The North Steyne and Yamba surf clubs are the oldest in their areas, plus they share a history with surfer Tommy Walker
Trivia buffs may like to note that the North Steyne and Yamba Surf Lifesaving Clubs have the same colours, black and yellow. This is not necessarily a surprise as quite a few clubs have them.
However, a second piece of trivia is that both clubs are the oldest in their areas. North Steyne was formed in December 1907 and Yamba in September 1908. The Yamba date is amazingly early for what was just a fishing village at the mouth of the Clarence River, downstream from the main port of Maclean.
The missing link is probably Tommy Walker. Tommy grew up in Marrickville but somehow became interested in surfing. Perhaps he saw it in the Pacific when he was working on ships. In 1909 he bought a surfboard in Hawaii and brought it back to Manly where he taught himself to ride. Initially he belonged to the Manly Surf Club but as it became less active and more social, he transferred to the new North Steyne.
Where is the Yamba connection? The main farming activity on the lower Clarence River in 1907 was sugar and there was, and still is, a sugar mill at Harwood. Sugar milling is seasonal, August to January, and Tommy used to visit Yamba each year to work in the mill.
Tommy took his new board with him and kept it in the new clubhouse at Yamba, leaving it there each year when he returned to Sydney, where he had made another board. He was the link between the two surf clubs and over the next few years, North Steyne sent various items of equipment to help establish the Yamba club.
Yamba can also claim to be the birthplace of surf photography. To transfer his heavy board from the steamer wharf at Maclean to Yamba, Tommy sought the help of a local draper, Osric Notley. Osric was a keen amateur photographer and became fascinated by Tommy’s exploits on his board.
Richard Michell is the vice-president of the Manly, Warringah and Pittwater Historical Society and the secretary of Friends of Dee Why Lagoon. Visit mwphs.org.au and fodyl.au respectively.