Former Bondi surfer Rob ‘Bonza’ Conneeley won the 1964 Australian Junior/ World Junior, Manly NSW, the 1965 Bells Beach contest in large waves and was a finalist in the 1968 Australian Titles (open Div), North side, Sydney (May).
1965 Robert Conneeley surfer profile by Jack Eden Surfabout magazine Australia.
Rob“My first board (balsa) was shaped by my dad’s friend Gordon Woods (Bondi NSW) in December 1958 when I was 11 years old.“
Circa 1959 Gordon Woods surfboard logo. Source Surfsearch
In January 1971 Rob, wife Di and daughter set off in a Land Cruiser and campervan and drove around Australia looking for a home. In 1972 the family came back to Margaret River WA and met California ex-pat Tom Hoye. The two families lived on Hoye’s property in Yallingup before settling in the sleepy country town of Margaret River.
Rob & Tom delved into surfboard design, Rob a board designer and Tom a master shaper.
Rob“In 1973 I picked up a mill workers cottage at Forest Grove in the Margaret River region for $60. It was deconstructed and then reconstructed with dear friends Mark Moore and Harry Barriskill. And that’s where we made our Outpost surfboards.”
1973 Outpost Surfboards by Rob Conneeley at Forest Grove Marg River. Image courtesy Grant Mooney.
Di “The photos of Rob with his quiver were taken at the surfboard factory the boys built in Forest Grove. The two newly shaped boards on the left have Greenough fins on display. The four boards on the right were Rob’s around Australia quiver.”
1972-73 Rob with quiver of surfboards at Forest Grove surfboard factory. Images courtesy Wet Side News 1993.
Rob“In 1976 WA surf photographer John Ogden took this photo of me with two boards, (and a hairstyle). It was in fact our first dwelling in the bush on the edge of the Margaret River. We scavenged timber from the local mill and used my apprenticeship in carpentry to build the cottage, (rough as guts!) But we were happy.”
1976 Rob & Di’s first dwelling in the bush on the edge of Margaret River. Photo John Ogden courtesy Surfing Down South book.
Country Kitchen Delights
From 1979 to 1987 Rob & Di ran the Country Kitchen vegetarian restaurant on the main street of Margs, in partnership with dear friends Mark and Leslie Heussenstamm.
Di“We made juices, fruit salads, salad sandwiches, apricot, ginger, sultana scones and our famous sesame burgers. We also made smoothies, open face grilled cheese, which came to be known as an “off your facer” with tahini or hommus and avocado, lots of veggies and secret sauce, topped with kosher cheese, olives and herbs. Also tofu and lentil burgers, pizza on Lebanese bread, lots of nutritious freshly baked cakes and many more treats. We also had the first espresso coffee machine and Rob was a top barista. but best of all it became a wonderful social place where folk could enjoy good quality food at affordable prices. And the staff and customers were amazing. Fun times 😁
Mark would cook after a surf, Rob was doing the dishes and cleaning. Rob was promoted from dishwasher to maître de because he slept with the boss 🤣
Sunday night was all you could eat for $3.50.The theme for Sunday night’s menus was whatever produce the girls would come in with from home. Kay Gibson would come in with a giant cane basket of silverbeet and spinach and we’d make Hunza pie and tofu lasagna and we would have forty or fifty people for dinner.“
1980s Country Kitchen Delights menu cover courtesy Conneeley family.1980s Country Kitchen Delights menu courtesy Conneeley family.
Di “When we sold the restaurant, we used the money to start growing alfalfa sprouts to supply Country Kitchen, other restaurants and the supermarkets.”
1990s Di Conneeley with a tray of alfalfa sprouts. Image courtesy Margaret River Mail.
Di “Then in 2000 we built and ran the Balinese – inspired holiday paradise Riveresque Chalet on the banks of the Margaret River. We sold the chalet 5 years ago to Glenn & Anthony who have continued our dream of providing a spiritual and peaceful getaway among the trees for visitors. Then it was time for us to slow down and retire…..and enjoy every day.”
2023 Riveresque Chalet Margaret River.
Margret River screamer
Rob has a photo by SW photographer Mike Burnside on display in his house at Margaret River. It shows Rob dropping into a twenty-foot Margaret River screamer and is from a memorable southwest session with Queensland surfer Russell Hughes in 1995. Thirty years after their trip together to Double Island Point (Qld) as teenagers.
Rob “The photo was taken when I was about 48 and Russell Hughes came around and we decided to go it. Two mates of similar age and similar experience going out on a buddy system. When this wave came through, Russell, who probably got an even bigger one, said, “Hey Bonza it’s your turn.” I couldn’t not go it! One of the greatest days of surfing I’ve had. I tell you what, I felt it though. I had to spend some time with the chiropractor the next day.”
1995 Water shot of Rob Conneeley (age 48) surfing a 18-20ft screamer at Margaret River on a 9ft Rusty surfboard shaped by Greg Laurenson. Photographer Mick Burnside.
Surfing Hall of Fame Award
MARCH 2006 Margaret River surfers Robert Conneeley and Perry Hatchett were among those to receive recognition at the recent 21st Surfing Australia Hall of Fame awards at Casuarina Beach NSW. Source Surferpedia
Robert Conneeley was recognised for pioneering in the surfing world. He made his first surfboard, a custom eight-foot Gordon Woods Balsa, in December 1958, aged 11 years. His first competition was with the South Bondi boardriders cadets in 1960, and his first major the 1964 Australian Junior/ World Junior, Manly. His personal best was in 1965 at Bells, and in Rob’s words has been “cruising downhill slowly since”. He also conceptualised Surfers (Tribal) Law. “Inspired by early surfers at Bondi, Gentleman’s Rules, seeded by Peter Cuming, Sustainable Futures, fertilised with Wayne Murphy, with red wine and blarney, and brought to fruition by my soulmate, Roscoe Kermode, artist,” he said. “Supported by the surfing community of Margaret River.” He is still staying close to the water at Margaret River.
TRIBAL LAW
The Tribal Law concept, brought to life in plaques at beaches around the world, was developed by surfer Robert Conneeley and was the initial document to highlight the need to create a Code of Ethics for surfing. The Tribal Law was recognized for its place in Australian surfing history at the 2006 Hall of Fame Awards in the Pioneering category.
2018 Tribal Law poster image courtesy of artist Roscoe Kermode.
Rob’s big wave image and the Tribal Law Poster are on display at the WA Surf GalleryAravina Estate Yallingup.
Di“This photo was in Australian Surfer’s Journal, volume three, number one, in 2000 shortly after Tribal Law was created. The article was written by Jimmy O’Keefe.”
2000 Rob & Di Conneeley featured in Australian Surfers Journal article written by Jimmy O’Keefe.
Rob“Appreciating the welcome of my surfing brothers in the West and 50 years of a life in the sun in WA.”
Many thanks to Rob & Di Conneeley for helping me put this piece of surf history together.
Former Bondi surfer Rob ‘Bonza’ Conneeley won the 1964 Australian Junior/ World Junior, Manly NSW, the 1965 Bells Beach contest in large waves and was a finalist in the 1968 Australian Titles (open Div), North side, Sydney (May).
Rob “My first board (balsa) was shaped by my dad’s friend Gordon Woods (Bondi NSW) in December 1958 when I was 11 years old.“
In January 1971 Rob, wife Di and daughter set off in a Land Cruiser and campervan and drove around Australia looking for a home. In 1972 the family came back to Margaret River WA and met California ex-pat Tom Hoye. The two families lived on Hoye’s property in Yallingup before settling in the sleepy country town of Margaret River.
Rob & Tom delved into surfboard design, Rob a board designer and Tom a master shaper.
Rob “In 1973 I picked up a mill workers cottage at Forest Grove in the Margaret River region for $60. It was deconstructed and then reconstructed with dear friends Mark Moore and Harry Barriskill. And that’s where we made our Outpost surfboards.”
Di “The photos of Rob with his quiver were taken at the surfboard factory the boys built in Forest Grove. The two newly shaped boards on the left have Greenough fins on display. The four boards on the right were Rob’s around Australia quiver.”
Rob “In 1976 WA surf photographer John Ogden took this photo of me with two boards, (and a hairstyle). It was in fact our first dwelling in the bush on the edge of the Margaret River. We scavenged timber from the local mill and used my apprenticeship in carpentry to build the cottage, (rough as guts!) But we were happy.”
Country Kitchen Delights
From 1979 to 1987 Rob & Di ran the Country Kitchen vegetarian restaurant on the main street of Margs, in partnership with dear friends Mark and Leslie Heussenstamm.
Di “We made juices, fruit salads, salad sandwiches, apricot, ginger, sultana scones and our famous sesame burgers. We also made smoothies, open face grilled cheese, which came to be known as an “off your facer” with tahini or hommus and avocado, lots of veggies and secret sauce, topped with kosher cheese, olives and herbs. Also tofu and lentil burgers, pizza on Lebanese bread, lots of nutritious freshly baked cakes and many more treats. We also had the first espresso coffee machine and Rob was a top barista. but best of all it became a wonderful social place where folk could enjoy good quality food at affordable prices. And the staff and customers were amazing. Fun times 😁
Mark would cook after a surf, Rob was doing the dishes and cleaning. Rob was promoted from dishwasher to maître de because he slept with the boss 🤣
Sunday night was all you could eat for $3.50. The theme for Sunday night’s menus was whatever produce the girls would come in with from home. Kay Gibson would come in with a giant cane basket of silverbeet and spinach and we’d make Hunza pie and tofu lasagna and we would have forty or fifty people for dinner.“
Di “When we sold the restaurant, we used the money to start growing alfalfa sprouts to supply Country Kitchen, other restaurants and the supermarkets.”
Di “Then in 2000 we built and ran the Balinese – inspired holiday paradise Riveresque Chalet on the banks of the Margaret River. We sold the chalet 5 years ago to Glenn & Anthony who have continued our dream of providing a spiritual and peaceful getaway among the trees for visitors. Then it was time for us to slow down and retire…..and enjoy every day.”
Margret River screamer
Rob has a photo by SW photographer Mike Burnside on display in his house at Margaret River. It shows Rob dropping into a twenty-foot Margaret River screamer and is from a memorable southwest session with Queensland surfer Russell Hughes in 1995. Thirty years after their trip together to Double Island Point (Qld) as teenagers.
Rob “The photo was taken when I was about 48 and Russell Hughes came around and we decided to go it. Two mates of similar age and similar experience going out on a buddy system. When this wave came through, Russell, who probably got an even bigger one, said, “Hey Bonza it’s your turn.” I couldn’t not go it! One of the greatest days of surfing I’ve had. I tell you what, I felt it though. I had to spend some time with the chiropractor the next day.”
Surfing Hall of Fame Award
MARCH 2006 Margaret River surfers Robert Conneeley and Perry Hatchett were among those to receive recognition at the recent 21st Surfing Australia Hall of Fame awards at Casuarina Beach NSW. Source Surferpedia
Robert Conneeley was recognised for pioneering in the surfing world. He made his first surfboard, a custom eight-foot Gordon Woods Balsa, in December 1958, aged 11 years. His first competition was with the South Bondi boardriders cadets in 1960, and his first major the 1964 Australian Junior/ World Junior, Manly. His personal best was in 1965 at Bells, and in Rob’s words has been “cruising downhill slowly since”. He also conceptualised Surfers (Tribal) Law. “Inspired by early surfers at Bondi, Gentleman’s Rules, seeded by Peter Cuming, Sustainable Futures, fertilised with Wayne Murphy, with red wine and blarney, and brought to fruition by my soulmate, Roscoe Kermode, artist,” he said. “Supported by the surfing community of Margaret River.” He is still staying close to the water at Margaret River.
TRIBAL LAW
The Tribal Law concept, brought to life in plaques at beaches around the world, was developed by surfer Robert Conneeley and was the initial document to highlight the need to create a Code of Ethics for surfing. The Tribal Law was recognized for its place in Australian surfing history at the 2006 Hall of Fame Awards in the Pioneering category.
Rob’s big wave image and the Tribal Law Poster are on display at the WA Surf Gallery Aravina Estate Yallingup.
Di “This photo was in Australian Surfer’s Journal, volume three, number one, in 2000 shortly after Tribal Law was created. The article was written by Jimmy O’Keefe.”
Rob “Appreciating the welcome of my surfing brothers in the West and 50 years of a life in the sun in WA.”
Many thanks to Rob & Di Conneeley for helping me put this piece of surf history together.
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