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TRAVELLERPHOTOGRAPHY: DANIELLE WRIGHT / SUPPLIEDSurf’s upDanielle Wright visits a surf museumin Australia’s surfing capital, TorquayVINTAGE COVERS OFSurfing World magazinefrom the 1960s drawpeople in to Torquay’sSurf World Museum.On one cover, a woman in a ginghambikini walks towards a shirtless manholding a surfboard, advertising theyouthful, fun image of surfing.The museum is in Surf City Plaza,home to the big surfing brands,such as Quiksilver, Rip Curl, Roxy,Oakley and Billabong. All aroundus are young hopefuls, clothed fromhead-to-toe in sponsored surf gear.We leave them in the storesand head inside the museum,which begins with the first writtendescription of the sport, dating to the1700s, as well as the first visual record– a scene showing Captain Cook’sfleet arriving in Kealakekua Bay,Hawaii in 1778, with a figure paddlingout on a surfboard to greet them.From here, there’s history closer tohome, such as information about BellsBeach, named after Scottish settlersto the region, and more personalaccounts, such as a flippable photoalbum of Surf Coast grandmother,Mary Prince. “I was surfing beforeI was old enough for school,” saysMary. “I don’t recall anyone teachingme how to surf; I just followed mybrothers and did what they did.”There’s also 26-year-old Kat Charles,who talks of the link between surfingand creativity. She plays the drums,as well as being an artist andphotographer, and says that surfinghas helped her see the world,working as a surf coach in Franceand Morocco.“Being a surfer is grounding,humbling and beautiful,” says Kat. “Itcreates such an incredible lifestyle andattracts really good people, with goodspirits and respect for nature. Surfinghas set me on a good path for life.”Surfboards are scatteredthroughout the museum: simpleones – such as a trio of lime, lemonand pastel pink boards – to busyboards covered in surf lingo andtall tales. Further along, there’s awooden walkway with a lip of a wavebreaking overhead. There’s also aSurfing Hall of Fame, which haslegendary surfers’ boards plasteredwith their images and stories.We walk past a suitcase straightfrom the 70s, stuffed with surfmemorabilia: signed surfboardfins, Hawaiian leis and Polaroids.Cabinets are filled with trophies,while walls are crowded with surfmusic and film posters. A Kombi vanhas been opened up so visitors canwalk through its middle – a bikini top,sneakers, a guitar and sleeping bagare strewn across its floor.Next is a screening theatre, set upwith beach chairs, walls lined withnostalgic surf pictures. A film showsa group who surfed 50 states on nobudget, driving around Americain an ice cream truck.One surfer on the film says:“Don’t let anyone tell you you can’tdo something. If you’re passionateabout it, you can do it.”It sums up the anti-establishmentsurfing culture, which outsiders oftenmistakenly consider lazy, ratherthan laid-back. This impressivecollection is testament to the power ofpersistence all surfers know exists –there’s always another wave, anotherpossibility, just over the horizon. ←VISITOR INFORMATIONSee www.surfworld.com.auVisit www.aa.co.nz/travel for specialMember offers for travel in Australia.Vwww.aadirections.co.nz 69