Undergound heroes

So which one are you sheepdog? Darren, Marty or Scotty?

On the south coast of SA Mad Mick O'Connell ripped. He's still ripping it up & he's still hitting the funny papers, even nationally! Insania! They don't call him the Godfather of Middleton for nothing! Foxy Broadbent?! Who???

and fine gents to boot . I'll chuck in Rob Sherwell, not exactly underground but certainly tears the bag. Plus D-Parkinson from the gen before. And some bloke called Kong, who surfed better when he was fatter.

Sunny Coast has a superb heritage of really great surfers and good men. Love those guys.

This started out a short list...

Gerry 'Popout' Manion, Steve Hare, Ashley Gee, Ox McKinley, Chris Iredale, Darren Rogers, Barney Smith, Clark Abbey, Michael and Milton, Webby, Chris Bertish, Simon Jayham, Glen Kelly, Rusty Moran, Boogs Vanderpolder, Ben Serrano, Camel (or Caml), Tim Jones, Mick Tomlinson, fucken Mick Bourne, Gary Hughes, Paul Morgan, Brett Burcher, Andy Leslie, Garth Dickenson.

P'raps I'm easily impressed.

OK, if I had to nail it down it'd be the first name. Why? Cos this photo of Popout was taken when I was six and he's still out there doing it. Doesn't always have the best manners in the surf but has a lust for it that can't be contained.

At Merewether for me it was Jimmy Mac, Mozza Moore and Garry Blacket.

"Fucken Mick Bourne" hehehe

who on the MP Goofy ?

Stu, it was that poster which drove T-RAY to want to surf BIG barrels as a wee tacker (8-10 ish), he had it nailed to his bedroom wall, it had a profound effect on his future life.

Fuck, speakin of ol' fat ass, yeah he was anything but underground, but for some time he sorta was cos he hung back in the amateurs when he shoulda been let loose like a wrecking ball on the pros much earlier, being amateur did him no service. Anyway, I digress.

Back on topic, at Aussie Titles at Margrets circa ?'82?, Kong had a trusty sidekick from Sunny Coast, a goofy footer, and it pains me I can't remember his name, that's embarrassing, but it was a lonnnng time ago and we smoked waaayyy to much pot on that Aussie T trip, way too much for this cadet. Hey we were smoking joints in the plane dunnies on the way home, ahhh, those were the days. I digress again.

Back on topic, one max swell arrive during that Aussie T, all the team buses pull up at Margrets, and everyone staggered around the carpark like stunned mullets. Everyone, except Kong and his trusty goofy mate, they were frothing.

Out they went whilst everyone else pussyed out, fat ass got some bombs, but sunny coast goofy mate took THE BOMB, way undergunned, made the drop but the offshore beat him and it out run him and he got smashed.

It was LEGENDARY, and that guy was an underground hero. Would be stoked if anyone can help me remember his name, he spent many times in Indo and was a true gent, especially compared to Kong who was outta control. (This is bugging me now, I'll backtrack thru Bushy M, he'll remember.)

Thanks for this thread Sheepie, good to flashback on some Sunny Coast boys and others.

I'll chuck in Russel Specht too. Fuck, the hack of all hacks.

shaun wrote:

So which one are you sheepdog? Darren, Marty or Scotty?

I had to look twice then shauno, thought that was Morris's comment, classic.

I would have to utter words of 'Michael Mackie' , living in Ulla's for a few years, will never forget solid 8ft bombie (ooops). Mick was shredding on a 5'6" twin flex tail thingey, took all the best set waves and layed the most smoothed turns with passion. He has style and can shape some trippy boards that work. Respect.

might of been robby wolf with kong like to also mention mick folker peacock brothers mick court mick neil gary jardine pete pringle jody perry, but for mine the 2 best qld goofies would be russle specht and guy omerod the 2 best naturals craig wolgers and bruce lee and of course kong and ive seen all of them over 45 yrs cheers to the underground legends

Oi Sheepies, Mad Mick O'Connell IS THE COSMIC PSYCHO! BeGoogle 'Michael O'Connell' & 'Victor' if you wish. He most definitely "goes the hack"! As for Kong, I reckon he's Billy Idol. He'd probably agree, well, he was a big fan back in the daze, hey? or was it Michael Jackson, what with the one glove and all? As for the Margs Aussies, who won the opens again? Shirley, that'd qualify one as a 'ledge' in anyone's lingo?
And regarding one Foxy Broadbent, Banana Bender Big Bird Hodge (another contender! In all departments!) reckons the man fucken ripped (but not in the same way as Mad Michael). You can take a Queenslander on his word, yeah? Fox was also in the Aussie world team (the one Curren won, but what year?). And he was a prick on, in and outta the water, just how we like them kunts.

Definitely Robbie Sherwell Sid from the Sunny and KKK late seventies Natural Balance shaper in addition to those mentioned above. Can't remember his full name except he was Kingsley. I was only really young but he was a really nice bloke. Sid, maybe you can help me out on that one. He was a great surfer and mined any barrell going around that Wurtulla/Currimundi stretch.

Stu, I love that Gerry Manion photo, always have.

Scotty Mitchell there 's a name from the past....didn't he end up a Hare Krishna living out Cooroy way or maybe full blown born again?

Tim Frost and GlenCat Collins moved up from Manly to Noosa in the eighties and did some damage with John Shortis and Magoo. Fun times. Glencat -meeeeooowww- has to be the loosest surfboard shaper god ever set breath into.

Smooth goofy from the Goldy - Chris Gudenswagger- drew nice lines at Lenny the Ox. His old man owned one of the first surf shops in Brisso I think.
Jason Cerff and Craig Holley ripped the bag at the Point. Holley was good, real fucking good. Better than Margo. Think a knee injury put him out.
Glen Curtis ruled the point by fair means and foul. Made Fanning look like a spindly kid on the days of days July 2001......standing straight up in huge kegs behind the Point. Concretor. Head like concrete too.

Sorry, that was Tim Mitchell I was thinking of.

Mick Pierce on the mp

Sweet Feet Holley's a good egg, and Curtis has switched to North Point. Funny, both in WA now. NSW must be fucked.

I knew Glen was down South WA.....Holley's there too eh? Is he surfing much?

both dancing/surfing up a storm

by all accounts. I do neither. In company. Surf/dance like no-one is watching, that's my motto.

Aarggh < goofy .... you couldn't go past a fellow "Southpaw" could you .... Mordialloc's finest ...

The man Sheepie talks of " Chappy Jennings " from a far ( never met him , don't even know where he is now ) . But talk of Photo's Stu , that photo of Him ( tiny teenager? ) in SOLID pipe .... that my friend sold me on " putting myself in harms way " .

Honourable mentions Goofy didn't include Craig Watson powerful and a popular / likable guy { Mick Bourne take note the two can co-exist } , and someone probably just for is antics out of the water as much as Giant floaters in SOLID Bells trials would be GT . Just ask Josh Palmateer. ;-)

'powerful and a popular / likable guy { Mick Bourne........... take note everyone... the two can exist.......'

Cheepers, thanks soufle', glad to see you've come to your senses.

One of my best mates was Marty Ryan's brother, Vince, and he had some role in the SA surfing association or whatever they called themselves, he loved all that shit. So we used to take tiny grommet chappy surfing heaps. His first trips to yorkes were hilarious, anything resembling an offshore would blow him straight up the face and over the back. Classic super talented grommet though. So deceiving, you'd pull up at u turns or the trough and think shit, its pumping, overhead and barreling, only to realise nup, its chappy and actually 1 foot and unridable. Both Marty and him got led astray in a way, Nicky Wood like, taken up the goldy, although they ripped. Chappy ended up a charging legend at pipeline. Marty Ryan ended up the all time underground hero at caves, but pretty crazy too. We used to have to make these constant trips over there, with his mum pleading with us to drag him back to Adelaide. Once we pulled up and his front teeth were missing, as he'd used an occy as a leggy, holding one end between his teeth... desert madness. He was actually a better surfer when he first got there, could do everything buttons could do, but Dora like, insisted on surfing straight line spears at the worlds most carvable wave.

Les Norrish, from Sunshine Coast who ended up in NW WA was a legend surfer shaper all over the place.

For sure Mick Tomlinson was Mr Blacks in his prime, the tubes were great, but better was so square and hard off the bottom and bash the lip. The MR twinnies suited it and him perfectly. Lots of board makers offered to sponsor him, suicide! He was so funny really, loved playing games, will hate even being mentioned though, so might as well have some fun. He had a ball taking the piss for years on end. Lots of 'locals' wouldn't even get their haircut without his permission. Every time they bought a new board, wax, shirt, thongs etc, they had to offer it to him for approval... and they always failed miserably, to skulk away back to a life of misery and horror. He had a ball with one particular school teacher who desperately tried to fit in. Comedy capers. The tourists were like lined up clay pigeons, so much ludicrous stuff. But he mellowed out heaps in the end.

All those other SA metro undergrounders got their chance at huge margies one Aussie titles, and got the absolute living shit flogged out of them in full view of the country. Except Kym Buckby, who proved that he was the real deal. Like Wayne Dale, what a legend he was. And Lane Habib.

Russell Specht was classic. I remember in the mags Gomes getting too cocky up there, and Specht having him fleeing the country for his life, the black shorts turning brown.

Gidday freeride76, I met Glenn Curtis when he was working for Pete, yeh, classic guy. I saw him give one 'bad' arse legend from the other point a public lecture, and steering him straight out of town. To be honest, he reminded me of a young natural foot version of Jeff Schmucker.

Toddy Archer is well known for his surfing, and well. Best ever at blacks, untouchable. Heaps wanted to stitch him up, praying for him to go down. Among them, team hopeless protege, twiggy Gordon tried convincing himself that he was doing it. So much so that he mouthed off in a moment of ludicrous madness one birthday bash, and ended up stuffed into the bottom of a salad bowl screeching for mercy. One day Toddy was with me at crappy South Point Ballina, and all the semi pros tried ejecting everyone for a photo shoot, the little squibs confident that the chubby 'enforcer' would take care of business... should I, yeh of course I should, ended up in squibs, blubber and photographers squealing and running in all directions.

Could anyone know more about boards than that Mike Cundith guy in Byron?

But, all summed up, who can go past Duttsy in the SW, when he's not line dancing, although he has underground charger and hitman Gaully backing him up.

Nah wasn't Chapstick, don't think it was Wolffy, mighta been, I had a flash at work last nite he was Fitzy. I'll ring the grey grommet today, he'll remember, after Margets Aussie Titles they went up the Bluff and made a book.

Shorty was a classic, Magoo great surfer but even better competitor, the Nixons, Peacocks, Mick Court true gent.

---Could anyone know more about boards than that Mike Cundith guy in Byron?--- Yep Uppo, Richie West in Coffs, Uncle Mikey mowed great foam, RW did the lot, including make the best box fins in the game.

Hodgey was at that Aust Titles in WA, and since we're there, honourary mention to Dane King, epic North Point barrel on a board too short.

Classic Kong behaviour on that trip... The Qld Team stayed at Yallingup Caravan Park, in some dodgy on site caravans. Kong 'n Hodgey, in their revellry, thought it would be a great laugh one nite to quietly hook up us grommies caravan to the team 4x4, and take it for a burn round the park, WITH US IN IT. !! Which was certainly funny enough, but it gets better, in that the caravan, didn't have any wheels, it was up on blocks !! Shorty's fold up couch bed, folded up and swallowed him whole, we got thrown round like rag dolls, screaming to stop. Fat ass had already nailed us with the fire hose thru the window a few nites earlier.

Good times, ay, good times.

Ahh yes your right Southey, GT beat Occy twice at bells. (Trials I think)
Then continued partying!

you Vicco's would have to throw in Hellman McConarchy, just for the hellman of it.

Duttsy hahahahahah.....

I'll throw Dibbles and Scardy into the mix as well.

all three are pretty handy at G-land

Kongs sidekick was Bruce Fitzgerald . sizeable - on some waves the lips were swallowing them up half way down the face but back out they went. inspiring stuff for wide eyed grommets.

Bruce Fitzgerald, yeah. The fella from 'Surfing Wild Australia'. First expose of Red Bluff, or as they called it, the Camp of the Moon.

heres a few from Vicco...Charlie Bartlett,Fledge,Ray Freeth,Rhino,Yazzie, Oigle ,Wally Tibbles,Mick Pierce.....a bit of a spread from old till now...

The man Sheepie talks of " Chappy Jennings " from a far ( never met him , don't even know where he is now ) . quote]

Last I heard Chappy is working on the Goldie as a plasterer. Doesn't, or rarely, surfs anymore as he has a fucked back(?).

Stu, didn't you guys post a pic of Rabbit, Kong and Chappy reuniting together a year or two ago? Maybe taken at the Quikky Pro?

freeride76 wrote:

Duttsy hahahahahah.....

I'll throw Dibbles and Scardy into the mix as well.

all three are pretty handy at G-land

Leaving Mick Burke, Eddie Blackwell and Dr Phil off the G- list would be a major omission...

yep, Bruce fitzgerald was Kong's sidekick in WA, at Aussie T's and on the Bluff / Book trip. Well done hippys / boys.

Just spoke to the grey grommet who was also on that trip, and he said the last he saw / heard of Fitzy was a long , long barrel at Desert Point in one of PKs vids circa '92, with soundtrack from - drum roll - The Jan Juc Jets (Skelly, Rouser & Co).

Zen, I remember the Kingsley you mentioned, but also can't peg the last name, maybe Snail can help me out there.

Chap has a fucked knee, still in the Tweed.

Wayne Deane anyone ? Still doin' it.

and Dave Smith, ex-Straddie, he's had covers of Line-Up, ASL, SW, Tracks, Surfing and Surfer, not many can lay claim to that.

kingsley kernowski...??

Duttz & A.C. Gaul?! How da bejeezus did they get in there? Next it'll be Rosie, Cambora, Ralph Cooney, Craig Cross,Thornie, Moose, Hosko & Danny Green! Get the fuck outta here. On a serious note, what about Andy Campbell from Tassie? Saw him up the bluff last century, pre-Shippies hysteria, RIPPING. Thought it was Margo in his prime as we were walking up the point. Good egg to boot. AND FUCKEN KYL (I/IE/E) MANCHESTER! OFCOURSE! R.I.P.P.I.N.
Oh, and this bloke:
http://www.swellnet.com/news/talking-heads/2013/10/28/brett-herring-stay...

ok, back in the Tardis... and back to Sunny Coast, see Noosa.

any of you guys remember Bruce Marion and Keith Martin, prolly way back in your childhood.

Keith Martin spent a long time down here surfing with Wayne and Co......very good surfer,loved barrels

'heres a few from Vicco...Charlie Bartlett,Fledge,Ray Freeth,Rhino,Yazzie'

Yazzie? He's well and truly deserted the newies? He rips, but Toddy had him and small wave maestro homer wrapped around his little finger at blacks. Yazzie had a horrendous wipeout, got his ankles wedged in a crack and mowed down... hurt badly, in front of all the newies, so had no choice but to flee over there.

And duttsies pacy work ethic alone, and the number of all time favourite boards he's saved, is enough to make any list. Gaully almost had the blacks title, and paddled the phantom one day. I saw him get a bomb that looked like that old Crawford photo at pipe on the red board, and he back doored a horrendous slab that shuddered the whole reef, and ocean.

Yeh Sid, Richie West is a legend, as well as that Wayne Williams guy from Angourie.

That vicco guy, Ronnie Gorenge? that was in an old surf movie, maybe 'Follow the Sun', with the endless horrific 'Mantra Sound' sound track, surfing maxing, ugly padang alone and getting mind bending pits, was a charger.

Wayne' king of the cutback' Williams RIP,
Sid been trying to remember Dave Smith all morning, what happened to him ?
Chap the general digs his horse racing and golf these days , the knee is totally rooted........swellnet can you guys run that pic of the reunion with Bugs and Kong again ?

Ronnie's a MP legend .
Gained huge wraps when on a boat trip somewhere in the indo archipalego in the mid nineties, massive swell hits , and the wave he and younger " more fancied " semi pro guys were riding Morphed into something out of Gonad man territory . Well the rumour was he was on his own again , whilst everyone else watched from the safety of the boat ..... can't confirm that though .... Goofy may know if its true ??? earned himself a cover shot from memory .... ?
Brute , does Flitton rate a mention .... Wally Tibbles was a definite inclusion , seen many a shot of him at some point or another .;-)