Pioneer Cottesloe surfer Keith Campbell started surfing in the late 1950’s. Keith surfed with the best surfers of his time in Terry Jacks, Dave Beamish, Brian Cole and others. Like many WA surfers to follow, he spent time living and surfing on Sydney’s northern beaches in the early 60’s before returning to WA.
This story was first published in 2017 and has since been reformatted and updated.
Keith. In 1960 I got my driver’s license and teamed up with Terry Jacks, Charlie Roper and we surfed Trigg which in those days was out of the way via Elliott Road. As City Beach was friendly, with the tearooms allowing boards to be stored there, it later became the meeting place and thanks to Viv Kitson and Peter Docherty, I was roped into being Club President in about 1962-3.
I was President of WASRA in 1987, after being Treasurer for Phil Usher in 1986. I held the President’s position till late 1990 when I was too busy with engineering and we (Doug, Tom, Jock Campbell and myself) managed to get Tim Thirsk to take the reins.
In the following 1957 Dean Street surfing photo, Bob Mayhew is on the left (he lived at about 22 Dean Street) and the guy in the middle was older than us, I think his name was Reg.
Dave Aylett gathered with us in about 1961 along with Jeff Dalziel, the rat, Glen Smith, Ron Anderson (who lost full sight), Ian Peacock and others I can’t remember.
1957 Surfing Dean Street surf break Cottesloe. Bob Mayhew, Reg? & Keith Campbell (on the right) on hollow plywood boards. Keith Campbell pic.
Keith recalls surfing in the early 1960s
In my school days I had mum drop me at City Beach most times and I left my board under the tea rooms behind the lattice as many to follow would also do.
Before I got my driver’s license, Ray Geary took me surfing down to Yallingup a few times and we camped under the melaleuca trees. (Editor’s Note: In the 60’s Ray Geary built a shack opposite a right-hand surf break between Avalon & Miami Bay which became known as Geary’s).
I turned 17 and got my license in July 1960 and by 1963 I had been roped into being President of the City Beach Board Club.
I went to Uni1961-63 to study Engineering and have memories of Charlie Roper and Terry Jacks always being with me when I surfed, as I had lots of gaps in my Uni course.
1964 City Beach tea rooms. Local surfers stored their surfboards under the building. Photo Robyn McDonald.
In December 1963 I had a year off Uni and went east and actually surfed with Brian Cole, Don Bancroft, Colin Taylor, John Peterson at Narrabeen. I lived in Dee Why where Terry Jacks and Dave Beamish joined me as did Percy Davis, Charles Roper and Ernie Potter.
1964 Keith Campbell’s 21st birthday party at Dee Why NSW. Keith Campbell pic.
L-R. S Marshall, J Evans, V Comdler, L Hookes, R Olsen, S Marriott, R Hannagan, B Moore, R Fenwick, G Morley, Keith Campbell, Ernie Potter and D Lowe.
1964 Keith Campbell surfing Avoca Beach NSW. Keith Campbell pic.
1965 Keith Campbell with Cliff Hills mini minor and Malibu surfboards on the Nullarbor. Cliff Hills pic.
On the Nullarbor plain we hit a lot of potholes that were as big as Cliff Hill’s’ mini minor!
Back in WA, we managed to build up quite a board club at City Beach with the red outfits having black and white stripes and organised inter-club competitions with North End and Scarborough. These club competitions ultimately led to the formation of WASRA through Doc Naylor, Percy Trainer and John Shackley in 1964.
In 1965 Barry King (1964 WA State Junior Champion) returned to Manly NSW and a few others decided to leave City Beach and join another club (Editor’s note: Peter Bothwell, Brian Boynes & Mark Waddell joined Yallingup Board Club). It was just at the time I had organised the Margaret River Council to grant a lease on a block at Cowaramup Bay. I had Tony Harbison supervise the demolition of a house in Leederville (that Mark Waddell organised) ready for us to re-assemble. It happened just as the club disintegrated and I probably ‘spat the dummy.’ I think the house frames were stored at Yallingup and we gave them to another club. (Editor’s Note: Tony Harbison and the Yallingup Board Club were beneficiaries of Keith’s stored house frames).
It was during this time that Ron Moss took over as President and got the board club back on track. (Editor’s Note: Ron Moss was made a life member of the City Beach Surf Riders Club in August 2000).
I understand the board club kept going during the mid-60s under the leadership of Ron Moss until Jim King and Trevor Burslem took over from 1967-1970.
2009 Keith Campbell with his surfboard at Yalls. Photo Jim King.
2009 City Beach Surf Riders club “60’s old boys” reunion lunch held at the City Beach café. Image courtesy Keith Campbell.
2011 CBSR Reunion at City Beach. L-R Brian Cole, Keith Campbell, Zac Kochanowitsch & John Harbison. Photo Bruce King
Alongside his administrative roles at state and club levels, Keith helped drive the development of the artificial reef at Cable Station, Cottesloe. He had a holiday home in Gracetown and surfed in the Southwest for many years. Now retired age 80, he no longer rides his surfboard.
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