Southwest resident Chris Bowen-Sant, age 74, has led a colourful life shaped by the ocean, with surfing, windsurfing, boating and travel at its centre. Born in Melbourne, Victoria, he developed a passion for longboard surfing at Torquay, motorbikes and motor-cross, and later surf mats, which were easier to travel with and helped him catch more waves. He spent his spare time and weekends in Torquay, surfing Winkipop, Rincon and Bells, before the track to Bells was built.
Chris. “In 1966 my mate & I (age 14) helped catch a suspected car thief by chasing him on our skateboards. We had our photos in the Age Newspaper and received $100 each, new skateboards and clothing as a reward.”😊
1966 The Great Chase on skateboards. Image Age Newspaper
In 1968, Chris met his life partner, Jayne, who—much to her parents’ displeasure—would hitchhike to Torquay on weekends to be around the surf crew.
He worked for a business that toured the whole east coast as far as the Gold Coast showing 16mm surf films, such Morning of the Earth, Tubular Swells etc.
Chris. “We used to hire Town Halls & plaster the town with promotional posters. Everyone from the beach used to come.”
By 1969, Chris was working as a wetsuit gluer at the first RipCurl outlet, located in an old bakery building in Torquay. He worked for Ripcurl founders Brian Singer and Doug ‘Claw’ Warbrick and was also good friends with Quiksilver founders Alan ‘Greeny’ Green and John Law.
Chris. “I used to take home cut patterns of wetsuits and glue them together. Then the next day I returned them to the seamstress girls at the factory to sew them up.”
1969 First Ripcurl outlet old bakery Torquay. Image courtesy Ripcurl web.
1970 Chris (left) with surfing mates at Torquay. Chris pic.
In 1971, Chris moved west to escape Victoria’s growing surf industry and join Jayne in Scarborough, WA. They both worked at the Scarborough car wash, while Chris also took jobs with a suspended ceiling company at Carousel Shopping Centre. On weekends, they travelled down south on Chris’s Yamaha 250cc trail bike or in his EK Holden panel van.
1971 Chris & Jayne saying goodbye before Chris left Vic for WA in his Holden panel van.
1970s Chris with his trail bike in Hyden WA on a 700km run on Queens Birthday LWE. Chris pic
Captivated by the beautiful coastline around Yallingup & Geographe Bay, they left their city jobs and settled in Dunsborough. Jayne worked at the Dunsborough Bakery, and Chris worked for Pipeline Legropes in Wyadup with David and Helen ‘Spottie’ Hattrick, and John Malloy. Chris surfed an inflatable mat, windsurfed & sailed in his beautiful yacht named Genevieve. The couple mixed socially with Tom Hoye, John Malloy and other surfing pioneers in the Smiths Valley/Yallingup region.
1970s Chris & Jayne’s accommodation at Greenacres Cottages Dunsborough. Chris pic.
1970s Historic Old Coach house Smiths Valley Yallingup. Chris pic. – This is now the site of the Cape Naturaliste Vineyard.
Chris.“Tom Hoye lived in the cellar of the Old Coach House and his surfboard factory was in the property’s old wooden shearing shed.”
1970s Smith Valley crew Yallingup. Chris pic.
Standing: Peter, Tom Hoye, Hans Kopp, Lee Fenwick, Craig Kohtala, Chris Bowen, Amber, Jeff Carroll, Lulu, George Simpson unidentified & Tom Greybill.
Sitting: Dog, Scott Andrew (RIP), Jack Kohtala, Dog’s kid, Ray Stammire & Robbo.
1970s Dave Hattrick, Helen ‘Spottie’ Hattrick & John Malloy with Dave’s Landrover at Yallingup. Chris pic.
1970s Chris & Jayne (left) at fancy dress party held in tin shed at Tom Hoye’s place in Dunsborough (opposite cemetery). Chris pic.
Chris. “John Malloy’s mate Jack Kohtala (ex-USA) bet me $10 I couldn’t eat a 15lb watermelon in one day. I made good progress during the day, but by late afternoon my tummy was so bloated I could go no further, and lost the bet.” 😊
1970s Chris with 15lb watermelon Smiths Valley Yallingup. Chris pic.
Chris windsurfed for 15 years and ran the Windspeed windsurfing/surfing shop in Busselton. In 1984 he ran the successful Dunsborough Fun Cup windsurfing series in Dunsborough.
Chris. “Dave Sheen & I started windsurfing together, he went on to compete on the World circuit. I gave Dave his first surfboard at age 8, a Ron Wade from NSW.”
1980s Chris windsurfing Margaret River. Chris pic.
1984 Windspeed business card. Chris pic.
1984 Windspeed windsurfing/surf shop in Busselton. Chris pic.
1984 Chris in his Windspeed windsurfing/surf shop in Busselton. Chris pic.
1984 Dunsborough Fun Cup trophies in Windspeed windsurfing/surf shop Busselton. Chris pic.
Jayne moved to London to live with her brother, and Chris followed soon after by ship and jet. They spent three years travelling through Europe and Morocco.
Chris. “To fund our journey, we sold souvenirs bought in Morocco to US sailors on shore leave in Barcelona, Spain.”
Chris & Jayne married in Busselton Court House in early 80s and lived in a farmhouse in Wildwood Road Yallingup. Their son Nicholas was born in 1980 and daughter Holly followed, the children were born in Busselton.
Early 1980s Jayne & Chris wedding Courthouse Busselton. Chris pic.
1980s Chris & Jayne’s farmhouse in Wildwood Rd Yallingup. Chris pic.
Chris and Jayne maintained a business presence in Busselton for 47 years with Karabou Gallery and Homeward Bound.
They started the Karabou Gallery in1978 in an old house where Fig Tree Lane is now. The inspiration for the name came from their travels in Africa, having previously lived in Kenya.
Chris. “Whenever you visit anyone in Africa…they all go “Karibu! Karibu!, which means ‘come in’ or “welcome’.”
When the Gallery closed they opened Homeward Bound in the 2000s, first in the Busselton light industrial area before moving to its final location on Prince Street. They closed the business and retired in 2025.
2025 Homeward Bound business ending article courtesy Busselton-Dunsborough Times.
Photo Gallery
1980s SW licence plate off one of Chris’s motorbikes. Chris pic.
1980s Jayne’s surf art. Chris pic.
1984 Chris and son Nicholas holidaying Abrolhos Islands WA. Chris pic.
2000s Chris sailing his yacht in Geographe bay with his forward hand the late Charlie Roper. Chris pic.
2026 Memorabilia in Chris’s garage at Abbey WA. Photo Jim King.
2026 Chris with Tom Hoye PE windsurfer Abbey WA. Photo Jim King.
2026 Disabled Surfers event Bunker Bay. Volunteers Mick Marlin & Chris with spectator Jim King. Photo Thea McDonald-Lee.
2026 Chris proudly showing his Disabled Surfers Assoc ‘Beach Marshall’ t-shirt. Photo Jim King.
2026 Retirees Chris & Jayne at home in Abbey WA. Chris pic.
1990s Hope for wilderness letter by Chris & Jayne Yallingup WA in Busselton Margaret River Times.
Chris and Jayne are enjoying retirement in Abbey, camping and making regular trips to the Gili Islands and Lombok. Chris is happy being a “beach bum” again. 😊
Thanks for sharing your saltwater memories Chris & Jayne.
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