Veteran Yallingup surfer Mick Marlin age 75 is a talented goofy footer, surf photographer, surf journalist & surf historian.
Formerly from North Narrabeen in NSW Mick travelled the world in the 70s before settling in WA. Originally in the Mandurah region now Yallingup in the southwest.
He started surfing in 1958 (age 10) and is a foundation member of the powerful North Narrabeen Boardriders Club formed in 1964. See web link to Mick’s NNBC Memoirs at the end of this post.
In WA he has competed and judged in the WA State Titles, both longboard and shortboard, won a bunch, and has been involved in many National Titles as both a competitor and WA State Team Manager. He was on the first longboard team from WA to go over to the National Titles in Queensland in 1991 and was the first person in 2006 to win both a Longboard & Shortboard WA State Championship in the same division. Mick was the 2021 ‘Over 70s’ Longboard State Champion.
He was WA Correspondent and writer for Australian Longboarding Magazine, where he published nationally the results of SWA State Title Events gaining important coverage for WA Longboard competitors and wrote various stories with photos showcasing Western Australian surfers and our state. Mick’s photos and stories have been published in most WA media outlets. A quick google search shows his coverage of the Yallingup Malibu Classic, Indian Ocean Longboard Club events and the WA Surf Gallery. And he avidly uses Facebook to share his photos and memories of surfing: the competitions, the travel, the people, the lifestyle.
Importantly for SWA, it was Mick’s idea to make a magazine commemorating the 40 years of SWA, in which he depicted the resurgence of the longboard and supplied photos. He was instrumental in organising the celebratory 40th event at AQWA and the license plates for it. He also wrote a story for the Celebrating 50 Years book and supplied photos for it. These documents capture valuable and significant moments in SWA’s and Western Australian surfing’s history and culture which would not exist be it not for Mick’s dedication to the documentation of our sport, culture and lifestyle.
Mick was the Longboard representive on the Board of SWA for five years and was the WA National Longboard rep. to Surfing Australia for eight years. He is also a founding member of Indian Ocean Longboard Club, the first longboard club in WA. He’s been Vice President, media man and committee member over the years and is now a Life Member of IOLBC.
He is currently the Media Committee Member for the SW Disabled Surfers Association and a surf history curator at the WA Surf Gallery.
In 2022 his valuable contributions to our sport, history, culture and lifestyle were publicly recognised and he was granted Life Membership to Surfing Western Australia.
Many thanks to Samantha Vanderford & Brett Merifield for assisting with research on this matter.
2022 Surfing WA Life Membership inductees Bill Gibson, Lizzie Nunn & Mick Marlin. SWA pic.
There are many more Mick Marlin stories not covered in this blog, including his East Coast and Overseas exploits. Maybe there will be a Mick Marlin’s Memoirs book & movie 😊
Surfing is Mick’s life and colourful Hawaiian shirts or boardies are his outfits of choice.
A knee replacement slowed him down last year, but he is now back frothing in the water😊.
Photo Gallery
2004 Surfing WA newsletter Celebrating 40 years. L-R Murray Smith, Teena Christon, Mick Marlin, Gary Vaughan & Len Dibben. The West Australian pic.2006 Nat Young (NSW), Mick & the late Loz Smith at Caves House Yallingup for SW photo exhibition. Loz Smith pic2011 Mick in his ‘Big Red’ 1967 Buick Wildcat convertible at Yallingup. Bruce King pic2013 Mick (blue top) wave sharing at Yallingup. Bruce King pic2013 Foam Lust Surf Expo Margaret River ‘Surfing Down South’ book promotion. Loz Smith pic L-R Sue-Lyn Moyle, Jim King, Tom Blaxell, Bill Gibson & Mick Marlin.2014 Indian Ocean Longboard Club Over 60s finalists. Brian Bell pic. L-R Vin Williams, Tony Harrison, Bob Monkman, Graham Walmsley, Mick Marlin & George Micallef.2014 Mick aka Santa surfing Yallingup Xmas Day. Loz Smithpic 2019 WA Surf Gallery team at Launch of Women in the Waves exhibition. Photo Jeannette De Haas. L-R Mike Bosich, Thea McDonald-Lee, Mick Marlin, Jim King, Bill Gibson & Peter Dunn.
2016 Mick receiving Spirit of Surfing Award at Oz Longboard Titles Port Macquarie NSW. Photographer unknown.
2016 Yal Mal contest winner Mick with Boyd Purdy surfboard prize at Awards Night Caves House Yalls. Loz Smithpic.2017 Rachael Dawe and MickatIndian Ocean Longboard Club BBQ. Photo courtesy Mick Marlin.2018 State Longboard event Over 70s finals Mick, Tony Harrison & Dave Ellis at Parrys Beach Denmark WA. SWA pic2018 Yalls Longboard contest officials Mike Neunuebel & Mick Marlin. Jeanette de Haaspic2018 Inaugural Margs Mardi Gras. Mick aka Dame Edna, driving Thelma (renamed Priscilla for the day) and waving her gladdies. Dame Edna led the parade through Margs with the Blonde Bombshell Jeanette behind in Big Red. Photographer unknown.2018 Inaugural Margs Mardi Gras. Mick aka Dame Edna driving Priscilla and waving her gladdies. Dame Edna was crowned Belle of the Ball. Jeannette de Haas pic.2019 Bob Weeks, Mick & Garry Birdsall with Garry’s artwork at Oz Longboard Titles Port Macquarie NSW.2019 the late Sean ‘Snaggers’ Rowles, Jeannette de Haas and Mick at Sean’s 70th birthday ‘hat’ party Shaana Café Yalls. Bruce King pic2019 Mick framing photos at WA Surf Gallery with his red convertible Thelma in the background. Jim King pic2020 State Longboard Titles at Avalon. Over 70s competitors Graham Walmsley & Mick. SWA pic2020 Mick and Jeanette assisting at Disabled Surfers Association event Bunker Bay.2020 Mick with new Malibu board from Yahoo Surfboards Dunsborough WA. Yahoo pic.2020 Peanut Gallery Yallingup. Photo Jim King. L-R Mark Johnson, Gary Greirson, Michael Bibby, Bruce King, Barry Day, Brian Bell, Richard Wain, Ian Morris & Mick Marlin.2021 Mick State Over 70s Longboard Champion. SWA pic.2022 WA Surf Gallery curators Mick Marlin, Bill Gibson and Jim King with 2005 Women’s World Champion Pauline Menczer and Hall of Fame recipient and 2012 World Champion Joel Parkinson at the Surfing Australia awards ceremony in Surfers Paradise.2022 WA Surf Gallery display at Vintage Surfboard Swap Meet Perry Lakes Floreat. L-R Mick Marlin, Jim King, Katja ‘Kat’ Verreydt (SWA), Bill Gibson & Mark Lane (SWA). Mick Marlin pic.2022 Mark ‘Hillsy’ Hills and Mick in Hawaiian shirt at WA Surf Gallery function. Jim King pic2022 Yal Mal photographer Mick and his assistant Jeanette De Haas. Jim King pic.2023 Mick receiving his 3rd Dan Black Belt Certificate from Busselton Martial Arts. Mick Marlin pic.
Scottish/Australian surf journalist Thea McDonald of Mops Media turned the camera back on Mick interviewing him on 11 September 2020. Thea was a foundation member of the WA Surf Gallery team before returning to family in Scotland.
Veteran Yallingup surfer Mick Marlin age 75 is a talented goofy footer, surf photographer, surf journalist & surf historian.
Formerly from North Narrabeen in NSW Mick travelled the world in the 70s before settling in WA. Originally in the Mandurah region now Yallingup in the southwest.
He started surfing in 1958 (age 10) and is a foundation member of the powerful North Narrabeen Boardriders Club formed in 1964. See web link to Mick’s NNBC Memoirs at the end of this post.
In WA he has competed and judged in the WA State Titles, both longboard and shortboard, won a bunch, and has been involved in many National Titles as both a competitor and WA State Team Manager. He was on the first longboard team from WA to go over to the National Titles in Queensland in 1991 and was the first person in 2006 to win both a Longboard & Shortboard WA State Championship in the same division. Mick was the 2021 ‘Over 70s’ Longboard State Champion.
He was WA Correspondent and writer for Australian Longboarding Magazine, where he published nationally the results of SWA State Title Events gaining important coverage for WA Longboard competitors and wrote various stories with photos showcasing Western Australian surfers and our state. Mick’s photos and stories have been published in most WA media outlets. A quick google search shows his coverage of the Yallingup Malibu Classic, Indian Ocean Longboard Club events and the WA Surf Gallery. And he avidly uses Facebook to share his photos and memories of surfing: the competitions, the travel, the people, the lifestyle.
Importantly for SWA, it was Mick’s idea to make a magazine commemorating the 40 years of SWA, in which he depicted the resurgence of the longboard and supplied photos. He was instrumental in organising the celebratory 40th event at AQWA and the license plates for it. He also wrote a story for the Celebrating 50 Years book and supplied photos for it. These documents capture valuable and significant moments in SWA’s and Western Australian surfing’s history and culture which would not exist be it not for Mick’s dedication to the documentation of our sport, culture and lifestyle.
Mick was the Longboard representive on the Board of SWA for five years and was the WA National Longboard rep. to Surfing Australia for eight years. He is also a founding member of Indian Ocean Longboard Club, the first longboard club in WA. He’s been Vice President, media man and committee member over the years and is now a Life Member of IOLBC.
He is currently the Media Committee Member for the SW Disabled Surfers Association and a surf history curator at the WA Surf Gallery.
In 2022 his valuable contributions to our sport, history, culture and lifestyle were publicly recognised and he was granted Life Membership to Surfing Western Australia.
Many thanks to Samantha Vanderford & Brett Merifield for assisting with research on this matter.
There are many more Mick Marlin stories not covered in this blog, including his East Coast and Overseas exploits. Maybe there will be a Mick Marlin’s Memoirs book & movie 😊
Surfing is Mick’s life and colourful Hawaiian shirts or boardies are his outfits of choice.
A knee replacement slowed him down last year, but he is now back frothing in the water😊.
Photo Gallery
L-R Sue-Lyn Moyle, Jim King, Tom Blaxell, Bill Gibson & Mick Marlin.
L-R Vin Williams, Tony Harrison, Bob Monkman, Graham Walmsley, Mick Marlin & George Micallef.
L-R Mike Bosich, Thea McDonald-Lee, Mick Marlin, Jim King, Bill Gibson & Peter Dunn.
2016 Mick receiving Spirit of Surfing Award at Oz Longboard Titles Port Macquarie NSW. Photographer unknown.
L-R Mark Johnson, Gary Greirson, Michael Bibby, Bruce King, Barry Day, Brian Bell, Richard Wain, Ian Morris & Mick Marlin.
Scottish/Australian surf journalist Thea McDonald of Mops Media turned the camera back on Mick interviewing him on 11 September 2020. Thea was a foundation member of the WA Surf Gallery team before returning to family in Scotland.
Click on this link to view Thea’s video 37 Questions with Mick Marlin.
Related content
1960s North Narrabeen memoirs by Mick Marlin posted 30 Nov 2016
2004 Bells Beach story by Mick Marlin posted 16 April 2022
1997 Senior Board Members article in Saga Magazine UK posted 25 May 2019
Bob Monkman’s Surfing Life by Malibu Mick Marlin posted 30 August 2017
Surfing Santa at Yalls posted 22 December 2015
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