City of Newcastle (CN) will celebrate Surfest’s 40th anniversary via a free exhibition at Newcastle Museum this month.
The display, to open on Friday 20 March, is set to offer an insight into the history of the iconic contest, representing a year-long collaboration between the two parties to uncover the stories that make this competition a special part of local, national and international surfing culture.
Newcastle: The City That Made Surfest showcases classic footage, objects and photographs from the archives, items loaned from the community, as well as surfboards owned by legends Mark Richards and Russell “Russ” Maloney.
CEO Jeremy Bath said CN had been part of Surfest every year since its inception.
“It began in 1985 as an initiative of Newcastle City Council, with council contributing the initial funding to help create the contest,” he explained.
“The success of proud Novocastrian and four-time world champion Mark Richards gave organisers confidence it could work in Newcastle.
“The contest was seen as a way to help Newcastle evolve from its industrial roots and promote its beaches and surf breaks to a new audience.
“As it celebrates its 40th anniversary, Surfest is now the largest surfing festival in the southern hemisphere.”
CN’s director museum archive libraries and learning Julie Baird said the exhibit would highlight an important feature in the city’s fabric.
“It celebrates the Newcastle community that forged the legends and legacies of Surfest in Newcastle and around the world,” she added.
“It offers new ways to connect the public with stories for and about Newcastle, from the Mark Richards twin-fin surfboard, shaped by the four-time world champion at the family surf shop on Hunter Street, to the posters that were plastered all over the city in 1985.”
Other items in the collection include a board that was presented to 14-time Indigenous Classic men’s champion Maloney and the women’s trophy that represents Phillipa Anderson, Surfest’s first Novocastrian champion.
“Every object tells a story and this exhibition will show how Surfest has made an impact on so many people over four decades,” Sports Infrastructure Working Party chair Peta Winney-Baartz said.
“Proud Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander surfers have travelled from across Australia to compete in this event since the late 1990s, too.
“The exhibit will follow on from CN’s support for a special mural to celebrate the 40th anniversary, which was painted on the wall of Merewether Surf Life Saving Club last month by Newcastle artist Mitch ‘Revs’ Resevsky.
“Surfest has always fostered a strong relationship between local organisations and businesses, while the influx of people supports local shops, cafes, retail and other services, boosting our profile as a world-class destination.”
Surfest’s WSL Challenger Series event will begin on Monday 9 March.
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