30 years celebrating Australia's surfing story

Torquay’s Australian National Surfing Museum is marking 30 years of celebrating the sport’s heritage, champions, culture and characters.

The world-recognised museum and home to the Australian Surfing Hall of Fame has evolved a long way from the idea shared by its visionary fathers.

As the largest museum of its kind in the world, it is the only surfing museum recognised by the International Surfing Association, and across its three decades more than 400,000 local, interstate and international people have admired its exhibits drawn from a vast collection of more than 17,000 items.

Based in Torquay it also reflects the Surf Coast’s extraordinary impact on surfing in Australia, driven by its passionate, creative and industrious surfing community.

A vision of pioneering surfers Peter Troy, Vic Tantau and Alan Reid, the museum opened as Surfworld in 1993.

Peter Troy had written his idea for the museum on a paper napkin after having visited Hawaii’s acclaimed Bishop Museum during the 1980s and on his return to Australia passed the inspiration on to Australian Surfriders Association chief executive Alan Atkins.

A unique alliance came together with productive collaboration between the association – now Surfing Australia – Council, the Geelong Regional Commission and Torquay’s surfing industry and supporters.

The museum charts Australia’s significant contribution to the development of surfing around the world and preserves its vivid, storied heritage, housing and displaying myriad treasures.

Boards on display range from some treasures imported from Hawaii in 1919 and used at Lorne, to first-generation solid timber boards and personal boards of Australian Hall-of-Famers including Mark Richards, Layne Beachley, Simon Anderson and Terry Fitzgerald.

Thirty years on from inception the museum continues to grow from strength to strength, attracting new audiences. Birthday activities are rolling throughout 2024, including new interactive exhibitions and programs featuring contemporary surfing narratives such as women in surfing and industry sustainability, as well as the continued honouring of surfing’s legends.

Stay up-to-date with activities and local events @ Australian National Surfing Museum

Image: Australian National Surfing Museum