WA Surfboard Riders of the 1960s

This post is based on the recollections of Ralph ‘Seagull’ McNab and formatted by SDS Editor Jim King.

WA surfing pioneer Ralph McNab surfed Metro, Southwest and Northwest and East Coast waves back in the 60’s.

1959 Surfboard Riders Yallingup

Ralph McNab. “In the next photo, I’m first on the left and rode the last Plywood board at Yallingup in 1959.

The Plywood Board had been built by Brian Cole in his backyard at Wembley. On his return from the east coast in late 1961, Bill Copley the proprietor of Caves House Hotel offered Brian a job. He was a barman/yardie at the pub for three months and surfed Yallingup on his own mid-week while waiting for mates to drive down from Perth on weekends.

In 1962, Brian Cole and Barry “Joe” King and started King and Cole Surfboards on cnr Station St and Salvado Rd, Wembley, then moved to an old large factory shed in Harborne St Glendalough. They purchased blanks from Bennett Surfboards and were the first to produce foam surfboards in WA. Just before Cordingley Surf Boards. They closed up the surfboard shop and Brian Cole went on a surf trip to Europe & America, including Hawaii in 1963.

Ralph Seagull rode a blue King Cole Surfboard from 1963 on-wards. “

First trial towing a surfboard behind a speedboat

Ralph, “In 1960, on a Saturday night, most probably at the Busselton Dance, Biddy Martin’s brothers said that if the surf was flat the next morning to come back to their speed boat area at Quindalup and we could trial our surf boards behind their speed boat. We all had a try, but all fell off as the first up speed was too fast. Anyway, it was the first trial of a surfboard behind a speed boat!

The next photo was taken after the first trial towing a surfboard behind a speedboat. Bill Pratley would have taken the photo as he was a printer and had a camera. “

1960 Pioneer surfers at Yallingup. Photo by Bill Pratley. (Insert: Photographer Bill Pratley April 2025 age 89).

Left to Right. Dave Maxwell, Burnie Huddle, Don Bancroft, Cocko Killen, Ralph McNab, Garth Hammond, Dave Williams, Ray ‘Spider’ Evans, Biddy Martin’s brother, Tony Harbison, Biddy Martin’s nephew, Tony Burgess, John Budge, Arty Taylor & Jim Keenan.

SLSA Assoc dilemma

In 1959-60, a Mr Kennedy of the Surf Lifesaving Association came down to Yallingup with his daughters to see for himself why surfers were coming Down South and leaving SLSA Clubs.

He was to prepare a report back to the SLSC Association explaining why SLSA Clubs were losing members. The surfers preferred the freedom Down South instead of doing beach patrols and getting sun burnt and bored!

That weekend he and his daughters were down at Yallingup, there was very good surf, and Kennedy filmed it, to take back to the SLSA Committee. Perhaps his footage may be in the archives of the SLSA.

We were the WA State Champion Patrol, but I left for the better lifestyle.

1958-59 WA State Champion Patrol City of Perth SLSC. Photo Ralph McNab

Race to the pub for a beer

Ralph. “Terry ‘Horse’ Williams was the ruckman for the Subiaco Football Club. Jim ‘Lik’McKenzie was in the State under 18’s rugby team. So, we would have a run from our hammocks at Yallingup beach, by road to Caves House pub to have a beer. Easy bit, down over the little bridge then, 2/3 of the way up the large hill, Horse drops back. Over the hill is a little hollow and on the second rise, Jim Lik, let Ralph Seagull win🙂.

The beer tasted Beautiful.

Later on in life, in 1972, Ralph Seagull did athletics and achieved running the 15 miles in under 1.5 hours.

1962 Surfers at Caves House Yallingup L_R Des Gaines, Alan Hamer, Dave Williams, Bob Keenan, Ray Evans, Kevin Merifield & Terry Williams. Brian Cole RIP.

The largest ocean swell I have ever seen

Ralph. “Some others will remember that big swell day also.

You wake up in the morning, there is no noise on the camp, but the ocean speaking, you think the world has changed, so you then re-wake up quick, go to where some of the others are standing and observing the ocean.

Have a look at that! Gee it must be over 40ft at the bommie out from Sugarloaf Rock and with the SE breeze peeling off the top, they were huge, huge waves, that absorbed your observation, waiting for the next big, big one.

On the very large day the ships were recording record wave heights. The ships measure from the trough to the top of the wave. The waves at the Bommie out from Sugarloaf, being observed from Yallingup some miles away, could be seen throwing forward, about a third of its height.

Yallingup just a white-water mess with swell lines breaking 4-5 lines out.

So off to Margaret River about four car loads we go.

Margaret River just a white-water mess and lines breaking 6 lines out.

So off to Cowaramup.

Cowaramup The south point you could not see where the beak started, but the white water was halfway out into the bay and a strong SE breeze. The north side of Cowaramup Bay was breaking southwest of North Peak, a right hand break as they came through about a third into the bay and powered through to the beach.

Further in, the north side was breaking to the south and a beautiful right-hander was being observed from the hill. Let’s go.

A different situation down at the shore, (Bigger) some did not take their boards off, some tried but the surf was too strong to get through, but three somehow got out, Terry Williams Peter Docherty and Ralph McNab.

Peter Docherty just not out there, but first away.. Dunno what happened, but he lost his board.

Bit further out, Terry ‘Horse’ Williams paddles like what and gets on a big wave, I presume he lay down all the way.

Bit further out Ralph seagull McNab paddles like what and gets on a big wave. I am on, the wave power of going down cuts in, but the SE breeze is really strong, I stand up and the wind won, board and I get thrown over into the big, big washing machine.

Never been here before!

Thrown around over and over, lost total feeling of direction, hold your breath, do not panic, felt like forever waiting to be able to recognise UP. You go like buggery to get to the air and much relief.

Terry further in had retrieved Docherty’s board and hooked it with his toes and we both got to Dcoherty at the edge of the big rip that was on the north side of the bay. Cannot go straight in or the rip would win, so we paddled south and with the side wave wash we were washed into shore.

Next Bunkers Bay No bay just all broken white water mess.

Meelup with a SE breeze, beautiful right hand breaking 5-6-foot waves.

Saw Mark Paterson, with his hat on, get locked in the tunnel for a long way.

We all were grateful for Meelup, and we were all a gibbering mess back at Yallingup after a long day.”

Early 60s Meelup beach and campsite. Photo courtesy Eric Guy from Dunsborough Service Station.

1963 Ralph travelled overland to Sydney NSW with other WA surfers

1963 South West surfing pioneers leaving Perth for a surf trip to Sydney NSW in Des Gaine’s Holden station wagon. Image courtesy Jim ‘Lik’ McKenzie.

L-R Des Gaines (Dec’d), Jim ‘Lik’ McKenzie, Ralph McNab & big Jim Farrell (Dec’d). John ‘Dan Daragan’ Robertson (Dec’d) missing from pic.

Ralph. “1963 I finished my Wool classing Exams at Sydney and surfed from Manly and all the north Sydney surfing locations with Jim Keenan and other WA Surfers.

We saw Nat Young (the Collaroy Kid) win the first north shore surfing event at Avalon on ONE FOOT waves. Nat even ‘hang 10’ to win it.”

Having finished my schooling, I stayed a bit at Sydney, trying to get work in the NSW shearing industry. While waiting for work, I cleaned the Manly Pacific Hotel kitchen with caustic soda on the basis of hours worked. Get to work, go upstairs to get a view, Fairy Bower is working “see you all tomorrow”, or North Steyne had a good wave (a bit like Scarborough WA). North Narembeen was quite fast, but a left-hander.

The best, best day of surfing was mid-week at Dee Why, only 3-4 of us there, a large SE swell all afternoon. Get on and cut a little towards the rocks then a heavy right-hand turn with speed, back up the face, then cut back Etc. The tourists were taking photos from the roadside cliff, next to the break. (you do not fall off or lose your board or the rocks eat it). When finishing the session, ride it to the shore break, cut right and ride it till it all closed out, then walk back. What a great day, at Dee Why, Where they had just installed a steam rice machine at the beachfront shops to have anything with the steamed rice, to fill a stuffed surfie with an empty stomach.

Slept well that night😊.”

The name ‘SEAGULL’

Ralph. “When living with six other West Australians surfers at Curl-Curl, North shore Sydney we would pay our individual weekly rent, and food money till Friday night. Owen Oates did the cooking, any leftovers Friday night was’ Happy Birthday its yours’.

Well Jim Keenan left a ½ Moose drink in the fridge Friday evening and Saturday morning a seagull had pinched and consumed it. After much cursing by Jim etc. Next week another ½ Moose drink was placed in the fridge by Jim Keenan also went missing, then I was found out to be the recipient of a ½ Moose drink.

Jim said “You bloody Seagull bustard” and from then on I have been called Seagull😊.”

1960 A mixture of surfers from northern beaches (Sydney) and WA at Manly Beach NSW. Photo courtesy of Jim Keenan.

L-R Joe Larkin (surfboard & film maker), Chris ‘Batman’ Steinburg, Colin ‘Moose’ White, Brian Cole & Jim Keenan.

21st Birthday Party at Yallingup Pub

Ralph. “On the 1965 March long weekend down south, Ampol for the second year after the 1964 start year, put on a ten-gallon keg. Ampol gave Bill Copley the publican at the Caves House Hotel, Ten (Quid) Pounds to put on a ten-gallon keg for the surfers. As it was my 21st birthday, I put an extra Ten Pounds and we had a great party at the club hut being constructed near the Hotel. My 21^st party was when I escaped with no clothes left on by the hut rafters and out through the window frame when the lads tried to scrag me 😊

Margaret Abbey I used to have a dance with on a Saturday night, wonder if she is alive today, she also had a Dutch girlfriend that lived near the Busselton High School. We gave her a lift from Perth to her home on the open back section of Laurie Burke’s ute in sleeping bags and on top of the surfboards.“

1964 Yallingup Board Club and West Coast Board Club shacks at rear of Caves House Hotel at Yallingup. Photo Ernie Potter RIP.

My first Cordingley Surfboard

Ralph. “My late 60s Cordingley Surfboard was shaped by Kevin Ager, we still have it, as I gave it to my son Darron McNab, who now has given it to his son Beau McNab. Shaped for the larger waves….good job Kevin!” See surfboard pics below.“

Late 1960s Cordingley Surfboard shaped by Kevin Ager. Photo Ralph McNab.

Early visitor to the Gascoyne Coast

Carnarvon in northwest WA, was not on the surfing map until about mid 70’s

Jim Keenan “My first visit to Red Bluff revealed a surf break devoid of surfers. The next image was taken very early in 70’s when I was on a safari. The reason I went there is because Ralph McNab whom in his early days was a shearer/wool classer, used to speak of the big swells that hit the Gascoyne coast in winter. Ralph used to do contract work on the coastal stations. Of course, no one believed him and that included me until visiting the area on the safari. Many breaks are now surfed along the Gascoyne Coast north of Carnarvon, especially during the winter months.”

Early 1970s Red Bluff near Carnarvon WA. Photo Jim Keenan.

1976 Australian Golf Open

Ralph. “At 28yrs of age I took up golf and my next time back at Sydney was to watch the Australian Open Golf in1976. American Jack Nicklaus won the Open event.”

1976 Australian Open Golf Sydney L-R Harry Quahapt, Ralph McNab, John Hadley, Len Thomas, Jack Nicklaus USA, Glen Bailey. Photo courtesy Ralph McNab.

Member of City Beach Surfriders Club

Ralph McNab was a member of the City Beach Surfriders Club in the early 60s. In 2009 he attended a Club Reunion at a City Beach café.

Ralph McNab was born in 1944 and is now age 81.

Seagull is a Freo Dockers supporter 😎.

Thanks for sharing your surfing memories Ralph.

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