You gotta make it look good, no good doing the moves without your own style. Surfing has always had stylists to steal a bit off and add your own too. Some of my favourites are Phil Edwards Miki Dora Midget Farelly and Gerry Lopez, more recently Tom Curran and Joel Tudor, they all make anything they do look great.
Newcastle has many surfers with their own style.
For example Steve Butterworth shown here at Redhead in 1978, tubed with style.
Steve Butterworth Redhead 1978
Paul “Davo ” Davis – the legend of the Leggy at the Mattara contest Newcastle 1978. Paul surfed the Leggy with style and with an uncanny wave knowledge, always making it through the bowl.
Paul Davo Davis at Newcastle mattara comp 1978
Around 1964, one of the first great Leggy surfers was Peter “Hector” Hogan who surfed it with a few Redhead guys with only a sprinkle of other guys. Hector was fearless and rode the place well always coming from behind, and it was long before legropes, and as such his boards were always a mess.
Mark Richards at the Leggy in 1978 cuts back effortlessly and gracefully and with style.
Mark Richards cutback Leggy1978
Dave Robbo, Col Smiths sidekick, at Redhead in 1979. Dave is an excellent tube rider and him and Col, were always getting tubed at Ghosties.
Dave Robbo Redhead 1978
Roger Clements had his own style, shown here at the Mattara contest 1978. Roger seemed to just skate around sections on a tiny twin fin.
Rodger Clements Newcastle Mattara contest 1977
Kenny once told me a clanger about style. He was surfing in Bali when an Italian guy paddles out with the nose of his board way out of the water and he was paddling with a very shallow stroke. He says to Kenny – heya mate you surfa good, you givva me some tips aye. Kenny tells him he could give his paddle style an improvment and catch waves if he moved up the board a bit and did deeper strokes. The guys goes – now way – THATSA MY STLYE! Well at least he had his own style and was happy with it.
Onother kind of style. Aussie girl in Bali 1977
Aussie surf girl in Bali 1977
Weather worn rock formation. Over years holes have been worn by wave movement of small rocks.
Rock weathered patterns 1980
The country side was pretty as picture at Sale in Victoria around 1977. When I found the negative was a bit worse for wear I photo shopped this one to look like a watercolour painting.
Sale Victoria countryside in watercolour
Surf EXPO 1987 – In conjuction with Surfest an exhibition of Newcastle’s finest surfing collectors items was arranged by Ronnie Rudder and others. A photo shoot was arranged at Redhead beach, then the boards were displayed at the Newcastle Showground, with buses provided from Newcastle beach and back. Here the Redhead groms eagerly grab some Newcastle surfing history and pose with a fine collection of 60’s Mals.
Surf Expo 1987 Mals Redhead Beach
Col Smith 1978 Surfing Redhead’s Lefts. No one surfed them better.
Col Smith in 1978 surfing at Redhead
Lennox Head 1978. This place is one of the narliest place to paddle out.
Lennox Head 1978
Little Kreen Frock 2008. This little fellow was in full Ribet mode just outside our back door. Cool eyebrows aye.
Little Green Frog 2008
Redhead Bluff in July 2010. Heavy rain has washed the red colour down the clifff face.
Redhead Bluff face after rain July 2010
Me on my first motor bike in 1968 at Redhead 2nd creek. This was a 1948 Jawa, you didnt even see many of those around then. What is interesting in this picture is, in the top right you can see the initial revegetation of the sand dunes after rutile mining. A floating dredge went along the beach from Redhead to Blacksmiths and back.
Crow in 1967 on 1948 Jawa CZ Redhead 2nd creek.
Almost everyone in Newcastle took a photo of the Pasha Bulker grounded at Nobbys in June 2007, it just looked so surreal. Thankfully they got it off before any major damage was done to Newcastle, or the ship, or anyone being hurt. Great work all involved.
Pasha Bulker grounded at Nobbys June 2007
Sandy and Sam at Redhead Beach summer 1991. The water was beautiful.
Sandy & Sam Redhead beach 1991
Ant on Christmas bells Redhead bluff 1992
Ant on Xmas Bells Redhead Bluff 1992
Redhead Beach May 2007. Not a bad right and no one out. A film company making the movie “Newcastle” were set up in the beach car park, so other surfers were surfing a bank further down the beach. I paddle out here 5 minutes after taking this photo, when from the other side of the shark tower, one of the films surfing actors paddles out with a water cameraman in tow. I struck up a conversation and he advised it was no problem with me out during the filming, so we shared the break for the session with just the two of us out.
Redhead Beach May 2007
Jellyfish. Photo by my daughter Ellen.
Jellyfish. Photo by Ellen Moore
Glenrock Lagoon further up stream in 1993, not far from the now Fernleigh Track car park.
Glenrock Lagoon up stream 1990
Martin Littlewood 1977 surfing behind the Redhead Shark Tower.
Martin Littlewood Surfing Redhead 1977
Martin Littlewood shaping Delta Design surfboards 1977. In the old Chicken Shed Surfboard factory at Redhead. This was most probably my new board.
Martin Littlewood shaping a board 1977
If you want to get an Olympic medal – you have to put in some hard yards. In the water before 6am each morning and again after school. Here Shane Arnold takes his squad through their morning, before sunrise routine at Mayfield Pool in 1998. Olympic medalist Justin Norris was in this swim squad.
Arnold's swim squad at Mayfield Pool 1998
Sandy’s 3 pet hens – the Spice Girls.
Sandy's 3 Red Newhampshire Hens
Sandy and the kids taking a drink break walking back from the beach at Sand Bar 1993.
Sandy & the kids Sand Bar 1993
My Daughter Ellen has advised me of a proposal for a Lake Macquarie Council traffic diversion in Charlestown East. There is only to the end of the week to lodge any concerns to council.
If you may be affected or concerned please go to http:\\thespicerack.net for details and if concerned please follow her lead and submit an email to council.
Thankyou.
Father Nature feeling a bit frisky? A rock formation between Redhead and Dudley has been weathered into an unusual shape, or is it some fertility rites statue carved by a long forgotten tribe?
Rock formation below Redhead Bluff
Bush fire at Marks Point 1980s
A dazzling Lake Macquarie sunset. The sun surrounded by clouds powers though in a blaze of colour just before dropping into the hills behind the lake. Taken at Mark Point around 1980.
Firey sunset Marks Point 1980's
I’m just heading out into the brisk late arvo Sou-Wester for a chop hop run across to Swansea from Naru near Marks Point. My wife Sandy took this one. The sun was beaming in between the building clouds.
Crow sailboarding Marks Point
The winners of the Newcastle beach girl contest 1985 pose in front of the Redhead Shark Tower rocks.
Beauty Contest Winners 1985
The Hunter River passes through the rolling hills of the Hunter Valley at Pepper Trees near Muswellbrook.
Pepper Tree Mountains Hunter Valley
The water moving through reeds make a pattern in this typical sunny Australian bush river scene. Taken somewhere not far inland from Coffs Harbour around 1976.
Reeds in a pattern near Coffs Harbour 1976
Newcastle has a few favourite sons – MR, The Chief, Joey, Hoyo etc, but everybody’s favourite Newcastle identity is this bloke – Super Hubert. Internationally acclaimed magician, super hero, entertainer, comic and all round nice bloke, who still finds time to make kids and adults laugh and amaze them with his tricks and antics. Super puts on a show for my son’s 6th birthday party 1994.
Super Hubert performs at Sams 6th birthday party in 1994
A peaceful scene – an elderly couple take in the view overlooking Terrigal Haven around 1983.
An elderly couple take in the view at Terrigal Haven 1983
A big swell overnight cleaned up and swung in early morning at Redhead
Big left behind Redhead Shark Tower 1979
In the pouring rain this pelican just opened up his beak and got a free drink of fresh cool water at North Haven.
A pelican takes a drink of rainwater at North Haven around 1988
A flight in a friends Cessna over Lake Macquarie was an absolute eye opener. Looking over Swansea Channel around 1979.
Swansea Channel from the air 1978.
A trip out in the Newcastle Shark Boat got 3 hammerheads out of the water this day around 1978.
Hammer Head Shark pulled out of the shark nets around 1978
A country coastal dirt road may lead you to an uncrowded wave. If it didnt, it was nice to look around anyway and maybe just have a swim. Somewhere up the coast around Coffs Harbour 1978.
Country Road North Coast around Coffs Harbour 1978
I visited New Zealand’s North Island in Summer of 1978. The weather was warm and pleasant and the scenery there is awsome. I hitched around for a week and was picked up by many friendly people and I have always appreciated their kindness. I had a lift with 2 retired farmers who stopped at some wonderful places and they waited till I took photos and they shared their sandwiches and thermos of tea with me. I got a lift with a milkman who stopped and opened up the fridge and gave me a carton of milk. I got a lift with a farmer who when he dropped me off told me to visit his brother who would put me up. I walked down quiet county town streets and people stopped and said hello. I wonder if its still the same there now.
New Zealand Waikato Stream 1978
This lake was completeley deserted, no one around for miles, no houses no shops.
New Zealand North Island inland Lake
A waterfall beside a quiet country road.
New Zealand North Island Waterfall
Rotarua has hot springs and geysers that were something I had never imagined. Here mud bubbles away making Op Art patterns.
Rotarua Mud Bubbles 1978
This Geyser was so cool it was actually blowing smoke rings.
New Zealang Geyser Rotarua blowing smoke rings
The coast was quiet and peacfull and the beaches beautifull and unspoilt. We sure could learn from them.
New Zealand Coastline Raglan 1978
Redhead Surf Club is a big part of Redhead’s life style and has always had a good crowd.
Redhead Beach on a crowded summer day showing Redhead surf club around 1978.
Redhead Beach in Summer 1978
The annual Redhead verses Swansea-Belmont touch footy comp presentation had all those present bemused, when PJ impersonating a female dignitary presented the losing captain of Swansea-Belmont with this Lumsdon Cartoon. A very funny moment is captured here and a good arvo was had by all.
Redhead SLSC Touch Footy presentation
The NSW Championships, held down at Woolongong around 1978 had the bus load of Redhead members celebrating big time after Peter Bale won the state flags. This picture shows all members were happy with the result. The ride home was very lively to say the least.
The Redhead Boat crew were a fit lot and enjoyed their sport. Shown here cruising down a nice wave at Redhead around 1978.
Redhead Boat Crew 1978
Peter Bale winning the beach flags Newcastle championships maybe 1978
Grant Kenny winning at Redhead around 1978
Grant kenny with fans at Redhead beach 1978
Redhead SLSC 70th Reunion
Here are some scenery shots I have taken from around the Redhead area.
Cloud Wave at Redhead Beach – A southerly buster on the way around 1984. I took this and then headed for cover. The cloud looked like an enormous right hander.
Cloud Wave - Storm approaching Redhead Beach 1984
Rehead to Dudley Coastline 1980's
Here’s a collection of bits and pieces of surfing related stuff.
Mark Richards, 4 times world surfing champion taking time out to surf a local break.
Martin Littlewood and Roy Lee making boards in the old Chicken Shed down along the Redhead Road around 1976. Both are now established respected board makers. Martin as Delta Designs in Margaret River and Roy as Pacific Dreams in Newcastle.
Windsurfing was big in the 70’s and Jim Wiley was one of the best shown here at Blacksmiths.
This was a big day at Redhead in 2001, the waves were huge and some of the local guys were ripping. Unknown surfer.
Unknown surfer Redhead Beach July 2001
A classic line up at Byron Bay in the late 70’s
Bells Beach Surfing Competion in 1977. The surf was good and big for the finals. Sorry I can’t remember who it was.
Another good line up – Newcastle Cowrie Hole in 1978.
Out of control storm in June 2007 making a mess of Redhead beach. The storm grounded the Pascha Bulker at Nobby’s the day before.
