Smorgasboarder_Surf_Magazine_44_s

oil and water don’t mix - the fight for the bight, surfboards & more
SUMMER 18
SURF MAG
thomas
surfboards
the more things change...
take a look inside the new
creative hub of surf culture
on the sunshine coast
pictured: 3 x salty surf dogs

Surf Shop
G E R R I N G O N G , N S W
Celebrating
40 YEARS
I N - H O U S E
C A F E
c
“Australia’s Largest IndependEnt Surf Shop”
HUNDREDS OF SWIM
+ FASHION BRANDS
1,000+
SURFBOARDS
S.U.P
EXPERTS
DEMO
150+B O A R D S

smorgasboarder
a small corner of Thomas Surboards’ new digs.
photo: @andrewmaccoll
foreword
Let’s start by saying we were absolutely blown away
by your feedback to Part 1 of our Australian Road Trip
adventure that appeared in our Spring edition. You all
seemingly enjoyed it as much as we enjoyed the trip.
Thank you. It was possibly one of our most popular
issues ever, and we know, we’d we promised to bring
you Part 2 this edition...
But just as the ocean is fluid, so too are our editorial
plans (a term used loosely) and with some truly
engaging stories coming across our desk worthy of
your immediate attention, we rejigged said plans - in
particular to accommodate an extremely timely and
important piece put together by our South Australian
correspondent Jimmy Ellis.
Jimmy conducted countless interviews with some
truly fascinating characters all with a vested interest
in the goings on in the Great Australian Bight,
namely that permission has been granted for a
company to commence seismic testing for oil prior
to offshore drilling in one of our most pristine marine
environments. If something was to go wrong the
potential scale of disaster would make the Deepwater
Horizon incident in the Gulf of Mexico look like a drop
in the ocean, pardon the pun. The environmental
impact would extend well beyond just the state of
South Australia but include parts of Western Australia,
Victoria, Tasmania and even New Zealand. It begs
the question why we would even think to risk such a
catastrophe? Jimmy gets a perspective on this issue
from the grassroots surf community alongside worldleading
environmental scientists.
In this edition, we also look at some interesting
developments in the eco board building movement,
we talk to some surfboard shapers celebrating
monumental milestones, and we showcase the
amazing world of Thomas Surfboards, along with a
whole heap of the usual good stuff - lots and lots of
beautiful surfboard designs from Australia and New
Zealand’s best shapers. Part 2 of our Road Trip will
hopefully appear in Easter edition... Fingers crossed.
Love beer and smorgasboarder? We do, so we’ve
got the Smorgasbox back for Christmas, featuring a
pack of Pale Ale perfection by the brilliant blokes at
Ten Toes Brewery in Alexandra Headland, and some
super-special smorgasboarder gear. See page 15!
Finally, in case you’ve been living under a block
of surf wax for the last few months, we’ve also
launched our Smorgasboarder Podcast, featuring
conversations with surfers, surfboard shapers, retailers
and fascinating salt-encrusted individuals with an
interesting story to tell. To listen in, all you have to do
is go to our website at smorgasboarder.com.au or
search for smorgasboarder on Apple iTunes or Spotify.
Enjoy!
3

The
Flying
Fish
Our latest Fish model is a great alternative to
your regular short board or longboard for the
right days.
The Flying Fish is an EPS foam core
performance fish which features stringerless
flex and memory return. This can turn on a
dime and drive when its required. The board is
more for the average to advanced surfer.
The 2 ½’’ thickness of the board under the chest
area makes this board a great wave catcher.
Call 0412 376 464 or
Email mark@riley.com.au
www.balsasurfboardsriley.com.au
HANDCRAFTED IN AUSTRALIA
Riley Balsawood Surfboards are made using renewable resource balsa and recycled
polystyrene for performance, durability, beauty and lower environmental impact
SHIPPING ANYWHERE, INCLUDING NZ

BRUSH
ON
CLEAR
GRIP
• Easy, DIY clear and clean
paint-on grip
• Gearbox fin boxes with all wood covers
• Wood coloured fin boxes
• Fin box install kits
• Timber fins
• Surfboards
• Blanks
• Cork tail pads & SUP deck grip
• Aussie-made leashes
• Raw balsa/ cedar DIY board kits
• Instructional DVDs
• Timber Board racks
• Pinch and Roll storage
• Tide clocks
• Sharkbanz shark deterrent
wearable devices
ALSO AVAILABLE
Clear board grip tape - Let the beauty of
the balsa show through with clear Versa
Traction Grip Tape. Environmentally
friendly and suits all size boards.
Wholesale enquires welcome
Australian Environmentally-friendly handcrafted
surfboards for the individual in all of us, with a
guarantee. Enjoy Responsibly

smorgasboarder
beer, mags, t-shirt, sunnies and other
good stuff... the smorgasbox is back!
Find out more on page 15, order online at smorgasboarder.com.au
issue forty-four
summer 2 0 1 8
03 foreword
12 stuff
24 thomas surfboards
34 art
38 fight for the bight
52 surfboards
64 grassroots
surf businesses
67 aloha barry
cover photo
thomas bexon and jake bowrey
of thomas surfboards
credit: @andrewmaccoll
WINNER
BEST NON-DAILY
PUBLICATION
QUEENSLAND MULTIMEDIA
AWARDS 2013
FINALIST
BEST NON-DAILY
PUBLICATION
QUEENSLAND MULTIMEDIA
AWARDS 2017
listen up!
the
smorgasboarder
podcast:
full-length interviews and
conversations
enjoy an intimate listen-in with
dave, as he has linteresting chats
with interesting people about
surfing, surfboard building and
completely unrelated things.
available on:
iTunes/Apple Podcasts
Spotify
Buzzsprout
(search for smorgasboarder and
remember to hit subscribe)
or listen on our website
smorgasboarder.com.au for
additional links and show notes
want to get your hands on a copy?
there’s three ways to score yourself a
copy of smorgasboarder.
1) subscribe - the mag is still free - you
just pay for delivery. 4 editions per year -
$25 annual subscription (Aus and NZ)
2) call in to one of the businesses
featured in this mag - they’ll have some
free copies. If they're not, they won't.
3) download or read it online at
smorgasboarder.com.au
smorgasboarder.com.au
Smorgasboarder is published by Huge C Media PTY
LTD ABN 30944673055. All information is correct at
time of going to press. The publication cannot accept
responsibility for errors in articles or advertisements, or
unsolicited manuscripts, photographs or illustrations.
The opinions and words of the authors do not
necessarily represent those of the publishers. All rights
reserved. Reproduction in part or whole is strictly
prohibited without prior permission.
advertising
tami argaman
tami@smorgasboarder.com.au
0466 439 330
editorial
dave swan
dave@smorgasboarder.com.au
0401 345 201
new zealand
jiff morris
jeff@smorgasboarder.co.nz
0220 943 913
south australia
jimmy ellis
james@smorgasboarder.com.au
0410 175 552
design
the team at horse & water creative
mark, kate, elise, helen, eunji
mark@horseandwater.com.au
accounts
louise gough
louise@smorgasboarder.com.au
8

FULL RANGE OF NEW BOARDS FOR
SUMMER INSTORE NOW.

COWES 03 5952 2578
SMITHS BEACH 03 5952 3443
ISLANDSURFBOARDS.COM.AU

smorgasboarder
stuff
black magic
"This is our all round performance model. With a perfect blend of curves
and concaves, it’s able to generate high speeds quickly, and still allows
you to maintain control through your turns. A go to board for our team
riders and a must have in your quiver! Check out our whole range of high
quality, high performance surfboards online."
gen4surf.com
12

smorgasboarder
13

smorgasboarder
sup and surfing essentials
Located in the Auckland city suburb of Newmarket,
is the SUPcentre, a stones throw from the old Hot
Buttered surfboard factory, when the area was
recognised as more of an industrial hub.
Very accessible if you are travelling through Auckland,
with easy access from the motorway, SUPcentre is one
of the very few SUP / Surf shops located close to the
CBD. An ideal spot for those seeking some respite for
the day-to-day toil of city life.
SUPcentre is home to a bunch genuinely friendly folk
who enjoy being out on the water, surfing, paddling
or generally just enjoying an adventure together. The
team are well versed in the products they stock and
practical ability to answer any questions you may
have. The shop is well stocked with a number of key
brands as well as some new and exciting players.
Often holding stock on items that you can find hard
pressed to locate elsewhere, it should definitely be on
any passionate Stand Up Paddlers list to visit if passing
through Auckland. Explore the vast range of boards,
with brands such as Jimmy Lewis, Smik, Tom Carroll
Paddlesurf, Deep Oceanboards, and Red Paddle Co.
Paddles from Quickblade, Hippostick, KeNalu, Axis and
a huge lineup of SUP specific accessories are also on
hand can easily steal a few hours of your day.
Initially the shop was set up as a SUP specific store
catering for those who were passionate about stand
up paddling. It was a place where you could find that
certain paddle, or accessory that you required. More
recently with the disappearance of surf shops within
the Auckland City area, more and more folks have been
searching out surfboards and associated accessories.
With this in mind the team at SUPcentre have
expanded their range into longboards, soft tops, surf
leashes, wax and other surf speciality items for those
requiring a quick stop before heading away.
They’ve even gone to the point of acquiring a few
specialty longboards from the likes of Steve Morris at
Morris Surfboards, as well as mid lengths and fishes.
So if hunting down a new shape, it may be worth
stopping by.
SUPcentre has a great range of clothing from
Patagonia, O’Neill, Rip Curl and Sharksin. If you're
looking to get yourself geared up for the summer.
Being located in Newmarket also comes with other
benefits! They are fortunate enough to have a one of
New Zealands best cafes right next door, Café L’afarre.
Ideal to keep those not so passionate entertained while
you hang out.
supcentre.co.nz
14

smorgasboarder
smorgasboarder
gift box
sorted!
the smorgasbox is back!
Once again, we bring you the ultimate-in-awesome
smorgasboarder Christmas gift for Dad, Mum, your
brother, sister, friend, random stranger or yourself!
1.
2.
3.
4.
smorgasboarder subscription
1 x year, 4 editions - a gift that keeps giving
smorgasboarder ‘rabid’ t-shirt
classy, understated yet classic
smorgasbrew rabid pale ale 4-pack (4.7%
alc./vol.) - a collab with Ten Toes Brewery
smorgasboarder coaster/bottle opener
your multipurpose beer companion!
order online
only $79!!
smorgasboarder.com.au/shop
free shipping on orders over $100
coastal sports kaikoura
the best
XMAS
pack*
*2 years running, as
voted by us
For that next surf adventure that goes further than your
local coffee shop. They are cold water specialists that
want to get you further out there for longer.
Not just your average surf shop, Coastal Sports, are
more about the journey than the end. Rain, sun or
snow, be ready for what nature wants to throw at you.
Same location for 15 years.
Call on +64 3 319 5028.
coastalsports.co.nz
5.
6.
smorgasboarder sunnies!
UV400 shades for your eyeballs
smorgasboarder 2019 wall calendar
a month per spread, for all year enjoyment
Order online today for Christmas delivery
(selected items also available for individual purchase)
smorgasboarder.com.au/shop
15

smorgasboarder
perfect christmas gift
The growing interest in board
building courses coupled with the
use of environmentally-friendly
materials and construction methods
has proved a winner for the folks at
Tree to Sea. Countless men, women
and children have done their eco
surfboard building courses with
some people returning five or so
times to handcraft different types of
surfboards.
Pictured here are some photos from
a recent board building course.
If this interests you, we suggest
you persuade your better half or
inform your loved ones of what you
would really like for Christmas. Gift
vouchers are available.
For further information,
workshop dates, board building
kits and to view boards for sale,
go to treetosea.com.au
a few fast facts
• Tree to Sea are based in Mt Eliza on Victoria’s
Mornington Peninsula
• Their Eco Board Building workshops are conducted
over 2 days, which at its completion will see you with
a surfboard near ready to ride that you shaped with
your own hands
• Boards aren’t glassed. They simply need to be sealed
with a marine grade varnish at home
• The boards are incredibly lightweight and are a
composite construction made of a Paulownia timber
veneer with fine grade cork or timber rails and a
recycled polystyrene core
• Three instructors are on hand throughout the entirety
of the course to give you a helping hand along every
step of the build
• Board building kits are also available so you can make
one in your own time
• You can even choose to have the guys at Tree to Sea
build one for you
• There are 14 models to choose from ranging from
performance shortboards through to fish, guns and
longboards
16

smorgasboarder
17

smorgasboarder
stuff
pedal and paddle
Whangamata has some spectacular coastline and
Whenuakura Island is one of its hidden gems. This
unique wildlife sanctuary is an easy kayak or SUP
off the beach, in the right conditions. It’s a surreal
experience paddling through a cavern in the island into
the picturesque lagoon inside that gives the island its
donut-like shape. They have everything you need at
Pedal and Paddle (Rentals) for an awesome adventure
on the water.
pedalandpaddle.co.nz
supshed
More and more surfers are taking up foiling to make use
of waves that no-body else can ride, and are having
a great time. Foils at first were thought, dangerous,
however perceptions have changed and more people are
giving it a try and getting hooked. It's recommend to at
first, get a lesson from somebody who knows what they
are talking about and who foils. Nik at SUPSHED is that
person and has taught many people to foil. They stock
the best brands and have gear ready to go. Get in touch
with Nik, and get your foiling off to a flying start.
supshed.com
multi board storage system
Following the launch of the Gnarwall Surfboard Hanger,
SHEPPSolutions has expanded the collection to
include a Multi Board Storage System. Keeping with the
Gnarwall design philosophy, the Multi Rack is built from
sustainable materials. The Multi Rack's arms can be
reconfigured on the fly without the use of tools making
it work for fluctuating quiver sizes. Check out the
website for other innovative surf-related products.
sheppsolutions.com
Real Surf
Real Surf in Lyall Bay, Wellington is exactly that - a real
surf store - with a huge range of surfboards, wetsuits
and surf hardware. Surfboard repairs on site and helpful
staff who all surf.
So if you want a store that brings you real quality gear
as well as board repairs and a surf school for those just
starting the surfing experience then REAL SURF is the
one for you. NZs #1 Core Surf Store
realsurf.co.nz
18

smorgasboarder
stuff
natural sun shield paste
SeaZinc is a 100% natural zinc sun shield
paste handcrafted in small batches in Australia.
Designed to provide long lasting protection from
the sun's UV rays while in the surf, SeaZinc
contains high quality pure and organic ingredients
that nourish and also moisturise the skin.
There are no harmful chemicals in SeaZinc,
so it is safer for you and also the planet. The
packaging is also completely recyclable. We
deliver to all areas in Australia and worldwide.
seazinc.com.au
garage handplanes evolution
The Garage Go Kart model is a compact
handplane, offering incredible lift and wavecatching
power, but with a refined profile and
reduced size to allow for release, tricks and wave
versatility.
The Go Kart – available in high-performance
carbon fibre or classic timber – gives you all the
advantages of a larger plane with the benefits
of manoeuvrability and a lower volume. Ideal for
smaller bodysurfers, critical waveriding and those
looking for even more connectedness with the
ocean. garagehandplanes.com.au
fun christmas gift for flat days
If you’d like to educate and entertain your young
grommets these Christmas holidays with something that
doesn’t involve a screen, then the Flat Day Fun Book is
just what you need.
Requiring nothing more than some coloured pencils and
a splash of imagination, the A4-sized Fun Book contains
40 pages of surf-themed puzzles, find-a-words and join
the dots, as well as 12 pages of cool surf art to colour-in.
The Fun Book is the second book by surfer and
cartoonist Buddy Ross (@buds.art), the creator of the
popular children’s book Surfing The Alphabet, and
though designed primarily for both girls and boys in the
5-10 years age group, it has appeal for all ages.
All the content revolves around the surfing lifestyle and
is a great way for young grommets to learn a few of
the basics of surfing while they happily work their way
through the various puzzles.
The Flat Day Fun Book is available at all Surf Dive n Ski
stores Australia-wide and other selected surf shops, or
order now online at the Surfing The Alphabet website.
Stockist enquiries welcome.
surfingthealphabet.com.au
19

are naked boards
Set ten minutes from Noosa Heads, Bare Naked
Boards is situated on a small private acreage lot where
Greg Facer relocated with his family in 2017 to run his
wooden surfboard workshops after a number of years
shaping in Sydney’s Northern Beaches. Dedicated to
producing high quality hollow core wooden surfboards,
Greg delivers a one on one experience where people
can relax and really enjoy the hands on experience of
creating their own board leaving them with a sense of
deep satisfaction, improved knowledge and skillset.
Many have reported massive shifts in mental health and
wellbeing as a result of his workshops and spending
time in a relaxed and creative space. It helps that
Greg always finds time for his customers to get some
Vitamin ’Sea’ during the course hitting the beach for a
surf or swim while the glue dries.
Using no foam and sustainably sourced timber,
Greg makes custom boards to order at his Doonan
workshop but his real passion is teaching the art of
making wooden surfboards in his personal 3 day
workshops. “Literally anyone can make a board under
my guidance” assures Greg. “Seeing how stoked
customers are when they take strips of wood and
turn them into a stunning wooden surfboard is the
best feeling” he adds. Greg’s customers travel from
interstate as well as locally and with a huge choice of
accommodation in the area, it makes an ideal
getaway experience.
barenakedboards.com.au
20

smorgasboarder
stuff
summer is a coming
With the winter months behind us and the longer day
hours gracing our brows, it’s time to crack into those
outdoor activities we all love so much.
NZSHRED has kicked off summer with fresh stock for
Surf, Street, Skate and Water pursuits. Just In … Red
Paddle Company Inflatable SUP’s in usable Lake and
Surf sizes, as well as all the accessories to make your
recreational water time fun, safe and enjoyable. This is
backed up with a solid range of rigid boards from NSP,
Surftech, Adventure and Ocean & Earth. New Zealand’s
most inland surf shop also caters for the regular surf
cat, with options from Torq, Modern, Al Merrick Designs
and NSP … as well as the largest range of PFD’s to
keep you bobbing on the surface.
With skate on the comeback, they are super stoked
to carry decks and completes in longboards, cruisers
and parkboards from Globe, Arbor, Sector9, Blind and
Penny. Or, if you just need to upgrade last seasons kit,
a range of trucks, bearings and wheels is also on offer.
Check them out online at www.nzshred.co.nz – but
as always, they like it most when you come by the
shop to say G’day.
NZ Shred
nzshred.co.nz
And, not to be forgotten, at their shops core is their
heritage of providing premium snow hardware and
apparel. So it’s no surprise, they have just landed the
new season ranges of snow product from Nitro, Burton,
Arbor and Volcom – just in time for those Northern
Hemisphere trips to Japan, Canada and the States.
21

SURF Noosa
the NEWest World Surfing Reserve
22

smorgasboarder
NOOSA FESTIVAL OF SURFING
2-10 MARCH 2019
Noosa launches the 2019 WSL Longboard
Tour as some of the world’s best surf
First Point in the WSL Noosa Longboard
Open from 7-10 March. Part of the Noosa
Festival of Surfing with surfers of all ages
from around the world.
Entries now open.
W noosafestivalofsurfing.com
@noosa_festival_of_surfing
NOOSA WORLD SURFING RESERVE
A SURFING, ENVIRONMENTAL AND
CULTURAL WONDER
Noosa is the 10th World Surfing Reserve,
with 4km of stunning point and beach
breaks from Sunshine Beach and Noosa
National Park headland to the Noosa
River mouth.
noosaworldsurfingreserve
W visitnoosa.com.au/play
SURF NOOSA'S EASTERN BEACHES
BEACH BREAKS AND LAIDBACK VIBES
Head down the coast road just minutes
from Noosa Heads for 15km of open
beach breaks and laidback villages,
from Sunshine Beach through Sunrise,
Castaways, Marcus and Peregian.
W visitnoosa.com.au/regions/Beaches
IVORY PALMS RESORT NOOSA
STAY 3 PAY 2*
A relaxing holiday resort on
7.5 acres of tropical gardens, ideal for
families and couples. Next to Noosa
River, 6 mins to Noosa’s Main Beach.
Valid 27 January-30 March 2019.
*Terms and conditions apply.
P 07 5473 1700
W ivorypalmsresort.com.au
W visitnoosa.com.au @visitnoosa visitnoosa
23

smorgasboarder
Thomas
territory
words: dave swan
photos: @andrewmaccoll
Thomas and Jake at
their party demolished
former factory. The
holes in the roof are
a little bigger.
24

smorgasboarder
Simply put, this
is a story about
constant motion.
It’s about two
guys who are
passionate about
what they do,
have worked their
clackers off and
are just starting
to get a glimmer,
a small glimpse
of reaping the
rewards of all
their blood, sweat
and tears.
I for one personally couldn’t be happier for
them. Most of all because to a certain degree I
understand what they have gone through and what
hard work, struggle and toil is all about, and for the
fact that Thomas Bexon and Jake Bowrey are still
as down-to-earth as when I first met them many,
many years ago.
What they have managed to create, the monument
that is their new digs in Project Avenue Noosaville,
is something truly remarkable. Something out of
this world. Something that quite frankly, is friggin’
unbelievable. Something that any surfer worth their
salt just has to see. Yes, at some stage of their
life, all surfers need to make the pilgrimage to the
Temple of Thomas.
Humble Beginnings
I first met Thomas way back in 2010. We had
just published our very first Smorgasboarder and
Thomas was keen to support a fellow ‘little guy’
and be involved in our second edition. Thomas
Surfboards ended up being our shaper’s feature
piece. At the time he was more or less starting out,
shaping boards part time at the Hayden Factory in
Kunda Park whilst doing ding repairs and waiting
tables at a local café.
The next time we spoke at length, Thomas
had formed a partnership with master glasser
Jake Bowrey and had taken up residence in a
ramshackle shed not much bigger than a shoebox
(just enough room to tightly manoeuvre yourself
around a longboard) out the back of Noosaville on
Eumundi Noosa Road. That was Easter 2011.
By 2015 the boys had taken over the shed beside
the shoebox, and the one beside that as well. All of
a sudden there was a barbershop, a small café, a
retail space and a larger shaping and glassing bay.
Well, just wait until you see where they are today...
I asked both Thomas and Jake about their
seemingly momentous rise and how the speed
of their evolution has made the rest of us feel like
we’re standing still.
Jake: Our family has been as surprised as you are.
Thomas: It wasn’t like when I sat down with you
originally in that cafe or even later at the old shed,
that we had a plan at that point to be where we are
now. It’s just sort of evolved. It’s felt pretty natural
in terms of the fact nothing was planned. It has
just happened the way it has happened. Like when
Malakai first came on board with the barber shop.
We knew Mal, we knew that he was keen to open
a barbershop somewhere, we needed a bit more
space, ‘Hey, let’s share the shed next door. We can
go halves in the rent and it’ll suit us both’ and yeah,
it definitely did, it worked.
Jake: That informality has worked and that’s what
has added to the appeal I think.
The fact that it just happened that way on its own
made it appeal to us and I think to other people too
because it has never been a corporate plan to do
this. It just sort of happened the way it happened
and at the end of the day we’re still doing what we
want to do. There’s just more people involved in it,
doing what they want to do.
>>
25

smorgasboarder
ew digs
Tired of spending money on an old shed that was
more or less falling down and sick of shaping in
one foot of water every time it rained (thanks to
a few holes in the roof) they made plans for new
premises. It was 18 months in the making and
came by way of a fortuitous conversation with a
customer who became a business advisor, and
ultimately a partner in their business.
Thomas: We originally met Andrew (St Baker) as a
customer and he sort of just offered advice to us on
the business side of things. We talked and Andrew
knowing our situation, where we were at and our
aim to grow the business, came on board to help
us achieve our goals and provide the support
needed to get into a building like this. Having the
support to help reach those goals is pretty epic.
There are not enough superlatives to describe their
new premises other than it is mind-blowing. The
boys filled me in on the lay of the land and just how
epic it is exactly.
Jake: A lot, and it keeps growing.
Thomas: Yeah, it’s about just under a thousand
square meters that we’re occupying. Our HQ is
now a collective of business activities that intersect
surfing and surfboard manufacturing and contribute
to surf culture. And of course, there’s the outdoor
area that’s a sort of communal hang out space.
Jake: And the heart of it is still the manufacturing -
everything is based around that. Hence all the glass
and everything. We wanted to create an ‘open
kitchen’ kind of effect.
Thomas: Yeah, so people can see the boards
being made. People can actually see the one
part that you don’t normally get to. You may see
surfboards in a shop or maybe some pictures
of a shaping bay. You never actually get such a
television view of the glassing room.
I might just add here that it is the scale of what you
see that is so impressive. You are not looking in on a
tiny shaping bay with one single board being made.
Thomas: Yeah, here you can look straight in from
every angle into the glassing room and you just see
everything being done. It’s kind of interesting for
most people to watch. You get to see the resin and
tints going on boards.
Jake: I mean, we get all kinds of people, of
different ages coming in for a coffee and just sitting
there watching - lots of women in particular.
I was keen to know if it was at all daunting to be
working under constant observation and whether
that had necessitated a change in the usual
surfboard manufacturer attire.
Jake: To be honest, I got taken out of the email
with regard to the plan for the windows...
Thomas: Well, initially it was going to be a wall,
and there was going to be two little windows into
the glassing bay and that got changed to all glass
walls. To be honest, it’s the best room ever, like you
feel like you are outside when you’re inside. You
don’t feel like you’re trapped in a glassing room.
Jake: It would have been horrendous (without the
glass walls). I actually pulled them (blinds) down
the other night. We hosted a 21 st here and I was
working whilst the party was on and the room felt
completely different. It actually felt pretty small
even though it’s quite a big room, it felt horrible. So,
the windows are a great thing.
As for fashion choices, I did get all the boys
matching suits to wear, but it’s getting a bit warm at
the moment. We keep it casual.
26

smorgasboarder
>>
27

smorgasboarder
creative
The premises aren’t just a surfboard factory plus
a few little extras though. It’s way more than that.
It has attracted some of the most creative and
artistic minds – photographers, artists, musicians,
designers, fashionistas, marketers, web gurus and
leading exercise physiologists.
Jake: Yeah, there is always something new. We
are running an art gallery sort of space at present.
We’ve had a couple of different art shows and
we’ve got another one coming soon. There’s
a small photo studio that we use to shoot our
own surfboards, clothing, t-shirts, stuff like that.
Thomas: There’s a good mix of people upstairs
(referring to their ‘office space’ at the rear of the
building) - a few graphic design crew, web guys.
Jake: So, it’s collaborative space designed to
attract those with skills that compliment and
contribute to the evolution of the Thomas business
and surf culture generally.
Thomas: We’re also starting off a bit of a jam
room. Guys have recorded a couple of tracks that
have been used on surf clips. We’re beginning an
emerging artists in residency program in 2019,
our first young artist is a kid called Mac. We’re
designing our own clothing ranges now too. We
make high quality board shorts, tees and hats, and
the friends we have working with us in our new
space are helping to legitimise that side of our
business. We’ll also look to slowly do more of the
podcast sort of stuff.
(Incidentally, this interview in full is available
on our Smorgasboarder Podcast, simply
subscribe on Apple iTunes or Spotify (both under
SMORGASBOARDER) or listen - with some
additional links and show notes - on our website:
www.smorgasboarder.com.au)
ub
Jake: We get a lot of quite cool people through the
whole area so we feel like it should be documented
when they come in. So that is what Andy Maccoll
has been doing. He’s a very good portrait
photographer, done some famous guys, Robert De
Niro, Matt Damon, Kelly Slater and so on. He works
out of here now too. He’s shooting a lot of the guys
that come through the barbershop now.
Thomas: Then we’ve got Pro Movement run by
Dean Brady and a guy called Jarryd Bates. Dean
is an ex-pro surfer, Jarryd is ex-AFL, and what
they do is kind of like core fitness training. Brady
trains all the local surf groms or the good kids, surf
coaching, a lot of that style of stuff. And then they
offer yoga and Pilates as well, which all sort of fits
really well with the surfing side of it.
Jake: We’re also doing a few events. We’ve held
surf functions here, movie nights. We’ve got one
coming up for Bob McTavish and another event
for the Deus guys. We’ll just put on a few beers
and some music and people can come hang out
for a couple of hours. I mean we’ve got all sorts of
ideas that people could have their weddings here
or parties.
Thomas: It’s celebrating all the other areas of
surf culture that inspire surfboard design like art,
music, photography, all that stuff that is also a big
part of surfing. That’s the creative culture we want
to foster here.
28

“It’s celebrating all the other areas
of surf culture that inspire surfboard
design like art, music, photography...”
>>
29

family
The creative culture both Thomas and Jake have
aspired to foster has taken root. The collective
have grown from the very people who work in the
business to the team riders and those affiliated
with Thomas Surfboards. Indeed, everything
from the brands stocked in the retail store to the
individual businesses that have set up residence
in the complex have stemmed from long term
associations and friendships.
Captain Sip Sops Barbershop
As we mentioned earlier, it was with the intention
of helping one another out that started Thomas
and Jake’s association with Malakai Mitchell from
Captain Sip Sop’s Barbershop. Malakai filled us
in on how they first met and what he thought of his
new work space.
Malakai: I’ve known Thomas forever just surfing
the points. I was born in Noosa and anytime there
was waves on the points, big hairy Thomas would
rock up. We’re also into similar music, surfing
similar boards, doing similar stuff. We’ve been more
or less working alongside each other for 7 years
now too - since April 2012. This place of course
is a huge improvement on the last. It was good to
start from scratch and create what we wanted.
Growing up there was nowhere cool to get a
haircut. When I began cutting my own hair and
mate’s hair I set out to create something a little
different, a bit more niche, a bit more boutique, with
character away from black and white tile boring
barber shops.
A barbershop is heaps more than just somewhere
to get your haircut. There’s that community aspect.
That feeling where a vast demographic of people
can all come to the one spot and sort of coexist,
work through things and talk. We’ve just made it
more fun. Somewhere cool to go hang out. You
don’t have to be a surfer or a skater or a punk
rock kid or a musician, businessman or whatever.
I just wanted to create somewhere where all those
different types of people can come together, have a
chat and find out about more than what’s just within
their own bubble.
We have the kind of space now where it can all
intertwine with the lifestyle aspect of the place. And
I guess that’s where the broadness of the scope is
cool. We’re not trying to make everyone look like a
really clean and sharp businessman or give them
a real rockabilly style from the ‘50s. We now have
that comfort zone space so they can really tell us
what they want, and we’ve got the skills to be able
to create all those broad styles and give it to them.
smorgasboarder
As Thomas explained, “It’s
not just, oh we’ll put that
brand in the shop because
it’s cool. It’s sort of like,
there’s always some level
of association somewhere.
There’s a bit of a backstory
I guess to everything. It’s
cool because it’s supporting
each other and helping one
another out.“
Pro Movement
That ‘association’ of sorts extends to the other
collaborators - Dean Brady and Jarryd Bates of
Pro Movement.
Dean had been riding Thomas Surfboards for a
while and had struck a good friendship with the
boys. Later on both he and Jarryd were training
Jake’s daughter Lilly.
When Thomas and Jake approached them about
their new venture they were interested but didn’t
think the space would be suitable - they need an
exceptionally high rooof. Dean summed it up best
when he first sighted the new digs, “We just went
hang on. This is actually perfect.”
Dean and Jarryd’s own association has been
virtually a lifetime. The boys have known each
other since kindergarten right through school. After
graduating however their paths deviated away from
one another to pursue their passions. Jarryd was
drafted by the Brisbane Lion’s AFL team where he
earnt ‘Rookie of the Year’ honours the same year
the Lion’s won the National AFL Premiership.
Dean on the other hand, after a successful junior
career having achieved state and national surfing
titles, was offered a spot by Rip Curl on their
‘International Search Team’ to travel the world in
search of perfect waves.
Unfortunately, both boys encountered some
misfortune. Jarryd broke his femur in 2006 cutting
his promising career awfully short. Thanks to the
Lion’s generosity however, they put him through
his university degree in ‘Sport & Exercise Science’
where he went on to work abroad under ‘L.A Laker’s’
Strength & Conditioning Coach Rob Williams along
with the Vancouver Canucks Ice Hockey team and
the New York Giants NFL team.
30

Dean was travelling the globe as a Rip Curl
free surfer and all was going great until he was
told they were cutting their budget and weren’t
going to renew his contract. With his wife Ellie
pregnant with their first child and in the midst
of building their first home, the news came as
a quite a shock.
Fortunately, Dean and Jarryd were reunited
for the first time in a decade in 2013 when
they joined the same touch football team. The
following week Jarryd took Dean through some
training sessions and was blown away by
Jarryd’s approach towards fitness, Dean asked
him if he’d be interested in helping train the
surfers he’d been working with. Months later
they decided to combine all the elements and
in 2014 Pro Movement was born.
Jarryd: Our approach to fitness is all body
weight conditioning and how to use your body.
Think of a gymnast in terms of the strength you
can build using your body weight - you don’t
really need to use weights. I combined what I
learnt during university and through personal
experience with football; what was needed like
flexibility, mobility, power but not just through
heavy weight training, which we do none of. Its
all body weight based. We mix it up and keep
it fun. So you’re mentally stimulated because
as any athlete knows, you train so many hours
a day, you’ve got to have some fun at some
point don’t you.
Dean: It works well having the Yoga and
Pilates and specific Pro Movement sessions.
People can see how they go with yoga and
then if that’s fine step it up to Pilates and then
Pro Movement is a step up from that. So it’s a
real good balance of everything.
It must be working because the boys have
developed quite a gathering of fitness
enthusiasts along with elite athletes such
as 18-year old Cooper Davies, the current
Australian Open Men’s Champion, 13-year old
Lilly Bowery (Jake’s daughter) who is currently
the State Champion and Coco Cairns, ranked
in the top 3 for the under 14 years division.
Then there’s professional skateboarder Andrew
Brophy, professional cricketer Ben Laughlin
and even the current national under 10 years
downhill skiing champion when he’s in town.
>>
31

smorgasboarder
eam
And that same informality and sense of community
extends even boyind the physicla spoace, to the
Thomas team riders who, in turn, have fuelled a
variety of different surfboard designs.
Thomas: It’s kind of funny because we’ve never
approached anyone and said, ‘Hey, do you want to
be a team rider?’ It’s just always been, ‘I would love
to try a board’. They’ll buy a board off us and then
yeah. It’s never been, ‘Here’s a contract we want
you to be a team rider’, that’d just be weird.
Jake: In the States we have Karina Rozunko,
Sierra Lerback and Mason Schremmer riding
our boards.
Thomas: Yeah, all three of them are in the Joel
Tudor Duct Tape tomorrow in China.
Jake: It’s just coincidental how we met each
of them.
Thomas: The first time Karina was in Noosa she
didn’t have a board to ride. I was like, ‘here’s a
board to try’ and she’s like ‘this is the best board
I’ve ever had. Can I buy it.’ It was like that with
Devon Howard. I have known Devon for years.
The last time he came out he borrowed a couple
of boards, and he was like, ‘I want one’. Then the
following year I went to California and shaped him
a board when I was there. He’s just constantly
sending me messages about how good it is.
I ended up sending a bunch over to him. Growing
up, he was one guy who’s up there with Joel Tudor.
I couldn’t believe that Devon wanted a board
from me.
Jake: But it’s the same with Kassia (Meador).
She’s sponsored by someone else but bought a
board off us. Same with Dane Peterson (all names
famous to the world of longboarding).
Thomas: Here locally we have Harry (Harrison
Roach), Zye (Norris), Cuddles (Matt Cuddihy) and
Hus (Husni Ridhwan) – some of the world’s best
stylists on our boards. Hus of course ended up
coming out here from Indo and now works with us.
Jake: And then on the shortboard side of things,
we have Dean (Brady), which is a nice crossover
and why Pro Movement ended up being here
because we were building him boards. Dean’s been
great to work with because he comes from a full
white shortboard background and we’ve sort of
pushed him into everything.
Thomas: It’s opened his mind up a lot.
Jake: Yeah, and he reckons he’s having more fun
surfing now than ever because he’s got access to
a 12-footer and a log and a three fishes and you
know,... He’s openly telling people to order a sevenfoot
fish in the shop and he’s kind of blowing his
mind a little bit as well.
Thomas: And then we’ve got young Cooper
(Davies) who is a full blown shortboarder, but we’ve
made him a fish and a log and it’s just nice to see
these guys riding everything. It’s just like ‘ride the
right board for the right conditions’.
Jake: So, it’s all about just riding the right board
for the right time and having a team that all have
the same values. And that has a flow on effect on
what we are doing. The guy who first buys a white
shortboard off us is coming back in six weeks time
and he’s looking at fishes and eventually buying a
longboard.
Thomas: I guess our original focus were old
school designs when we started 10 years ago. I
was just making the board’s that I wanted to ride
and then as it has grown, it has slowly changed.
I’ve evolved. Now I’m making boards for Jake’s
daughter (Lilly Bowrey) who wants a four-foot
thruster shortboard. And it’s an interesting
challenge. It makes it more interesting. It just
expands your skill base, your customers.
Jake: And being known for being able to shape
anything is a pretty good attribute for a shaper. The
guys riding our shortboards are some of the best.
Thomas has proved he can shape a shortboard. I
don’t think there’s anyone else in the world really
that’s covering all bases like that.
Thomas: And at the end of the day, it’s just
designing surfboards, and it’s just another element
of design. Instead of making a board to go slow so
it will sit there and nose ride, you make a board to
go fast. It’s just a different way of approaching the
same thing.
Jake: And it’s the same even with the glassing.
We don’t have one day that’s monotonous, we’ll be
glassing a 12-footer and a 4-footer and everything
gets glassed differently.
Thomas: Keeps it interesting. I mean I’d get bored
shitless if I was shaping a 9’6” every day and I’m
sure Jake would get bored glassing the same. The
fact it’s, ‘alright today I’m going to shape a couple
of 5’6” thrusters, a 12-footer and two fishes’, that
mixed bag definitely makes it more interesting.

smorgasboarder
the future
Thomas Surfboards is now a worldwide brand, which has possibly exceeded all
expectations of its founders, particularly considering the speed of the brand’s evolution.
They personally manufacture surfboards in California, France, the UK, Japan, Indonesia
and more, all while maintaining close relationships with their customers and stores, and of
course, surfing the waves they come across. It no doubt all looks and sounds very sexy
from the outside looking in but the reality is a lot of hard work has gone into where they are
today and that hard work continues.
thomassurfboards.com captainsipsops.com promovement.com.au
33

smorgasboarder
the minimalist wave
words: tami argaman
Originally from France, Alain Bourdon spends
most of his time as a graphic designer between
country, ocean and city – depending on work
and weather. He likes to “compose his life as an
independent and make something with pleasure
every single day.
“Surfing for me is connecting with nature.
Feeling small but also knowing what an
individual person or wave can do is what
amazes me.” Al says.
“Nowadays, we are taught to control everything:
time, animals, nature or our relationship with
people through Facebook and Instagram.
Surfing gives me a break from all that.
“The wave has control over me and lets me
return to the essential and deal with the
whole. And you must admit, it does feel sick
riding a wave on a log!”
One of Alains biggest beliefs is respect
for those around him, the awareness of
other people’s needs as well as their
struggles.
“My mother raised me to be polite
and to pay attention to others. When
we had a meal, we would wait for everyone to sit
down before eating and consider that others would
still be hungry before having seconds. It’s the same
when you are at work or when riding a wave.”
Alain knows, paying attention to your surroundings
will embrace your own presence.
“When I draw The Minimalist Wave, I pay attention
to details, people and nature. It’s what helps me
create what I love.”
The Minimalist Wave is an obsessive project about
a wave, designed by Alain Bourdon. It obeys a ritual
process but is never the same.
It evolves constantly over the course of meetings,
trips and experiences but always remains singular.
Everything is drawn by hand.
The Minimalist Wave an invitation to meet in the
ocean and get lost.
Check out more of Alains work and give him some
love on Instagram. Also feel free to flick him a
message on there or via email, he always answers
and will love to hear from you.
instagram: @the_minimalist_wave
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smorgasboarder
“Using a highdensity
foam blank,
I’ve chambered
it extensively
with 4-inch deep
chambers each side
of the stringer and
filled the voids with
near weightless
Styrofoam.”
no hollow feat
The master is always innovating. You’ve no
doubt heard of chambered wooden boards but
how about chambered foam core surfboards?
Mitchell Rae has revisited a construction
method he trialled “back in the day” but
introduced a new means to address equalising
the pressure within.
“Yes, this is Chapter 37 of ‘you’ve gotta be
Outer your mind’. It’s the construction story
of a ‘Style Master ‘ glider, 9’4” x 22 ¾” x 2
7/8”. Using a high-density foam blank, I’ve
chambered it extensively with 4-inch deep
chambers each side of the stringer and filled
the voids with near weightless Styrofoam.
The boards balsa stringer was given the same
treatment.”
Most would be aware, chambered boards often
require a vent to equalise pressure so the air
inside the board doesn’t expand or conversely
suck air in. The Styrofoam replaces the need for
a vent.
“I usually leave airspace, but you’ve got be careful
with extreme heat which expands the air. I did quite
a few of these in performance shortboards back in
the day. A few crew cooked them and had to park
them in the pub cool room overnight to restore
the swollen sections. I also used a breather valve
(a screw set in resin). They’ve invented a Mylar
membrane valve now. Anyhow, this approach of
filling the voids with Styrofoam replaces the need
for all that.”
The end result that Mitchell is seeking is a board
that is both strong with increased buoyancy.
“These boards are lighter but still retain the classic
feel of PU / polyester construction. It’s amazing
how much fun it is riding these gliders, even for die
hard short boarders, feeling the lost art of trim and
glide. The board will ride high on a cool wave,
for sure.”
outerislandsurfboards.com
35

smorgasboarder
powering forward
Always a keen surfer, Chris Preston was at one
stage struggling to get back into the water, the
consequence of a debilitating shoulder injury. Long
story short, his predicament led him to develop the
technology behind Powerboards – his paddle-assist
motorised surfboards. 11 years down the track and
he is still making his boards for a worldwide market,
all whilst numerous others have tried and failed with
regular occurrence.
To give you a brief explanation of the technology
employed, Powerboards use a propeller within
a tube located along the central fin. This is
powered by an electronic motor within a watertight
compartment in the surfboard. The powered
propeller drives the surfboard forward much the
same as an outboard motor on a boat. Sounds
simple enough. Well, no one has been able to
replicate what Chris has done with any prolonged
success. We asked him what made his boards so
effective and indeed reliable.
“For one you, you want direct drive, you don’t want
to blow bubbles (referring to jet style boards). So
the prop is down in the water. We don’t suck water
up, bring it up through the board and push down
on the water on an angle. The direct drive allows
us to use less energy and gives us s longer run
time. That’s part of the success. The propulsion in
the tube means there’s a whole lot less load with a
whole lot more power than pulling it up and blowing
it down. When there is choppy water, a jet will suck
air and it causes it to be unbalanced.
“The second reason is the quality of the parts we
use, especially the Swiss motor. We use a brushed
motor that’s stood the test of time. There’s plenty of
other motors around, but they have more technical
aspects to them like speed controllers and remotes.
We don’t use any of that. We’ve got them, they’re
just sitting on the factory shelf. We spent a lot of
time and money with that stuff but in the end stuck
with what’s simple.
Chris is referring here to a ‘less is more approach’.
The more simple the design, the less things that
can go wrong, particularly when you are dealing
with a product that is being bashed around in the
surf with regular occurrence. This is also why he
favours brush as opposed to brushless motors. If
it is hard wired, it is fixed. If the components are
loose, there’s more that can go wrong when tossed
around by the ocean.
When pressed as to why he has managed to
avoid the various issues that have plagued other
manufacturers such as the motors overheating,
Chris did not wish to speak ill of his competitors.
He did however underline the reason for his
success was taking ownership of the boards
assembly and not leaving it in the hands of others
along with the fact he has employed one system,
tested it extensively, ensures the motor runs cool
and makes sure absolutely no water whatsoever
runs all over the batteries and electrics.
“We just decided the only way to get the quality
was to assemble it ourselves. Buy expensive
European parts, check every product as it comes
in, go through the entire process of assembly. As
soon as we have a new motor its run in a tank. Its
run 10 times before it goes into a board. Once it’s in
the board, it’s then run in a tank before it goes out -
everything’s checked. Little companies can’t afford
mistakes and that’s how we are so assured about
the quality of our product.
36

smorgasboarder
how it works
There’s a simple “on” button that’s pushed
when entering the water. Then, to engage
the motor you lie on the board. 10 pounds of
pressure on the soft rubber bump is all that’s
needed. Lifting your weight disengages
the motor. If you want to power through a
section, you just have to step on the bump.
There’s up to 35 minutes continuous run time
which equates to a good 2 hour session,
depending on how much you rely on the
motor. Keen to check them out?
Visit powerboards1.com
Smorgasboarder gear tester
Gus Brown
“To avoid the motors overheating is a two-part
approach. I figured you’re in the water, you might as
well cool your product and that was one of our first
things, even though ours don’t need cooling. It’s just
a longevity thing. The motor is also set up to run at
no greater than 65 per cent of its capacity to ensure
it never runs hot. As for the system itself, it is sealed
watertight like a diving bell. Water doesn’t travel back
up into the product as with some others. Electric
motors don’t like salt water. You can treat them with
special sprays and stuff but eventually the salt will eat
through it.”
As for the range of boards and watercraft that
Powerboards now manufacture, Chris explains it is
pretty extensive but largely dictated by the market.
“Everyone likes a different style of board. We’re
making 6’2”s for guys, bat wings, channel bottoms.
We mostly do customs in the shortboards. The
main market is in the 9 footers, 9’6” longboards and
10’6” and 11 foot SUPs. I am also now working on a
lightweight, super-fast rescue board.
“So we just played around, and like most Aussies,
like a dog with a bone, I couldn’t help myself. Spent
a lot of money, ended up putting patents on it and
spent a whole lot more money. But for me it was just
so I could go surfing and getting them to surf with
no noticeable drag, getting them to surf like a normal
board. But that’s a small part of our market, the
stand-up paddle boards is the thing that carries us…
and maybe the foils, they’re growing at a rapid rate.
But virtually, it’s all about the amount of testing we did
for the first four or five years. And once we got that
right it was like they can be on anything.”
powerboards1.com
37

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38

smorgasboarder
#fightforthebight
words: jimmy ellis
oil
&
water
DON’T MIX
The Great Australian Bight is home to some of the richest benthic
marine biodiversity on our planet. In fact, most of the wilderness is
endemic: meaning it occurs nowhere else on earth.
People who live along The Bight love their
land and their ocean. It’s fishing, its surfing, its
pristine environment: has been maintained by
generations of state and local governments,
yet largely locals. Locals who care about their
land, their coast, their way of life. In fact, these
locals don’t usually tend to share photos, yet
they love sharing stories. And they have been
sharing their story as they Fight for the Bight.
photo: SA RIPS
39

smorgasboarder
Right along the southern coast of Australia our way
of life is under threat. Big Oil wants to move into the
Great Australian Bight. As we progress, we will go
into more detail, yet the summary is best explained
by Heath Joske, former WQS professional surfer,
now local fishermen, father, husband and free
surfer. I spoke to Heath as he was aboard his work
vessel, steaming 70 knots south of the ancient
limestone Bunda cliffs. I asked Heath about his
thoughts of the oil companies going for oil out there
off the continental shelf.
“I just can’t believe it, the sea is so big and wild
all winter. To think that they can keep an oil rig
platform located, in those 7-15m seas, with a motor
on each corner. it’s near impossible. It’s never been
done before, and they are using our local ocean
to try this! And then if something went wrong, our
entire coast along the south of Australia, even
WA, NZ and NSW, could be affected. Thousands
of fishermen will be ruined, and our beaches and
our amazing surfing will be impossible. I think that
they have targeted this region because of the lower
population. Surfers should do their own research
to find out more about this issue, then pen their
thoughts to Equinor. And send their letters to me
at the #fightforthebight website. We are collating
all letters, so that a Norwegian Environmental
Organisation can present a bound hard copy to the
Head Office of Statoil/Equinor in Norway soon.”
Researching this matter, has taken me across WA,
SA, Victoria and Tasmania. Phone calls to Alaska,
Mexico, Solomon Islands, UAE, California, Texas,
Florida, Norway, UK…. The hours spent talking to
locals from across these regions has added up, and
many of their stories cannot be shared, because
there are too many. Farmers, surfers, fishermen,
miners, conservationists, local/state/federal
government officers, ministers and senators. I can
honestly say that I did not interview or meet anyone
who ultimately thought this plan for oil prospecting
was going to end well for the coast. Even oil
advocates became reluctantly quiet when they
considered the impacts of an oil spill. You may be
wondering about the sequence of events leading
up to now. It’s now November 2018 and I’ll give you
what I’ve got.
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smorgasboarder
Surfers should do their
own research to find out
more about this issue.
Heath Joske, Great Australian Bight
photo: SA RIPS
41

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- A total of six companies hold exploration leases
in the Bight. BP and Chevron have decided to
cease plans.
- Now Statoil/Equinor are making plans to contract
PGS to survey using seismic testing methods to
do exploratory 3D modelling, and drill for oil in
their leased area in water depths ranging from
approximately 1200 m to 4600 m.
- Commercial fisheries have expressed extreme
concern about the multiple strandings of three
different species of whales on Kangaroo Island,
York Peninsula and Eyre Peninsula while seismic
survey vessels were operating in the deep waters
adjacent to the continental shelf off the Great
Australian Bight through November-December
2014 and January 2015.
- In 2018 Sir David Attenborough named the Leafy
Sea Dragon, endemic to the bight, his favourite
sea creature. He’s a strategic thinker.
- 275 species new to science and 887 species
were found in the Bight for the first time in a
research study in 2017.
- A haven for 36 species of whales and dolphins
and the world’s most important nursery for the
endangered southern right whale.
- New research from the University of Tasmania
shows seismic testing can kill large swathes
of zooplankton, the basis of the marine food
chain, up to 1.2 km from each seismic test blast
site, leaving the ocean dotted with areas void of
plankton.
- Older research points towards fossil reserves
[oil] as providing subtle release of hydrocarbons
for bacteria to form and feed the zooplankton, to
support the base of the food chain
As a surfer this concerns me, as if we mess with
the bottom of the food chain, who knows what can
happen to the peak predators at the top! Let’s keep
the sharks well fed thanks.
This oily story began in 2011 when a number
of Exploration Petroleum Leases were granted
to BP Exploration (Alpha) Limited and Bight
Petroleum by the Australian government. These
permits allowed them to prospect for oil in
extremely deep water in the Great Australian
Bight less than a year after the Deepwater
Horizon - Gulf of Mexico Spill [1500m deep, and
in a gulf, not an open ocean].
In 2010 Kangaroo Island Mayor, Peter
Clemments, considered research and anecdotal
evidence given to him by his electorate, and
with their support lobbied for a Stop Action
to prevent Bight Petroleum from performing
seismic testing in the waters west of Kangaroo
Island [the eastern zone of the Great Australian
Bight]. They were successful, yet over the next
few years, both BP and Chevron, multinational
oil companies, purchased holdings in exploration
leases and made plans to drill for oil. So, Peter
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Catrina Spitzkowsky from Penong SA is
concerned as a Bight resident; concerned for
the sea creatures who have no voice that will be
at risk from seismic testing looking for oil, and
at risk if an oil catastrophe occurred.
photo: SA RIPS
decided to write to all the coastal South Australian
Councils and alert them to this issue.
You may be wondering what’s so bad about an oil
rig, or an oil spill. Well rather than spell it out, I’m
gonna paint you a picture using interview extracts
from different people from vastly different walks
of life - yet their lives collide as they tell of their
connection to big oils prospecting in the Great
Australian Bight.
Professor Rick Steiner, University of Alaska, was
originally a commercial fisherman in Alaska and
was present researching the ocean when the
Exxon Valdez oil spill occurred in 1989. He was
also on the scene researching the after effects of
the 2010 Gulf of Mexico oil spill. Interestingly this
method of oil extraction is the one being proposed
for the Great Australian Bight, a deep water unfixed
platform, located in position with motors on each
corner. I spoke with Dr. Steiner who was visiting
Australia in November/December to meet with the
political and scientific community. We talked for
hours as he recounted some 30 years of research
in this space. I asked him to summarise how local
people [first responders] may be at risk if there was
a catastrophic accident with deep water drilling.
“There is a lot of complexity in all of this, but
essentially, in a major oil spill, responders and
others are exposed to toxic hydrocarbons, toxic
dispersants, fumes and smoke (which contain
dioxins and furans), and an extraordinary amount
of emotional stress. All of these stressors combine
in various ways, for various people, particularly the
most vulnerable.
“I worked in the Gulf during the Deepwater Horizon
spill, and many people experienced respiratory
issues, skin rashes, headaches, digestive issues,
and a lot of stress - all are indicative of chemical
exposure. The same should be expected in the
Great Australian Bight, should such an unfortunate
disaster occur there.”
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Travelling time of
the socioeconomic
threat zone under
summer conditions.
Scenario 1A in solid
line and scenario
2B in dashed line
Stochastic analysis
of deep-sea oil spill
trajectories in the
Great Australian
Bight.
Laurent C.M.
Lebreton, MSc
October 2015
In November 2018, I spoke with Linda Marsa,
investigative reporter from California, USA.
Linda referred to her 2016 article, summarising
the after effects of the Deepwater Horizon oil
spill in the Gulf of Mexico, the worst in maritime
history. 4.2 million barrels of oil leaked into the
Gulf, and officials released 1.8 million gallons of
Corexit (a chemical dispersant used to break up
the oil) to combat it as the well was sealed. Years
later, controversy still rages about the wisdom of
carpet-bombing the Gulf with these chemicals, and
newly released documents reveal that government
scientists expressed concern at the time about
the health consequences of mixing such large
quantities of dispersants with the millions of barrels
of sweet crude. Occupational health experts
now believe it created a toxic mix that sickened
thousands of locals — including some of the
47,000 people that worked in some capacity on
BP’s clean-up operation — crippling them with
chemically induced illnesses that doctors are still
unable to treat.
“There is a core of very sick patients who
undoubtedly will be ill for the remainder of their
lives as the result of exposure to chemicals
involved in the Deepwater Horizon tragedy,” says
Michael Robichaux, an ear, nose, and throat
specialist in south Louisiana, USA and a former
state senator.
Catrina Spitzkowsky from Penong, SA is
concerned as a Bight resident; concerned for the
sea creatures who have no voice that will be at
risk from seismic testing looking for oil, and at risk
if an oil catastrophe occurred. Her community is
concerned for their way of life, surfing, fishing,
living along the coast. Catrina stated clearly that as
a local resident, she would feel compelled to assist
in any clean up in the aftermath of an oil spill. That
says it all in my mind. A local who knows about
the inherent risks associated with these harmful
dispersant chemicals, yet loves their land, their
environment and their community so much that she
would be willing to risk her own health if an oil spill
occurred. Let’s hope that Catrina is never put in
that situation.
Joint 2017 Nobel Peace Prize winner Sue
Coleman-Haseldine, fronts up to any Big Oil
plans for the Bight from the perspective of a local
indigenous leader. “It’s not a matter of if, it’s a
matter of when. Do you think that they meant for
that tragedy in the Gulf of Mexico to happen? What
happened there isn’t the only thing that can go
wrong you know. There’s a whole bunch of things
that can go wrong on a floating platform in the
middle of the Bight. And they are taking those risks
close to me, my family, my country. The very idea is
hurting my people. This has to be stopped and you
tell your readers we need everyone’s help. Because
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#fightforthebight
photo: Big wave surfer, Camel, enjoying daily life on the Bight with family and friends
these companies won’t just ruin our coast, they will
ruin everyone’s coast.”
The interesting this is, that residents of the Bight
are not anti-energy. Kym Callaghan, mayor
of Elliston, has been talking to a renewable
energy company with interests in solar and wind
renewables for years. Port Lincoln, SA and Moyne
Shire [Port Fairy, Vic.] councils are exploring
renewable energy projects, and have been part
of trials to plan for their region’s future. Out of the
70 people I interviewed along the coast of four
states, all openly stated that energy was part of
our lives, yet our decisions should be focused on
renewables.
The most alarming information was introduced by
Heath Joske initially. Professor Rick Stein explained
that if a capping stack was required to stop the flow
of oil well post blow out, it can only be deployed in
seas of less than 4m and may take several days to
To give you an idea, this weather report was
taken from NOAA for the Gulf of Mexico.
...GALE WARNING…S to SW winds 20 to 30
kt, Seas 4 to 6 ft. [up to 1m]
This weather report for the Great Australian
Bight, by B.O.M., equivalent wind speed with
HUGE wave height difference
...STRONG WIND WARNING…SW winds 20
to 30 kt, Seas 8-12m !
complete. And to cap the well in the Gulf of Mexico,
they dumped tonnes of cement on it, which didn’t
work, and the oil flowed for months. Fishermen in
the bight laughed when they heard this less than
4m seas comment. I heard the same thing, across
four states. If the seas were always under 3-4m we
wouldn’t need these boats with these motors. We
are not in a gulf, like the rig in Mexico, we are in
the open ocean, every month we see 7-15m seas,
sometimes bigger.
IN 2015, Peter Owen from the Wilderness Society
got fed up with asking oil companies to release
their oil spill modelling to the public. So, he and
his team paid $46,000 for the world’s leading
experts, Laurent C. M. Lebreton, MSc., to produce
a model and report. It turned out to be modest
when compared with BPs own report released
later. The modelling shows due to strong winds and
highly energetic waves in the Southern Ocean, the
trajectories of an oil slick and its particles have the
potential to cover vast areas of Australia’s southern
waters and coastline. If a blowout and spill were
to occur in summer, aside from the direct and
severe impact in near water, the oil would very likely
impact the shores of Western Australia. Simulations
show oil contamination could reach as far as Albany
and Denmark. Under these conditions, the model
predicts that within four months, an area of roughly
213,000km2 would have an 80% chance of surface
oil thickness likely to trigger the closure of fisheries.
And some scenarios model the oil going further!
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The hours spent talking to locals from across these regions
has added up, and many of their stories can not be shared,
because there are too many. Farmers, surfers, fishermen,
miners, conservationists, local/state/federal government
officers, ministers and senators. I can honestly say that I did
not interview or meet anyone who ultimately thought this
plan for oil prospecting was going to end well for the coast.
Bjornar Nicolaisen
Norwegian fisherman
Bjornar is a Norwegian citizen, a fishermen and he’s
concerned about what a lot of Aussies are concerned
about. Bjornar flew from Norway to Port Lincoln in
South Australia when he heard about the plans of a
Norwegian company (Equinor, previously known as
Statoil and reportedly 67% owned by the Norwegian
Government), planning to drill for oil in the Great
Australian Bight.
Bjornar has gradually gained recognition for his stance
towards the oil industry, sharing his story with the
General Assembly at the United Nations in New York.
Earlier this year, he surprised Equinor officials when he
stood up in front of 300 people, including Equinor Oil
executives, local councillors, local industry, fishermen,
photo: SA RIPS - Beach break,
Great Australian Bight
farmers, and said that it was not a good idea to allow
seismic blastings in the quest for oil in the Bight.
“Too many things can go wrong. And the fishery is
at risk. The Norwegian seismic blasting giant PGS
wants to kill down Australian coastlines. Airgun blasts
every 10th, 12th or 15th second, hour after hour, day
and night, month after month next year. The air guns
create shockwaves in the water while the vessel is
crisscrossing huge areas off the coast. Every time
the blasts hit the seabed a small earthquake is to be
created. This is terror attacks on the environments
connected to the Oceans included fishing industries,
fishermen, fish farmers, tourist industries and coastal
communities. Act to stop it!”
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Camel [Jeff Goulden]
Big Wave Surfer
“We have to bring some attention on this. The nutrient
rich water changes colour as the leeuwin current in the
winter is exchanged for the summer currents moving
west. Our fish, our whales, our dolphins, our seals,
our sea grass, our waves, our lives…. it’s all on the
line here. And no one is asking us if it’s ok. It’s not
worth the risk. Surfers... will you risk your surf, and our
environment? We should all do our little bit.”
Mark Spalding
Port Lincoln local
Mark works and surfs along the Bight, and comments
that the fishing industries and the wellness of the local
people are issues being ignored Big Oil proponents.
“Whoever is making these decisions, is clearly not
thinking about the residents and industries who live
and work along the coast...Cause if they were, they
would be considering how many people would be out
of a job and out of their health if anything went wrong.”
Bunna Lawrie
Mirning Indigenous Elder
Bunna Lawrie joined with Seashepherd’s Jeff Hansen,
The Wilderness Society of South Australia’s Peter
Owen and the Surfrider Foundation to form the Great
Australian Bight Alliance.
When I spoke with Bunna, he proudly spoke of the
Wanchyla, the dolphins of the sea, “the ones who are
playful, who will come up alongside the whales and
the surfers to protect them”. Several near drownings
as an 8-year old led Bunna to begin tuning into the
“Big Ocean”, where he began communicating with the
“Living Waters of Life”.
“It’s living this ocean you see, from the nutrients on
the sea floor, all the way to the whales. These whales
and dolphins are our story, our lifeblood. Our whales,
dolphins, seals and penguins are our family. They
welcome the surfers to our waters and offer protection
and balance to our waters of life. You surfers visit
occasionally, and you feel our ocean’s energy pulse
in the way the waves form, but the Wanchyla ride the
waves all day, every day. We have cared for our land
for 60,000 years. You see our Big Ocean is not still,
it’s living. It’s in balance, and we must not let anyone
poison our ocean. It’s a criminal offence to do this. We
must not let our governments give the oil companies
permission to do this. It will kill our culture and destroy
our people.”
Cristel Chambers, Peta Page and Danny Carney, from
the Wilderness Society tells us, thus far 13 councils
(12 in SA, 1 in Vic) representing half a million people
have either passed the motion to oppose deep sea oil
drilling in the Bight or (as with Moyne Shire) demanded
full consultation before any projects kick off. Kudos
to the peaceful, learned and respectful citizens of
Kangaroo Island for originally propelling their concern
- and it’s spreading all the way to Tasmania.
Tim Flannery
Australian mammalogist, palaeontologist,
environmentalist, Australia’s leading
conservationist, explorer and global warming
activist.
We asked Professor Tim Flannery from the Climate
Council to inject some leadership into this issue.
“James, there is no future in fossil fuels. We have
seen a number of companies seeking approval to
conduct exploratory drilling for oil and gas in the
Great Australian Bight. Any new fossil fuel project is
incompatible with effectively tackling climate change.
Australia is one of the sunniest and windiest countries
on the planet, with enormous renewable resources. We
need to accelerate the transition to clean, affordable
and reliable renewables and storage technologies.
We also need to ramp up other climate solutions in
sectors like transport and agriculture. Fossil fuels are
not an option.”
Peter Reeves
World renowned surf traveller
At 63, Peter’s spent more time at sea navigating his
commercial fishing interests and surfing islands along
the Indonesian archipelago than anyone we know.
He has commercial fishing licences in SA, WA and
Tasmania. He is also a resident and surfer of the Great
Australian Bight. We asked why he chose to call this
place home?
“Because Elliston and Cactus still look they basically
the same as they did in 1974 ( when he first visited the
region). And that’s because the local people look after
their land and look after their ocean. If you chuck a beer
can on the ground at Cactus or Elliston, you are littering
on the locals’ efforts to keep their wilderness pristine.”
Peter thanks Patagonia, the one surf company he
considers began supporting the Bight through spending
money on building awareness to surfers globally of the
plight of local residents and the threat to our marine
environment.
“We remain pretty quiet Australians, but now it’s time to
put aside our differences, and try and stick up for the
ocean, cause it’s part of all of us on the Great Australian
Bight. And if something goes wrong here, it’s gonna ruin
the whole show.”
Michell Schleimigen-Smith
Integral Hatha Yoga Teacher
Michell has lived worked and surfed her way across
Victoria, SA and WA. Early this year Michell contacted
the FFTBA (Fight for the Bight Alliance) and was
supported to run a self-funded a road trip, showcasing
the film, Operation Jeedera to expose the alarming
effects of oil exploratory seismic testing on the benthic
and pelagic environment. Her solo contribution has
resulted in inspiring a community in WA to successfully
halt Seismic Testing in their region for now.
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Ben Druitt
Port Fairy local
Ben grew up travelling with his family around the
Australian coastline. In the 80s his family settled
on Port Fairy and have lived there ever since. He
and his partner Phuong-Dung Hoang are donating
members of the Wilderness Society and it was
through them that they found out that the coastline
of Australia was about to be risked in the name of
fossil fuels.
Ben and Phuong-Dung wanted to do their bit to
stop Equinor and protect the magnificent marine
wilderness of the Great Australian Bight and the
southern coast of Australia. They tuned into the
launch of the Great Australian Bight Alliance, a
platform for people to stand together against deep
sea oil drilling in the Bight.
Ben and Phuong-Dung engaged with their
community in the Moyne Shire to run one of the
‘Hands Across the Sand’ days of action, where
thousands of people across 20 council electorates
joined hands, forming symbolic barriers against
spilled oil and to stand against the impacts of other
forms of extreme energy. Ben posed a question for
fellow coastal dwellers to consider.
“It’s just not worth the risk. Millions of Australians’
homes across four states are being put at risk -
risking their beaches, their homes, not the fossil
fuel prospectors. Should we really be looking for
oil in 2018, in 2km deep ocean, in the middle of the
Great Australian Bight?”
Craig Anderson
Professional freesurfer -
world traveller
It bewilders me that drilling in the Great Australian
Bight is a topic that Is even up for discussion. I
guess that’s the age we live in- where politics, big
corporations and greed go hand in hand. I stand
against BP, Stat Oil, Equinor, and any LNG drilling
or exploratory seismic testing, due to it impact on
the health of the oceans, it’s biodiversity. I want to
preserve one of Australia’s most amazing nature
enriched coastlines, that has brought me so much
joy surfing and travelling. I want your readers to tell
people to #fightforthebight
Tim and Ann Taylor
Tim and Ann sail, surf and live in the Great
Australian Bight, and have been peacefully
advocating for common sense to prevail regarding
shortsighted environmental exploitation. They feel
that a Doughnut Economics approach would be a
great framework to explore the potentials of this
issue.
photo: Phuong-Dung
Hoang - Ben Druitt surfing
in Southern Victoria
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Marti Paradisis
Tasmanian Surfer
Marti is standing up for the Great Australian Bight.
“The Bight to me, is some of the most beautiful
coastline I’ve ever been to. It’s sat there, relatively
untouched for millions of years. When you travel
through this part of Australia, you really feel at one
with mother nature. Every surf I’ve ever had there,
I’ve had some type of encounter with either whales,
dolphins or seals and sometimes all three. The thing
that’s similar to the South Oz and Tassie coastline,
is the inaccessibility of most of it, with the majority
only accessible by boat. An oil spill would potentially
wipeout many species found in these areas and
destroy not only the environmental factors, but also
the fishing industries.
“Surfers are ambassadors to the ocean and mother
nature. It’s the least we can do for what she provides
for us. Education is key for any issue. Everyone to
do with surfing can play their part - older surfers
passing on knowledge to the younger generations,
general talk in work places, even surf schools
feeding information in lessons. Many people in the
community have no idea what is happening, so
to generate conversations amongst us is going to
spread the word. Everyone that has any care should
do all they can - writing letters to politicians, and
definitely signing the statement of concern.
Mikey Brennen
Tasmanian Big Wave Surfer
“We have to do anything that we can to spread this
issue as this could very quickly change our lives.
When I’m surfing Shippies, I look into the water so
much. There’s so much energy and power in mother
ocean. And we are part of it, people who surf. We all
share it. And we are gonna share what we do with it
too. The ocean only speaks to those who are in tune
with it. The ocean’s speaking to me.
Ronnie Gates
Cactus Campground Owner
“Surfers, just get on with it, and look after your coast”
By the time you open this magazine, Greenpeace’s
Rainbow Warrior will have travelled from NZ, along the
east and south coast of Australia and made its way
into the Bight. Nathaniel Pelle tells us that Greenpeace
is joining other organisations to stand up for one of
the richest, biodiverse areas in the world, an area of
incomparable natural beauty. Join in or initiate one of
the paddle outs in your region.
#fightforthebight
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Over the last 100 years, when the mine
closes down, all the money leaves and
so do the people. Yet with this oil in the
water business, it’s impacts are staged
both pre and post extraction
and with a potential catastrophe.
In January 2016, at the height of the campaign
to stop BP from drilling the Great Australian
Bight, Peter Owen from The Wilderness Society
South Australia, Jeff Hansen from Sea Shepherd
Australia, Mirning indigenous elder Bunna Lawrie,
the Surfrider Foundation and many other groups
launched the Great Australian Bight Alliance. The
Alliance is a platform for individuals, organisations,
businesses and people to stand together, united
against risky deep-sea oil drilling in the Bight,
for the protection of this magnificent marine
wilderness. Currently Equinor has stated it will
release an Environment Plan (essentially its oil
drilling proposal) for 28 days of public comment.
This could happen any time now! When it does, the
Great Australian Bight Alliance will put out a call
to stand up to BIG oil. If this concerns you, sign
the statement of concern at fightforthebight.org.au
Join the Alliance.
The remote Australian coastal communities are
bearing all of the risk. And they have not been
asked if it’s okay or not.
Federal Independent Senator, Tim Storer would
like, “The current drilling application process to
be governed by the Federal Environment Minister
to provide for a more rigorous assessment of any
drilling proposals with greater safeguards than the
current NOPSEMA process. It would not be for the
Minister alone to make the decision. For example,
the Minister must: act consistent with international
treaties and conventions; take into account ‘threats
of serious or irreversible environmental damage’;
take into account community and stakeholder
concerns; and ensure any decision is consistent
with the principles of ecologically sustainable
development. This would not replace the
NOPSEMA process; it would remain one step in the
process. Should NOPSEMA recommend against
drilling, that would make it that much harder for
government to advocate such an environmentally
risky enterprise.
“Two months ago, the SA Government banned
fracking in the southeast of the state for 10 years
in response to community concerns, now it should
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photo: Phuong-Dung Hoang
- Ben Druitt surfing in Southern Victoria
end its support for drilling in the Great Australian
Bight for the same reason. Communities all the
way along the coast from Port Lincoln to the mouth
of the Murray have declared their opposition to
drilling. The government should apply the same
principle to drilling as it did to fracking.”
For me personally I can’t imagine driving through
Port Augusta, past a world leading 300MW solar
energy plant in full swing, and then driving into
Ceduna and seeing a finite fossil fuel industry
starting up in 2019. Backward. Surely the writings
on the wall. Let’s stop the potential footprint
for an eventual ghost town, when industry flees
after something goes wrong. These ghost towns
are scattered across Australia. Over the last 100
years, when the mine closes down, all the money
leaves and so do the people. Yet with this oil in
the water business, its impacts are staged both
pre and post extraction and with a potential
catastrophe. It’s more like: Damage the oceans
life and wilderness to locate the exact entry points
to the large fossil fuel reserves. Risk killing the
industries which these small towns have slowly
built themselves on. Risk the places of respite,
connection, story and recreation that residents and
custodians exist in and for. Don’t listen to them
when they try and speak to you. Don’t ask them
before you make plans. Ignore local and worldrenowned
scientists trying to lead your businesses
to reinvent itself and reflect community feeling.
Drill anyway. Make as much money as you can for
people who live nowhere near the Bight, until an
unplanned accident occurs. Then pay billions in
clean-up costs, clean up less than 10% of the oil
and dispersants, then make the government pay
several billion too [this is what happened in the Gulf
of Mexico]. And then abandon the Region, while
the residents of the Great Australian Bight have to
somehow survive, live, work and surf in the mess
you made to their way of life.
To finish, is it worth the risk? Our surfing could
be taken from us in an instant, and we have a
chance to prevent it. Surfers, we just got handed
the baton in this decade long relay. The future of
surfing as we know it in Australia needs you, to
#fightforthebight
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Robbie Marshall of Soul Arch
Surfboards is six months in to a
self-imposed hiatus. His reason
for doing so is his pursuit of a
more sustainable surfboard by
way of its construction strength
– sustainability through longevity.
sustainability through longevity
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Having started his surf label some 9 years ago and
crafting his boards by traditional means he felt there
had to be a better way to build boards. During this
time he also did his fair share of ding repairs and that
fuelled the idea to reinvent his business.
“The desire for me to go down this path has been
driven by the overwhelming amount of repair work
I have done and seeing the areas in which boards
commonly deteriorate and improving on that. I
also have realised what impact traditional ways of
building surfboards have on the environment and my
personal health.
“I make particularly reference to ‘eco boards’ as the
focus should not be purely on the materials used but
also how long the board lasts. It is not sustainable or
eco-friendly if they fall apart every 12 months.”
Robbie felt the disposable nature of their build,
is contrary to the motivation behind their very
existence. As such he made the decision to change
the way he went about building his boards.
“Sustainable surfboards have to last otherwise they
contradict what they are all about. My new approach
to building boards is based on the ethics of a more
environmentally conscious and stronger build.
“I want to rebuild my business to specialise in timber
as composite construction and refine the process
involved in this method. And I won’t relaunch my
range of boards with my new construction methods
until I have extensively tested them and am 100%
satisfied they are exactly how I want them to be.
Being a bit of a perfectionist, I have earmarked the
1st of the 1st 2020. I won’t be talking any orders
during this time.”
This decision has necessitated Robbie return to
his former life as a carpenter to earn a crust whilst
undertaking his surfboard crusade.
“I am dedicating all of my down time into solely
developing these boards and I am really happy with
how they are progressing. The boards so far are
great and are only going to get better through the
course of time.”
Robbie has focused his attention on where he
considers many boards fail in their construction.
“Where boards commonly fall apart are all around
the same areas; your nose, your tail, your rails and
around your fin boxes. And I just want to build
boards that really emphasise on fixing those areas
and make those weak points, their strong points.
“Cracks around fin boxes are a really common
problem and this leads to water leaking into the core
and weakening the area. If it’s an EPS core, it will suck
water in and carry it throughout the board and that
creates a bigger problem. So, I’m a big fan of glasson
fins where there’s no penetration actually into the
board, which isn’t for everyone, but I’m just playing
with different ways to strengthen these areas.
“Your tail is another one which is commonly
damaged. So, I am trialling putting timber blocks or
fibreglass in around these areas, stronger cloth - the
bulletproof board doesn’t exist but if you can halve
the amount of time that they are getting repaired
then I see that as a win.”
Robbie’s boards will focus on construction ranging
from lightweight EPS cores with a timber “springer”
(traditional surfboards have a “stringer”, a thin piece
of timber that runs through the centre of the board.
A “springer” is a piece of timber laid flat on the deck
of the board) along with boards with timber decks,
timber inlays and flax cloth bottoms right through to
solid timber and chambered boards.
“The timber springer replaces the stringer, so it’s
still working as a stringer giving it that bit of lateral
strength. It is a 65 mm by 3 mm deep timber that
is recessed into the board and I have glued that
in under tension. So as the glue sets it holds that
spring in the blank.
“For instance, I glue it into a board that’s got five
inches of nose rocker and two inches of tail rocker
and with that I’m actually bending an extra half inch
into the blank, which gives me a nice consistent
seamless curve. You do feel that in the water. It
adds a liveliness and spring to the board. And then
with that construction to keep them cost-effective,
it’s just got a clear double four-ounce bottom. On
the deck and rails I use a reverse cut lap with flax
and I have done a basalt one as well. These cloths
do have more strength than just a standard cloth.
The whole emphasis on that just being on the top
and the rails is, these are your problem areas where
you’re going to get compressions and your rails are
also prone to dings. So, it’s covering up the heavy
traffic areas in a stronger cloth, but not the whole
board to just keep the cost down a little bit. That’s
my high-performance option.
“With the chambered timber boards, the timbers are
split and bent. They also have chambered rails. They
take a fair bit of a set out to make sure I’ve still got
some meat to play with when I actually shape them,
so they’re chambered in different thicknesses.”
Keen to know more about Robbie’s new breed
of Soul Arch Surfboards? Subscribe to the
Smorgasboarder podcast on Apple Itunes and
Spotify under ‘Smorgasboarder’ or visit
www.smorgasboarder.com.au
enquiries@soularchsurfboards.com
53

smorgasboarder
“Usually I guess you start with foam
and fibreglass and maybe go to wood.
I started with wood and went to foam
and fibreglass.”
Matt Williams came to look at surfboard shaping from an entirely
different perspective to the norm thanks to a six year apprenticeship
under a man voted by Surfer Magazine in 2009 as the World’s Best
Surfboard Shaper, Tom Wegener. Today Matt finds himself celebrating 25
years of Factory Surfboards in Caloundra - the business he bought upon
completing his apprenticeship. We spoke with Matt about the business,
his plans for the future and the focus of his designs today along with
how he first got into this crazy business.
reverse reverse rewind rewind
Matt in the testing room. photo: froggy

smorgasboarder
“Learning the craft from Tom was such a different
experience. The way with Tom was straight into wood
and finless and 12-foot boards and making them out
of stuff that won’t kill you in a couple of years.”
Matt in fact started the very first surfboard
manufacturing apprenticeship in Queensland at age
16. It was via TAFE but being a new offering, the
course wasn’t fully developed and it subsequently saw
Matt undertake a cabinetmaking course to understand
how to use the tools of the trade and a resins course,
whilst doing a diploma in business management of his
own volition.
When asked about the most notable aspects of
surfboard design he learnt from Tom aside from the
“kilometres of glue joins” involved in his wooden
surfboard construction, Matt was most complimentary.
“I guess it was just learning the true way to shape from
Tom, and Tom being from Donald Takayama - just a
real focus on rails, rockers… such an eye opener.”
With Tom being allergic to resins and the big wooden
boards still needing to be glassed, this was done
through Paul Carson at Factory Surfboards in
Caloundra. It was here that Matt met Paul along with
Joel Beck (Beck Surfboards) and Thomas Bexon
(Thomas Surfboards) who were all working there back
in the day. It would prove fortuitous in the coming
years.
At one stage, with Matt by his side, Tom was making
up to four big wooden surfboards a week with a heap
of alaias slotted in between. They were killing it. The
problem was, they were making them too good as
Matt explains.
“The thing with the wooden boards was, they don’t
break. Everyone that wanted one, got one and never
bought another one because of that. Tom made them
so well that he kind of stuffed himself up. Those
boards have probably been since driven over by fourwheel
drives and they are still perfect.”
As a result, after a great run, the work with Tom dried
up and Matt sought other employment. He began
making laminated beams in a factory but slipped two
discs in his back leaving him 12 months out of the
water lying on his back and in search of something
better. When he heard Paul was closing Factory
Surfboards he expressed his interest.
“He tried everything in his power not to sell it to me
but I said I want to buy it. The second year after
buying it I tripled sales.”
Not long after, Matt also took on Black Apache
Surfboards.
“I knew Jesse really well and he told me he was selling
it. I took that on as another little brand. Extended my
stuff to make boards - more templates, shapes and a
box full of decals.”
Right now, Matt’s overall focus with his board designs
is construction and making them lighter and stronger.
“I know my shapes that work as I have been working
on them for ages. I am now playing with how a shape
works in a different construction.
“I am really liking the feel of the normal poly blank
wrapped in epoxy. It is a stronger board. You can glass
it lighter and potentially don’t need a stringer. Then
you expand something like that to a finless board and
it is altogether different again.”
Crafting such a diversity of craft in different
constructions, I was keen to hear from Matt what
surfers were coming in and requesting he build.
“It is just to do with the season. In the cyclone season
I am doing a heap of white boards with black stringers
for boys that want to get barrelled and do airs. Soon
as winter comes along you get your finless and
longboarders. If there’s a winter swell, the shortboarder
guys are back for some step-ups in between us making
some logs. And with the northerlies right now, people
are looking at 12 footers and 10 footers and as soon as
January rolls around, we are straight back into the high
performance sort of thing.”
It was particularly pleasing to hear from Matt as well
that Paul Carson was back at the Factory helping out
part-time whenever he’s required. Paul has also found
time to dust off his old templates and shape some of
his original Free Fluid shapes when he’s in the shed.
Coincidentally, this year not only marks 25 years of
Factory Surfboards, it is also the 40th anniversary of
Free Fluid Surfboards. Joel Beck too has returned
every now and again to use the glassing and sanding
bay for his own shapes. As for the future of the factory
itself, Matt had this to say.
“I want to have the shed running seven days a week.
We just did a big renovation on the place and got a
(shaping) machine in, I have five glassing racks, a
shaping room with air con, a sanding room with two
fans in it - just seal the deal and let everyone know
that we are here. Everyone is coming to the Sunshine
Coast to surf, you can be guaranteed of that. Besides
Noosa this is the other right-hand point coming
up from Brisbane. In time we will develop a little
showroom. Other than that we will keep making good
quality boards.”
thefactorysurfboards.com.au
If you’re keen to hear more from my chat with Matt along with his love of finless surfboards, get into
the Smorgasboarder podcast. Simply search for SMORGASBOARDER on iTunes or Spotify (don’t
forget to hit “subscribe!”) or visit smorgasboarder.com.au to listen with links and show notes.
55

smorgasboarder
6’8” x 21 1 / 4” x 2 3 / 4”
Thruster set-up with a
mini 4 channel bottom.
HARVEST &
JACK KNIGHT
SURFBOARDS
2/24 Christine Ave, Miami
P: (07) 5576 5914
E: hello@harvestsurfboards.com
HARVESTSURFBOARDS.COM
The etc fish finga 6’0” x 22” x 2” 3 / 4 etc boards incorporate a skin
of paulownia wood sandwiched between layers of fiberglass on
the deck. This makes the boards incredibly strong and resistant to
pressure dings yet maintains great flex characteristics. The board
building process involves vacuum bagging which infuses resin deep
into the eps core. The resultant board is lighter yet much stronger than
traditional surfboard construction. Steve has a range of designs and
custom builds are also available.
ETC SURFBOARDS
Insta: @etc_surfboards
ETCSURFBOARDS.COM.AU
5’8” X 20 1 / 4” x 2 1 / 2”
This is my “twinkle toes”
model with a mix of a retro
twin outline, Modern rocker
and concave, it’s the perfect
option for the smaller summer
days and long point breaks.
Ideal wave size 1-4 ft.
Also available with 2 channels
for more speed and stability.
THE HOUSE PARTY MODEL
Designed by Shaper Ricky
Latham, the House Party
model is made locally on
the Sunshine Coast from
high quality Australian
manufacturing materials.
A high performance
shortboard, great for all round
competition and an outline
derived from hours of R&D.
Features: a continuous
smooth outline for increased
drive; less entry rocker to get
you in early and a little extra
foam up front for stability
when landing technical
tricks. Advanced glassing
technology produces a
strong and light board for
controlled speed and tight
arcing turns with a looser feel
- when you’re in that “party
mode.” Custom order today!
SHORTIE SURFBOARDS
Insta: shortie__surfboards
Facebook: shortie surfboards
E: shortie_surfboards@hotmail.com
P: 0421 948 007
RYPL LAB SURFBOARDS
Insta: @rypllabsurfboards Facebook: @rypllab
E: rypllab@gmail.com P: 0432 365 351
RYPLLAB.COM.AU
56

smorgasboarder
Glider
11’4” to 12’2”
Perfect for those small
days, Single to Panel
Vee, modern 60/40 rails
with a hard edge in the
rear for release.
Stand there and trim
or work all of the foam
under your feet,
100% handshaped and
made on the Central
Coast NSW.
Contact us for anymore
information
IMPRINT SURFBOARDS
Central Coast, NSW
E: imprintsurfboards@hotmail.com
M: 0451 220 800
Out with the old
and in with the new.
Two sprays 30 years
apart. Custom for
Craige who’s early
80’s Lipstixs had
to be reproduced.
#clarksurfboards
#thedingking #custom
#foamsprays
THE DING KING / CLARK SURFBOARDS
Units 7 & 8, 9 Chapman Road, Hackham, SA
E: leightonclark01@yahoo.com.au
M: 0422 443 789
CHRIS GARRETT SHAPES /
PHANTOM SURFBOARDS
M: 0424 450 690
E: phantomsurfboards@gmail.com
CHRISGARRETTSHAPES.COM.AU
Custom surfboards, contact Chris
or see Board Culture at Mermaid
Beach for stock boards
57

smorgasboarder
High Pro Log
I feel like this is where boards
could have gone in ‘67 if they
didn’t go shorter. The High Pro
Log has foiled out rails and
a rolled bottom with a hint of
panel vee around the fin. You
might call it an involvement
style longboard. The extra
ticket for this model however,
is a tucked edge through
the last couple of inches of
rail. I personally can’t get off
this shape at the moment.
Tried and tested at home,
in Indonesia and California,
with input and inspiration
from Harrison Roach (who
won the Surf Relik contest
at Lower Trestles riding it)
and Devon Howard. This one
is responsive with plenty of
drive off the tail and a fast trim
speed that makes locked in
pocket noserides a dream.
Available from 9’0” to 10’2”
THOMAS SURFBOARDS
4 Project Ave, Noosaville
THOMASSURFBOARDS.COM
Different strokes for different folks.
I make surfboards specifically tailored to the rider not
carbon copy cut-outs. Talk to me about your next
custom. Shortboards through to longboards and
everything in between.
The XXXL is a high
performance board
for the bigger guy.
With the same design
features as the
Bantam with beefed
up volume to suit
more kgs for drive and
paddle power. Suited
for beach breaks and
points.
Available sizes
6’-6’6”
FCSII/FUTURES
- 3 fin
PU- $650
Epoxy - $750
RABBIDGE SURF DESIGNS
P: 02 4456 4038
M: 0427 767 176
E: markrab88@gmail.com
ROOSTER BRAND
Instagram,Facebook & Tumblr: roosterbrand
E: roosterbrandltd@hotmail.com
WWW.ROOSTERBRANDLTD.COM
58

smorgasboarder
5’6” - 20 3 / 4 ” - 2 3 / 4 ”
Black Fish
#customiseyourlife
6’0” AV Twin
Insta: @darcysurfboards
M: 0409 527 467
E: darcy@darcysurfboards.com
DARCYSURFBOARDS.COM
9’6” x 24” handshaped by Chok
THE NOSERIDER
Long, wide, and
stable!
The NOSERIDER
features a parallel
style outline,
flipped tail,
concave under the
nose and 60/40
rails.
Set your line, get
to the nose, and
enjoy the view.
from $1095.00
6’0” x 20 1/2”
BLACK SQUARE SURFBOARDS
1/28a Acacia Ave Port Macquarie, 2444
M: 0407 604 753
E: info@blacksquaresurfboards.com.au
BLACKSQUARESURFBOARDS.COM.AU
OKE SURFBOARDS
1/1-7 Canterbury Rd, Braeside, VIC
P: 03 9587 3553
E: rory@okesurfboards.com
OKESURFBOARDS.COM
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smorgasboarder
Plush Signature Model 9’4” x 23” x 3”
Signature Model Resin tint swirl, volan glasses.
BROWNDOGG SURFBOARDS
Leamington, Oak Flats 2529
M: 0416 455 985
E: browndogg1@optusnet.com.au
Old Skool Tweaked Semi-Pig
9’4” x 23 1/8” wide
I was 20 when I first made this board. This is a modernised
version with a dish concave up in the nose running through to a
rolled bottom. More concave in the deck and rail line.
50/50 banana rail chimed.
50 years of shaping passion has gone into this board. A true
original, not copied. Speak to me about your next.
Kingfish Seven Zero Blue tint deck, Red tint bottom, Gloss
coat polish 7’0” x 23” x 3” Available now #ilovetwinfins #fish
#nmcsurfboards #talktoyourshaper #surf #customsurfboards
#barwonheads #red #blue #color #purple
MAXIMUM SURFBOARDS
M: 0427 767 176
E: maximumsurf@bigpond.com
MAXIMUMSURFBOARDS.COM.AU
NMC SURFBOARDS
Barwon Heads, Victoria
M: 0438 800 539
E: nmcsurf@bigpond.com
60

smorgasboarder
Ron celebrates over 50 years
of designing and shaping
experience.
Australian made, designed and
shaped by Ron Wade
9’0” x 22 ½” x 2 7 / 8”
Single concave under the nose
which flows through to a speed
or trim section then into a dual
concave with slight tail kick to
help loosen the tail.
Rails are a medium round with
hard edges in the tail area.
Our high quality boards are
hand shaped.
We do have some longboards
and other great shapes
available of course shaped and
designed by Ron and made
overseas, available at heavily
discounted prices until sold.
Call Ron for a chat on
0410 443 776.
Before
RON WADE
8 Angorra Road, Terrey Hills, Sydney NSW
P: +61 2 9944 3409 M: 0410 443 776
E: info@ronwadesurfboards.com.au
RONWADESURFBOARDS.COM.AU
5’9” x 19” x 2 7 / 16”
After
After
ENTITY SURFBOARDS
1-2/1 Regmoore Close
Culburra Beach NSW
P: 0423987492
E: entitysurfboards@gmail.com
Insta: @entitysurf1
ENTITYSURFBOARDS.COM.AU
Restoration Specialists // Custom Surfboards
// Surfboard Glassing // Anything Fibreglass
or epoxy
BUCKO’S SURF BOARD REPAIRS
Unit 12 22/24, Arizona Rd
CHARMHAVEN
M: 0422 304 078
E: buckossurfboardrepairs@outlook.com
61

smorgasboarder
7’6” x 21” x 2 3 / 4”
swallow tail.
I’ve made this board for
myself having found myself
under-gunned in Indonesia.
The largest board I had
at the time was 6’9” and
the waves were 2-3 times
overhead.
QUARRY BEACHSURFBOARDS
75 David Street, Caversham, Dunedin NZ
P: +64 3 455 7414 M: +64 27 518 8678
E: grahamcarse@xtra.co.nz
QBSURFBOARDS.COM
SHEELY SURFBOARDS
M: 0417 264 739 E: peter@sheelysurfboards.com
SHEELYSURFBOARDS.COM
El Pescado is my modern take
on the retro fish, with new
school performance and design
without sacrificing the old
school, retro look. I’ve shaved
some of the unnecessary area
out of the nose section of the
board, making the board faster
and quicker off the top. The
shaved nose also helps deliver
fluid rail-to-rail surfing, unheard
of with a conventional fish.
This board should be ridden
four-to-six-inches shorter than
your regular shortboard.
El Pescado is available in a quad
setup, as well as a hell twinnie.
The Astral Tracer
twin fin ranks high for
maneuverability. A twin fin
that can practically turn on
a dime. When making a
turn, one fin will act as the
pivot point while the other
spins around it. The result is
a board that will go exactly
where you point it. It is also
known for being very fast.
It doesn’t have a trailing
center fin producing drag
which means the board can
speed down the line. The
Astral Tracer has a concave
deck in the tail making a
lower centre of pivot and
increased control.
MG SURFBOARDS
4/527 Pitt Water Rd,
Brookvale NSW Australia
M: 0404 422 811 P: 02 9939 3213
E: mauricio@mgsurfboards.com
insta: mgsurfboards
MGSURFBOARDS.COM
DIVERSE SURFBOARDS
Australia +61 419 246595 Bali +62 812 37368771
E: dave.verrall@gmail.com insta: diversesurf
DIVERSESURF.COM.AU
62

smorgasboarder
support the grassroots
surf directory
alkali adorn
Beautifully handcrafted artisan jewellery with rustic unpolished silver,
shells and precious stones to create one-of-a-kind pieces. Inspired
by the surf and the natural wonders of the sea.
Instagram: @alkaliadorn
the surf emporium
Clothing, wetsuits, surfboards, surfboard and wetsuit rentals.
Open 7 days 9am – 5pm
Volcom Lane, Raglan
P: +64 7 282 0018 E: info@raglansurfemporium.com
raglansurfemporium.com
the board shop
New Zealand’s Surf Specialists – The Board Shop has been at
the cutting edge of hi-tech epoxy surfboard, longboard and SUP
technology for over 20 years. Drop in or check them out online.
49 Barrys Point Rd, Takapuna, Auckland
P: +64 9 486 0930 | theboardshop.co.nz
coolest spot in town
A front row seat to beautiful Lyall Bay, Wellington’s top surf spot and
the best brunch around!
Located at Lyall Bay in Wellington. Opened 7am – 5pm
maranuicafe.co.nz
island surf shack
Gear we carry: Carve sunnies, watches, clothing, boards & surf
hardware, Ocean & Earth clothing & surf hardware, Maddog Boards
& surfing hardware, Bear clothing, Bamboozld Bamboo Socks &
Boxer shorts, Mexican Bajas , Sunbum sunscreen, ILoveEarth
recyclable collapsible reusable coffee cups, Old Guys Rule Tees &
accessories, Nepalese woollen yin yang jumpers & ponchos, Golden
Breed, Hawaiian dashboard hula girls, coconut soy candles, Kombi
giftlines and replicas, fun beach and hawaiian gift lines.
150A Thompson Avenue, Cowes,
P: 03 5952 1659
Holloway Gallery
“Anatomy of a Wave” by artist Col
Chandler, Holloway Gallery is at Moffat
Beach, QLD. We specialise in unique art
to fill your home.
Come in store or see us online.
1 Roderick Street, Moffat Beach QLD
p: 07 5491 5557
hollowaygallery.com.au
64

smorgasboarder
the heart of the surf community
your original surf shop - packed full of the best gear
Celebrating great customer service along with the latest surf gear
and fashion for 44 years and going strong.
T7, 119 Princes Highway, Woolworths Centre, Ulladulla
P: ​(02) 4454 4904
Instagram: @southernmansurf
southernman.com.au
goodtime surf skate and sail
Caring for a surfer’s every need since 1971.
Goodtime Surf Skate and Sail @goodtimesurfandsail
29 Ipswich Rd, Woolloongabba 4102, QLD
Car-park at rear of the store, off Gibbon St
P: (07) 3391 8588 E: info@goodtime.com.au
www.goodtime.com.au
surfware australia
So much surf gear in store you will be amazed!
From surfboards to skateboards, wetties, surfwear and all the latest
gadgets. SPECIAL FOR THIS ISSUE: BUY A NEW BOARD
RECEIVE “FREE” LEASH & GRIP.
2 Bulock Street, Caloundra Qld
P: 07 5491 3620 surfwareaustralia.com
surfing accessories
We have Australia’s hottest new surfing accessories to keep you
in the surf longer. Our innovative products can help you enjoy the
surf and outdoors even more and provide you with protection and
comfort as you follow your passion! Stockists of H2Odyssey webbed
gloves and X-STING-WISH®IT. Organic sting relief.
seeyououtthere.com.au
tried and trusted blanks
Family owned and run for the past 56 years, our consistency is the
best in the world. Our blanks come in a multitude of different lengths,
rockers and weights. We also have an extensive variety of timber
stringers of varying widths. And we have all the shaping tools you
need to make a board from scratch!
5 Stewart Road, Currumbin Qld
P: 07 5534 3777 burfordblanksaustralia.com.au
for your culinary delights
The Rivermouth General Store. Great coffee + speciality teas,
gourmet food, fresh juices, smoothies, art, awesome vibe, surfing
stories + the floor is worth reading.
101 Sunpatch Parade, Tomakin Nsw
Instagram: @therivermouth
Facebook: The Rivermouth General Store
65

smorgasboarder
support the grassroots
raglan longboards
Quality surfboards Long or Short
Short or Long term rentals
Mickey T. custom shapes
Full repair service.
P: +64 7 825 0544
raglanlongboards.co.nz
standup paddle boarding nz
South Island’s complete SUP centre.
Lessons, hire, demo, training, sales.
Unit 2, 1030 Ferry Road,
Christchurch NZ
P: +64 3 384 5086
groundswell.co.nz
up surf coaching trips
Travel with like-minded surfers at your
level, surf fun waves with video analysis
of your sessions, improve your skills.
Designed for intermediate/average surfers.
Locations in NZ, Indo and more to come.
upsurfcoaching.co.nz
surfboards designed and shaped
by mike jolly
Full repair service. Rentals, surfing gear
and good advice.
122 Seaview Road, Piha Beach NZ
P: +64 9 812 8723
pihasurf@xtra.co.nz
PIHA
DOMAIN
MOTOR CAMP
piha domain motor camp
Camp on the beach in front of the iconic
Lion Rock, at one of NZ’s top surf breaks.
Rates from $18 a night for tent sites.
E: pihacamp@xtra.co.nz
P: +64 9 812 8815
preece’s surf shop
Plenty of new and used surfboards,
bodyboards, wetsuits, clothing and
accessories. The only surf shop right on
the coast. Open 7 days.
159 Esplanade, Port Noarlunga Sth, SA
P: 08 8386 0404
preece-sthport-surf.com.au
indo surf travel insurance
The NEW Travel Insurance that also
covers
SURFBOARDS - even IN USE surfing!
$25 Million Emergency Flights & Hospitals
Price Beat Guarantee!
indosurf.com.au
sup centre
Life’s better standing up. A one stop
shop for everything SUP with the best
brands, range, prices and expertise. With
access to all the major SUP brands in NZ,
through a nationwide delivery service.
20 Melrose Street, Newmarket, NZ
P: +64 9 520 3366
supcentre.co.nz
brunswick surf shop
Chock full of awesome threads, sunnies,
surf and skate accessories, Therapy,
Matt Hurworth and RA Hand Shaped
Surfboards to have the locals frothing.
1/12 The Terrace, Brunswick Heads NSW
P: 02 6685 1283
brunswicksurf.com.au
66

Please note - we apologise to anyone made to feel inadequate by the manly fitspiration images above. Merry Xmas!!