Australian surfing has a history that comes in two parts, the early introduction of surfing itself and the introduction of the standard surf board that launched surfing to new heights. The real history starts early in the 20th century when Hawaiian legend Duke Kahanamoku demonstrated the use of a surf board at Freshwater Beach in New South Wales. It was the summer of 1915 and his exploits amazed those who watched.

He not only demonstrated the art of surfing, he also demonstrated how to create a surfboard from timber cut directly from a tree. These were to become the long boards that dominated surfing until the 1950’s when shorter, now standard, boards were introduced.

The history of surfing in Australia has several notable stories behind it. The first Australian to actually ride a surfboard was a woman. Duke Kahanamoku selected one Isabel Letham from the crowd and took her out on his board and then tandem road the board back to shore. From that point on surfing took off.

Whilst that was the beginning of surfing as we know it in Australia, surfing as a movement started many years before. During the early 1900’s Australians enjoyed swimming and the art of ‘body surfing’. Australia’s first surfing club was established in 1909. Known as the Freshwater Life and Surf Club, it was set up very much as a club of like minded people. Surf rescue and life guards formed many years later on the backs of these clubs.

Australia’s first national board riding champion was a gentleman by the name of Claud West. He was taught the art of surfing by Duke Kahanamoku and actually road a surf board created by him for his entire career. That surf board still exists is on proud display at the Freshwater Surf Lifesaving Club.

These original surf boards were large and extremely heavy and often difficult to maneuver in water. They were popular up until the 1950’s when polystyrene and fiberglass constructed surf boards became popular.

There are some that argue the origins of surfing in Australia claiming the indigenous popular had used surf boards for centuries before European settlement. This little doubt that Australia’s aboriginal communities had used boards similar to surf boards, however, there is no evidence to suggest they actually stood on these boards and rode the waves. This in essence is what surfing is all about - not sitting astride or along a board and paddling your way around. Surfing as we know it had it’s origins on Freshwater Beach in the summer of 1915 - from there it has blossomed into one of Australia’s iconic sporting pastimes.