noll. Image courtesy of Peter Dunn Funs Back Surf Shop Yallingup WA. (Original doc on display WA Surf Gallery Yallingup).
A group of pioneer WA surfers including the late Dave Williams, Graeme Killen and Jim Keenan travelled to Victoria to view the 1956 Melbourne Olympics and Surf Carnivals and witnessed the American surfers in action.
1956 WA surfers in WW2 flying suits Luna Park Melbourne. Jim Keenan pic L-R unknown, Dave Williams, Keith Jones, Jim Keenan, Ron Howe & Graham Killen.
These are Jim Keenan’s recollections of the Introduction of Malibu Surfboards to Australia.
Jim Keenan’s Malibu recollections for WA Surf Gallery Yallingup WA.1957 Miami Bay Mandurah Bruce ‘Moonshine’ Hill (RIP) with balsa board. John Budge pic1958 Bob Keenan on pogo stick in his backyard Subiacoshaping balsa blank from Boans department store . Bob Keenan pic.1960 Dave Williams (RIP) surfing City Beach on new round tail balsa Board by Clymer NSW. The late John Harbison pic.
Thanks, Australian Screen (part of the National Film and Sound Archive of Australia), Peter Dunn, Jim Keenan and photographers for content in this SDS post.
In 1956 the US and Hawaiians lifeguard teams brought their finned “Malibu” surfboards to Torquay Vic and Sydney NSW and started a revolution. They were in Australia for the 1956 Melbourne Olympics, where surf lifesaving was a demonstration sport.
‘The Yanks’ Down Under visit changed Australian surfing forever. Most young Australian surfers were still riding ‘Toothpicks’, long laminated hollow plywood boards that went straight into the beach. They were so heavy that almost no-one took them home, storing them instead in surf clubs. The Americans and Hawaiians arrived with boards that weighed a less punishing 10 kg. Made from balsa wood and fiberglass they were shorter, lighter and far more manoeuvrable, and the American’s had developed new ways to ride them.
Australian Screen is part of the National Film and Sound Archive of Australia and has original newsreel footage showing Californians Mike Bright & Greg Noll and Hawaiian Tommy Zahn hotdogging the corner at Bondi NSW and blowing minds in the process.
Video link Service in the Sun (1957) run time 2.08 min.
Image courtesy of Peter Dunn Funs Back Surf Shop Yallingup WA. (Original doc on display WA Surf Gallery Yallingup).
A group of pioneer WA surfers including the late Dave Williams, Graeme Killen and Jim Keenan travelled to Victoria to view the 1956 Melbourne Olympics and Surf Carnivals and witnessed the American surfers in action.
L-R unknown, Dave Williams, Keith Jones, Jim Keenan, Ron Howe & Graham Killen.
These are Jim Keenan’s recollections of the Introduction of Malibu Surfboards to Australia.
Thanks, Australian Screen (part of the National Film and Sound Archive of Australia), Peter Dunn, Jim Keenan and photographers for content in this SDS post.
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