MANLY FRESHWATER NATIONAL SURFING RESERVE. Nomination Paper

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2 MANLY FRESHWATER NATIONAL SURFING RESERVE Nomination Paper October 2009 Local Steering Committee for Manly-Freshwater National Surfing Reserve

3 Nomination Paper The north wind sweeps the seas along In cascades in the shore; The golden sands sing with the song The white-lipped breakers roar; And in the surf gay bathers play Their laughter carrier free; And all the world grows young and gay At Manly by the Sea. - Herbert C. Baily Manly-Freshwater National Surfing Reserve Page 2

4 Nomination Paper Introduction Manly-Freshwater surfers, and its surf breaks, are famous locally, regionally and globally. It is recognised as an iconic site among surfing community in Australia and throughout the world. This attracts millions of visitors to Manly. The statue of Duke Paoa Kahanamoku is situated here in Freshwater. Manly-Freshwater area has history of more than a century in surfing. It is not for today but for tomorrows, we seek legal protection of the surfing area as national surfing reserve. The legal protection government provides a national surfing reserve highlights the significance of the Crown land estate in ensuring our beaches are accessible to surfers and everyone else who wants to enjoy them. The Lands & Property Management Authority, Crown Lands Division, under the Crown Lands Act 1989, legally declares reserves for the public purpose of surfing recreation. This offers legal protection to a national surfing reserve and highlights the significance of the Crown estate in the surfing culture and Australian lifestyle. National surfing reserves honour surfing and its unique place in the Australian way of life. The Local Steering Committee for Manly-Freshwater National Surfing Reserve, adopted this nomination paper at a meeting dated 7 October 2009 and submits this to the National Surfing Reserves-Australia (NSR-A) to gain the status of National Surfing Reserve for Manly and Freshwater. Water for life and living is integral part of Aboriginal culture Northern beaches, including Manly & Freshwater, are the home of the Guringai people and traditional owner of this Guringai country. Living primarily along the foreshores of the harbour, they fished and hunted in the waters and hinterlands of the area, and harvested food from the surrounding bush. The Guringai people lived a self-sufficient and harmonious life, and had a rich and complex culture and a large amount of leisure time. Water for life and living is integral part of Aboriginal culture. Fishing, boating and swimming were some of the water based activities of Aboriginal culture in the area. In fact, local Aboriginal people were interacting with ocean so harmoniously that they were considered as sea people. Manly s present coastal form was established about 6,000 years ago after the sea-level rose at the end of the last Ice-Age. The Guringai people had established campsites probably tens of thousands of years before this event and continued living on the coast for thousands of years after. These and other changes added further mythical, symbolic, and physical sustenance to the significance of the beach as a special part of Guringai culture. Hundreds of middens all along the foreshores are evidence of that historical and cultural past. Proposed Manly and Freshwater National Surfing Reserve The proposed Manly and Freshwater National Surfing Reserve stretches from high water marks to 500 meters offshore in ocean adjacent to Freshwater in the north and Fairy Bower in the south (Attachment A). The proposed Reserve offers five sites for surfing: Freshwater, Queenscliff, North Steyne, South Steyne and Fairy Bower. Freshwater: It is a small beach which offers maximum protection from the nor -easters and was the site of the Duke s famous surfing demonstration. Open to swell and wind from the south-east, it gets a bit of woofy when the wind is south to south-east. When it works, Freshwater can produce good Manly-Freshwater National Surfing Reserve Page 3

5 Nomination Paper left and right peaks in the south corner, the left running into the rocks. Tends to work best in an East swell and North-East to West winds. There are occasional good waves at the north end of the beach, depending on the sandbanks; a good learner s wave and a popular body surfing beach. Queenscliff: At the very north end of Manly beach, Queenscliff is a river mouth set-up, with plenty of sand build-up on the banks. Every now and then, there s a good left on the point, but the rights into the rocks are more common with a strong rip along the rocks. This wave can be excellent, depending mainly on sand bank conditions. There is also a good left several hundred metres south of the point and usually a good, reforming shore break. Around one kilometre off the beach at Queenscliff is a huge open ocean wave, known as Queenscliff Bomboras which breaks on swells over 3 metres. North Steyne: It is situated just south of Queenscliff (although there is no clear border) can turn on excellent beach breaks. Generally better on higher tides and during times of good sandbanks and offshore winds, North Steyne produces excellent waves. Usually best in East to North East swells and West to South winds. South Steyne: The South Steyne section of the beach often features a good left-hander, running into the rocks, with a rip at the south end. It also offers a good peak on the outside, when the swell is big to huge. Fairy Bower: It is one of Sydney s best and most famous point breaks. The reef around the point is strewn with boulders. Breaks are very hard and best on two-metre plus North-East to ESE swells. On bigger SE to S swells, the wave tends to wrap around the point and lose power, spilling wide of the inside section of the reef. This site is only for experienced surfers. The best surf appears with the arrival of the offshore winds between April and October (the colder months). It is protected from the south and so when a southerly storm arrives Manly is one of the few spots in Sydney with a decent wave. History and achievements of Surfing Manly & Freshwater have a history of more than a century in surfing. This history is also the emerging history of Australian surfing. Manly is the birthplace of Australian surfing. The Walker Brothers and a group of local Manly surfers were the first recorded surfboard riders in Australia. Surfing was popularised at Freshwater when world swimming champion, Duke Paoa Kahanamoku, gave a demonstration in December A chronological brief history is presented below: Bodysurfing practiced since late 1880s Bodysurfing has been practiced on Manly Beach since the late 1880s. Tommy Tanna, a South Pacific Islander, is widely credited with introducing body surfing or surf shooting, to Australia. He also taught local enthusiasts such as Fred Williams, Eric Moore, Norman Rowe and Arthur Lowe the art. Manly bodysurfers were invited to demonstrate the technique at other metropolitan beaches and at Wollongong and Newcastle. First Paid Lifeguards in Australia in 1903 The Sly Brothers (George, Charlie, Tod, Eddie, Joe and their relation Neil Norgreen) patrolled South Steyne, Manly beach before surf life saving clubs had been established. At the onset of all-day surf bathing, the Sly Brothers, patrolled at Manly Beach in their boat in 1903, and gave the first public surf lifesaving demonstration. Collections on the beach and on the ferries paid for their services. They saved many lives between 1903 and In 1904, Australia s first professional lifeguard, Manly-Freshwater National Surfing Reserve Page 4

6 Nomination Paper Edward Appy Eyre, paid by voluntary contributions from the public, performed numerous rescues at South Steyne. The Manly Surf Club was formed in 1907 The Manly Surf Club (formerly Manly Surf- Bathers Club) was formed on 16 July Surf Life Saving Clubs also formed since 1907 North Steyne Surf Life Saving Club was formed in Freshwater Surf Life Saving Club was officially inaugurated in December 1908 and the first clubhouse was officially opened on 26 December Manly Life Saving Club was formed in September 1911 and Queenscliff in January Many other Surf Life Saving Clubs were formed in the area during this period. Claude West dedicated his life to the Manly-Warringah s Surf Lifesaving movement. The first Surf Carnival held in Manly in 1908 On 25 January 1908 the first ever Surf Carnival anywhere was held at Manly Beach and organised by the Manly Surf Club. It was a whole day carnival and the programme included exhibitions of rescue operation, resuscitation drill, surf boat; inter-surf club life-saving completion; Life-boat race and many other activities. Freshwater s first carnival was held in December Surf carnivals used to happen annually during early years and are continuing at present. The first surfboard brought from Hawaii in 1909 Charles Paterson of Manly brought the first surfboard from Hawaii to the area as early as 1909, and shortly after, Les Hind of North Steyne built several replica boards. Also, Tommy Walker claimed bringing surfboard from Hawaii in Surfboard riding was first accomplished in Australia during summer of 1910 at Manly by Jack Reynolds, Basil Kirke, Walker Brothers, Geoff Wyld and Claude West, the first Australian to shoot unbroken surf with a board. These men experimented with a solid board, 2meters long, shaped like a church door. They could stand up on it for meters when shooting a breaker. At a surf carnival at Freshwater in 1912 W. H. Walker from Manly put on a display of board riding that included doing headstands. Australian women s surfing originated in Manly (1910) Australian women s surfing also originated in the area. Isma Billy Amor, Dorris Doll Reynolds, May Bowery, Ella Kitching, Jessie Sly, Aggie Sly and Isabel Letham were pioneering women surfers in the 1910s. Lifesaving classes for women started in 1910 at Manly. By the 1920 s, women were no longer active as life savers. Manly hosted the First World Surfboard Riders Championship in 1964 The First World Surfboard Riders Championship was held in Manly in ,000 watchers, the biggest crowd ever assembled in the history of surfing. Local legend, Midget Farrelly won the first World Surfing Contest. Duke Kahanamoku statue and park opened (1994) Situated within McKillop Park, Freshwater, the Duke Paoa Kahanamoku Commemorative Park was officially opened by Duke s widow Nadine on Australia Day 26 January A splendid bronze statue of Duke, donated by the Hardboard Diggers Memorial Club, was installed. Duke s statue towers above colourful mosaic plaques set in boulders. Manly-Freshwater National Surfing Reserve Page 5

7 Nomination Paper Manly has produced four World Surfing Champions Manly has produced four World Surfing Champions, Pam Burridge (1980), Stuart Entwistle (1987), Barton Lynch (1988), and Layne Beachley (1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003 and 2006). Stuart Entwhistle (or Twizzle as he was better known) won the World Long Board Championship in Manly already short listed as potential Surfing Reserve In February 2005, the National Reference Group Committee of National Surfing Reserves Australia was formed. The aim of the committee was to facilitate the identification, nomination and dedication of additional surfing reserves in each state and as such called itself National Surfing Reserves- Australia (NSR-A). The NSR-A prepared a short list of potential surfing reserves. Manly is shortlisted as potential Surfing Reserve. The proposal matches the Nomination Criteria Freshwater-Manly fulfils the following criteria to become a National Surfing Reserve: 1. persistent quality of the waves : the numerous breaks between Freshwater and Fairy Bower are renowned for their consistency and quality; 2. a place considered sacred by surfers: as site of the Duke s first surfing demonstration, at Freshwater, while Manly hosted the world s first International Surfing Contest. 3. long term usage of the beach and wave environment by local surfing community: Surf bathing officially commenced at Manly in 1902, while today Freshwater to Manly are the most popular beaches in the Sydney region, and home to four surf life saving clubs and several boardriding clubs. 4. contribution of site and local surfers to Australian surfing culture: surf life saving had it foundations at Manly and many developments in surf life saving and surfing originated in the Manly region. The proposed Manly-Freshwater is an intensely developed coastal site. The proposed site matches to the criteria set by the NSR-A for the intense usage of the beach/wave environment. Manly has an influx of six million visitors annually. According to a survey conducted in 2005, 25% of these visitors come to Manly for surfing. Surfing is one of the four top tourism activities that influence economical values. Such intense usage of the surfing environment meets the criteria of recognition as national reserve. Moreover, as detailed above, Manly & Freshwater have a history of more than a century in surfing. This history is also the emerging history of Australian surfing. This history receives recognition through the status of national surfing reserve. This year, Manly also hosts the inaugural four-day Manly Festival of Surfing during 5-9 November. The event will include a celebrity surfing challenge and an antique surf auction. Manly Council has formally endorsed and supported the initiative of National Surfing Reserve at its Planning & Strategy meeting dated 3 August Manly-Freshwater National Surfing Reserve Page 6

8 Nomination Paper Attachment A. Location Map Manly-Freshwater National Surfing Reserve Page 7

9 Nomination Paper Attachment B. Manly-Freshwater National Surfing Reserve Local Steering Committee Name Members Mike Baird (Chair) Brendan Condie Mask Maddox Sybil Walsh Neil Ohlback Peter Warr Meegan Clancy Chris Moss Geoff Lyall David Piper John Swan Lynden Riley Ray Moran Lisa Harrington Lucinda Millson Clinton Rose Rafiqul Islam Anthony Hewton Organisation Member of Parliament, Manly Manly Life Saving Club North Steyne SLSC Manly Life Saving Club Manly Surfers Group Community Representative Manly CBD Centre Management Heritage Surf Queenscliff SLSC Queenscliff SLSC Freshwater SLSC Manly Malibu Boardriders Club Manly Malibu Boardriders Club Mike Baird s Office Mike Baird s Office Warringah Council Manly Council Manly Council Manly-Freshwater National Surfing Reserve Page 8

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16 7/10/2009 Manly Surf School supports Manly Chamber of Commerce s application for Manly Ocean Beach too be considered as a National Surfing Reserve. Our reasons for considerations are listed below: Manly Beach has been an integral part of Australia s beach cultures history. Holding the 1964 World Surfing Titles, won by surfing legend Midget Farrelly. Since 1964 many world titles have been claimed at Manly Beach such as the 1987 ASP Coke Classic featured Australian Damien Hardman winning a world title at Manly Beach. A huge list of World Champions are manly locals, such as Layne Beachley (7 world titles), Barton Lynch(ASP short Board), Stuart Entwistle( Long Board), Merrick Davis(Short Board,Amateur), and Pam Burridge(ASP Short board) The Duke Kahanamoku introduced surfing around the corner at Freshwater beach in In 2009 the World Master games will operating at Manly Beach as well as the Manly Surf Festival. North Steyne in 2008 won the award of the Cleanest Beach in Australia. There are three Surf lifesaving clubs on Manly Beach and four boardriding clubs on Manly Beach. Yours faithfully, Matt Grainger Coaching Director Manly Surf School

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