Dick Hoole drops into Cronulla

Dick Hoole drops in to Cronulla
Watergrill Restaurant

Cronulla had a touch of surf media celebrity status this week with a visit from retired surf film-maker Dick Hoole and a budding Japanese surf film-maker.

Dick Hoole [left] and visiting Japanese surf film-maker Mamoru Kimura enjoy lunch
in Cronulla at the Watergrill Restaurant in the Cronulla RSL.

Dick Hoole and Steve Core [right] catch-up at the
Watergrill Restaurant in Cronulla

Dick Hoole and Jack McCoy teamed up in the early ’70s and made their first film in 1976, In Search of Tubular Swells. The following year they released Jeffrey’s Bay Dream and Stubbies. The dynamic duo also produced another all time classic, Storm Riders in 1982.

Barry “Dick” Hoole grew up in Sydney – near the famous Bondi Beach. In Dick’s words “Barry was a real person whose mother loved him, Dick was my fantasy character who only cared about surfing”.

In 1967, shortly after he left school for good in search for surf, Dick began working at San Juan Surfboards in Byron Bay – a hangout for surfing greats like eccentric George Greenough, Bob McTavish and travelling pros like Californian surfer Mike Doyle and Hawaiian Randy Rarick. Within a couple of years Dick was off to Hawaii where Randy Rarick hooked him up with a job at the Dewey Weber Surfboard factory, where he met Jack McCoy.

Shortly after Jack McCoy moved to Australia, he and Dick Hoole teamed up taking surf photos and began selling their pictures under the name Propeller Promotions. Their work was turning up everywhere – and surfers liked what they saw. It was around this time that they started thinking about making a 16mm surf movie.

So together they made their first film in 1976, In Search of Tubular Swells. The following year they released Jeffrey’s Bay Dream and Stubbies. The dynamic duo next teamed up to produce Storm Riders in 1982.

These days Dick is semi-retired and lives in Byron Bay. He has never been far from his first love of surfing and works daily at running the Classic Surf Company, which sells surfing DVD’s, surf collectables and surfing images.

Dick will be back in Cronulla for February to sell his wide range of surfing nostalgia products at our month-long Celebration of Surfing Festival: Surf Retrospect

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Night At the Museum - Review

In Natural Flow
Surf World - Gold Coast
02 JAN 2015

This review of the In Natural Flow screening night was posted on Surf World's website: 

What a night for Surf World GC!!! For the first time since our opening Surf World GC had to close its doors (for safety reasons) for an event. Our event area was filled to capacity and we apologise to those who were refused entry and to those who had restricted viewing of the movie.

Photo from the night: Tim Baker MC has the microphone. On the right of him; Wayne 'Rabbit' Bartholomew and Steve Core
Click on photo to enlarge 

Those that were able to gain entry were treated to a smorgasbord of surfing by the best surfers of the era with some of the first ever footage of Michael Peterson and Peter Townend. So many of the stars of the era were in attendance that the event became a gathering of the tribe and the autograph hunters had a field day.

All in all a great night was had by all and our thanks go to Tim Baker, Warren Delbridge, Steve Core, Peter Townend and Rabbit Bartholomew (who celebrated his 60th birthday). Thanks to Andy Mac for the extensive media coverage and to those who promoted the movie on their web sites and Facebook.

To visit the Surf World Gold Coast website click here

To purchase In Natural Flow DVD or an Ocean Rhythms DVD from our on-line store Click here


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View a trailer from In Natural Flow



"In Natural Flow" - 1970's Surf Movie Promo Trailer from Warren Delbridge on Vimeo.

Promotional trailer for Steve Core's "lost" 1972 surf classic In Natural Flow, capturing vintage Kirra Point in all its '70s glory; a natural wonder that a younger generation of Gold Coast surfers have never experienced first-hand. 

The tube-riding of Michael Peterson and Peter Townend in particular, set a new benchmark in performance surfing that helped catapult Gold Coast surfers onto the world stage. With sensational cameos from Peter Drouyn, Keith Paull, Andrew McKinnon, Richard Harvey and many other greats of the era, In Natural Flow illuminates a pivotal era in Australian and Gold Coast surfing. Trailer musical backing track by kind courtesy of the NZ band: 'The Black Seeds'

To purchase In Natural Flow DVD or an Ocean Rhythms DVD from our on-line store Click here

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The lost classic surfing film: In Natural Flow

In Natural Flow
Surf World, Gold Coast

Friday Jan 2nd, 2015 was a sellout night at Surf World on the Gold Coast when In Natural Flow was screened to the public for the first time in over 30 years. In Natural Flow was my first 16mm surfing film that was shot in 1971.

In Natural Flow features the surfing of the new rising brigade of surfers who were emerging on the Gold Coast in the early '70s and went on to form part of a new generation of World Surfing champions. The film features Queenslanders Peter Townend and the legendary Michael Peterson surfing the classic uncrowded famous Qld point breaks of Kirra Point, Rainbow Bay and Snapper Rocks.

Surf World Jan 2nd, 2015: From LtoR. Surfing journalist Tim Baker, Surf film historian and restoration specialist, 
Warren Delbridge,'76 ASP World Champion, Peter Townend, In Natural Flow film-maker, Steve Core

In 2015 - In Natural Flow is available on DVD for the first time in 44 years. 

To see a preview clip of In Natural Flow click here

To purchase In Natural Flow or Ocean Rhythms go to our on-line store


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First World Champion Peter 'PT' Townend posted this 'Cronulla' shot recently on his Facebook page.

Peter Townend - North Wanda '72 - Photo: Graham Sorrenson

When I first hit Cronulla in '72 with Steve Core around Rip Curl Bells time of that year, I had a perfect sandbank day at North Wanda.

One of Steve's mates; Graham Sorrenson, a first generation Cronulla surfer from the '60s, snapped this shot of me in a crisp little green room tube.

This same shot would later become the title Masthead shot of my weekly newspaper column called "In the Tube" with Peter Townend in the Tweed/Coolangatta Daily News!

Note: PT will be making personal appearances in Cronulla in Feburary 2015 at the Duke Kahanamoku Cronulla celebrations. When Cronulla will come alive with surf related events to celebrate 100 years since Hawaiian Duke Kahanamoku gave his first demonstration of surf board riding on Cronulla's beaches. 

For further information about the 100 years of Surfing in Cronulla events & celebrations: Check the Surfretrospect website by clicking here

An Australian surfing classic returns: In Natural Flow

A Gathering of Eagles:

I am pleased to announce that the first 16mm surfing film I made, In Natural Flow, shot mostly in 1971, will make a Premiere re-release to the public for the first time in over 30+ years, at a special star-studded screening evening at the Surf World Museum on the Gold Coast on Friday January 2nd, 2015.

There will be an all-star line-up on hand on the night to celebrate the In Natural Flow screening. After the screening there will be a talk fest with the stars. The moderator will be noted surf journalist, Tim Baker.

In the talent line-up photo below, we have the Gold Coast residents who made up part of the 1972 Australian team to head off the World Titles in San Diego, California. 

From left to right: Judge; Terry Baker, Surfers: Peter Townend [1976 ASP World Champ], the late Michael Peterson, Wayne 'Rabbit' Bartholomew [1978 ASP World Champ], and Paul Neilson ['71 Australian Champion].

Above: Pictured in 1972 media call on the Gold Coast before leaving Australian shores for the US: an all-star Gold Coast line-up from the '70s. These five young men formed part of the Australian team that attended the 1972 World Titles in San Diego, California. 

From left to right: ASP retired Judge, Terry Baker, 1st ASP World surfing Champion, Peter Townend, the late Michael Peterson, 3rd ASP 1978 World Champion, Wayne 'Rabbit' Bartholomew, and Paul Neilson.

Four of the five above will be present on the night of January 2nd, 2015 at the Surf World Museum for the In Natural Flow  screening. The late Michael Peterson will be represented in loving spirit by the attendance his mother, Joan.

The version of 'In Natural Flow' that will be screened on the night has been recently loving restored to a crisp digital format by Australian surfing film historian and archivist, Warren Delbridge. Avid Australian surf movie collectors will be pleased to hear that In Natural Flow will also be available now on DVD.

To view the classic '70s Kirra Point In Natural Flow 2-minute trailer: Click Here  Music sound-track for the trailer comes courtesy of the Wellington, NZ based band The Black Seeds. To learn & hear more about The Black Seeds - click here to visit their website. A big thank you to The Black Seeds boys for allowing us to use their hot track 'Slingshot' as it suits the tubular, sand-churning Kirra Point barrels to perfection.

To read the Media Release about In Natural Flow from surfing journalist Tim Baker [who is on the board of Surf World] and see the exclusive trailer click here.

On the beach at Bells Beach in 1974 - film producer Steve Core chats with late Michael Peterson. 

Michael went on the win the 1974 Bells Beach title in his unstoppable form.
Photo courtesy of Surfing World Magazine

Friday January 2nd, 2015 will be a one-off opportunity to rub shoulders with the surfers from this era all gathering together in one spot to celebrate the night. So come along and bring your camera for the classic photo op with your favourite '70s surfing super stars. Or just bring your smart phone and grab a selfie.

Even better - on the screening night at Surf World - I will be selling DVD copies of both 'In Natural Flow' and 'Ocean Rhythms'. A perfect opportunity to grab a personally signed copy by any veteran surf talent there on the night.


Where: Surf World - 1st Floor, Honeyworld, 35 Tomewin Street, Currumbin, Qld

When: Doors swing open at 6:00pm - on Friday January 2nd - 2015

How much to get in: $10.00

Available on the night for all: Chargeable drinks and BarBQ items

To visit Surf World - Gold Coast website: click here

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PT's Bonzer

A few people have contacted me to ask "did I shape the board?" I am riding in the previous post [directly below].

No I didn't - it's actually one Peter Townend's ['76 ASP 1st World Champion] personal Bonzer surfboards. I worked closely with PT on the Australian development of the Bonzer at Gordon & Smith Surfboards in Taren Point.

PT with the Bonzer surfboard in Hawaii.
This is the same board I am riding in the previous post.

In 1973 - PT got all the Bonzer technical specs and intel from his good friend Mike Eaton, who at the time, was shaping the first production Bonzer surfboards for Bing Surfboards under licence at G&S in San Diego, California.

On his first trip to Hawaii for the Winter of '72, PT had met Mike Eaton in Hawaii where Mike was a resident North Shaper, shaping and making surfboards for all the leading Australian ASP world-touring surfers at the time.

For the full story on the Bonzer development at G&S in Caringbah please click here to see our own coverage.