Pioneer WA surfer Cliff Hills (Mark ‘Hillsy’ Hills’ dad) surfed at Cottesloe on homemade balsa surfboards before heading Down South in the late 50s.
The accomplished waterman was comfortable in solid waves and in 1962 (age19) won a Bravery Award for a surf rescue at Yallingup. (see info below).
Cliff provided water safety services at WASRA surf contests held in the Southwest (pre jet skis) and competed in the annual Avon Decent white-water event.
1960 Cottesloe surfers on bicycles with homemade Malibu surfboardsin front of North Cottesloe surf club. L-RGlen Smith, Cliff Hills, Rob Birch & Graham Booth. Photo courtesy Cliff Hills.1963-4 Surfing Yallingup WA. Courtesy Surfabout V2 magazine and Mick Marlin. Top. Tony Burgess, Wal and Cliff Hills.. Bottom. Mark ‘Pato’ Paterson
Bravery Award
In 1962 Cliff Hills (age 19) and others received Bravery Awards from the Royal Humane Society of Australasia for the attempted rescue of Geoff Dalziel at Yallingup Beach in April 1962.
Jim ‘Lik’ McKenzie. “Over the years there have been all kinds of tragedies that have impacted many people I know. The incident that touched me the most was the drowning of Jeff Dalziel while he was involved in a rescue in a huge swell at Yallingup on Easter long weekend April 1962.
The rescuers were honoured by the Royal Humane Society of Aust. Gold medals were awarded to Cliff Hills (19) of Cottesloe and posthumously to Jeff Dalziel (18) of Mosman Park. Kerry Davies (20) of Mosman Park was awarded a Silver Medal for his part in the rescue.
Three Boys Park in Mosman Park commemorates the three rescuers.”
1962 Tribute to Bravery. Images courtesy of WA Newspapers and Town of Mosman Park.
Automobiles
Like a lot of other surfers, Cliff also had a keen interest in cars. He worked in the WA car industry and has restored and owned numerous vehicles over the years.
1959 Cliff & Tania Hills with 2 door Morris Minor Hamersley Street Cottesloe. Cliff Hills pic.
The following photo of Cliff’s 1930 Austin 7 convertible is featured in the Surfing Down South book and on a rubbish bin cover at Yallingup beach 😁.
Circa 1960 Terry James in Cliff’s 1930 Austin 7 convertible on Yallingup Hill. Cliff Hills pic.1963 Cliff with his Mini Minor and Austin convertible at Cottesloe. Photo Cliff Hills.1963 Cliff with his Mini Minor and a Falcon station wagon at Cottesloe. Photo Cliff Hills.
In 1965 Cliff and some of his WA surfing mates drove across the Nullarbor on a surf trip to the East Coast.
1965 Cottesloe surfer Keith Campbell with Cliff’s Mini Minor & surfboards on the Nullarbor. Photo Cliff Hills. 1965 Cliff Hills with his Falcon ute on the Nullarbor. Photo Cliff Hills.
In NSW Cliff toured the northern beaches in a friend’s Goggomobil Dart convertible.
The Goggomobil Dart was a microcar which was developed in Australia by Sydney company Buckle Motors Pty Ltd. and produced from 1959 to 1961. The Dart was based on the chassis and mechanical components of the German Goggomobil microcar made in Bavaria. (source Wikipedia).
Pete ‘Percy’ Davis. “In the next pic, that’s Cliff and Tania standing, Vic Camilleri sitting in back, Pat Hands driver and owner of the car, my Ford Zephyr car in background, outside No 9 Tasman Street Dee Why where eight of us shared a house. Great Days, great memories.”
1965 NSW Cliff Hills (standing centre) with friends and surfboards heading to the beach in the Goggomobil Dart. Photo Cliff Hills.
Dave Aylett. (extract from his 1964 East Coast road trip with Rex Cordingley story) “Coming down to Sydney was real scary. The trucks and the speed they got up to, made us look for escape routes to turn off to allow the big rigs to pass. Both Rex and I quickly adapted to the quick pace and once we got used to it, it became fun. After getting lost a number of times we found our digs. Tasman Street Dee why, I don’t know how many West Ozzie’s lived there, but I remember Cliff Hills, Jimmy Lik, Keith Campbell and some others I can’t remember. God it was great. Party all night, surf all day. We would start off at the Manly Pacific Canopus room and drink that horrible Coopers beer. When that closed, we would hit Kings Cross. I remember a big swim through joint and a guy called Billy Thorpe hammering out ‘Poison Ivey’ at a volume that went right through you. What a BLAST! Then there were the girls. Wow!
1965 NSW Beach Girls. Photo courtesy Cliff Hills.
Bonus pic
1983 Cliff’s wife Tania with 1973 model Porsche sedan. Hills family pic.
Thanks for sharing your memories and photos Cliff, Jim Lik, Percy Davis & Dave Aylett.
Pioneer WA surfer Cliff Hills (Mark ‘Hillsy’ Hills’ dad) surfed at Cottesloe on homemade balsa surfboards before heading Down South in the late 50s.
The accomplished waterman was comfortable in solid waves and in 1962 (age19) won a Bravery Award for a surf rescue at Yallingup. (see info below).
Cliff provided water safety services at WASRA surf contests held in the Southwest (pre jet skis) and competed in the annual Avon Decent white-water event.
L-R Glen Smith, Cliff Hills, Rob Birch & Graham Booth. Photo courtesy Cliff Hills.
Top. Tony Burgess, Wal and Cliff Hills..
Bottom. Mark ‘Pato’ Paterson
Bravery Award
In 1962 Cliff Hills (age 19) and others received Bravery Awards from the Royal Humane Society of Australasia for the attempted rescue of Geoff Dalziel at Yallingup Beach in April 1962.
Jim ‘Lik’ McKenzie. “Over the years there have been all kinds of tragedies that have impacted many people I know. The incident that touched me the most was the drowning of Jeff Dalziel while he was involved in a rescue in a huge swell at Yallingup on Easter long weekend April 1962.
The rescuers were honoured by the Royal Humane Society of Aust. Gold medals were awarded to Cliff Hills (19) of Cottesloe and posthumously to Jeff Dalziel (18) of Mosman Park. Kerry Davies (20) of Mosman Park was awarded a Silver Medal for his part in the rescue.
Three Boys Park in Mosman Park commemorates the three rescuers.”
Automobiles
Like a lot of other surfers, Cliff also had a keen interest in cars. He worked in the WA car industry and has restored and owned numerous vehicles over the years.
1959 Cliff & Tania Hills with 2 door Morris Minor Hamersley Street Cottesloe. Cliff Hills pic.
The following photo of Cliff’s 1930 Austin 7 convertible is featured in the Surfing Down South book and on a rubbish bin cover at Yallingup beach 😁.
In 1965 Cliff and some of his WA surfing mates drove across the Nullarbor on a surf trip to the East Coast.
In NSW Cliff toured the northern beaches in a friend’s Goggomobil Dart convertible.
The Goggomobil Dart was a microcar which was developed in Australia by Sydney company Buckle Motors Pty Ltd. and produced from 1959 to 1961. The Dart was based on the chassis and mechanical components of the German Goggomobil microcar made in Bavaria. (source Wikipedia).
Pete ‘Percy’ Davis. “In the next pic, that’s Cliff and Tania standing, Vic Camilleri sitting in back, Pat Hands driver and owner of the car, my Ford Zephyr car in background, outside No 9 Tasman Street Dee Why where eight of us shared a house. Great Days, great memories.”
Dave Aylett. (extract from his 1964 East Coast road trip with Rex Cordingley story) “Coming down to Sydney was real scary. The trucks and the speed they got up to, made us look for escape routes to turn off to allow the big rigs to pass. Both Rex and I quickly adapted to the quick pace and once we got used to it, it became fun. After getting lost a number of times we found our digs. Tasman Street Dee why, I don’t know how many West Ozzie’s lived there, but I remember Cliff Hills, Jimmy Lik, Keith Campbell and some others I can’t remember. God it was great. Party all night, surf all day. We would start off at the Manly Pacific Canopus room and drink that horrible Coopers beer. When that closed, we would hit Kings Cross. I remember a big swim through joint and a guy called Billy Thorpe hammering out ‘Poison Ivey’ at a volume that went right through you. What a BLAST! Then there were the girls. Wow!
Bonus pic
1983 Cliff’s wife Tania with 1973 model Porsche sedan. Hills family pic.
Thanks for sharing your memories and photos Cliff, Jim Lik, Percy Davis & Dave Aylett.
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