Please accept that this little story is from memories of 60+ years ago, so apologies to any past members’ names missed and/or forgotten.

During the 1960’s surfboard clubs started to form on beaches all over Sydney and on the Aussie coastlines.

Clubs in the Cronulla area were established, the first was Cronulla Boardriders, quickly followed by an all-female equivalent, the Kurranulla Wahines.

Wanda Beach Boardriders Club soon came along out of the Wanda SLC, followed by Eastern States Boardriders.

A decade later St George Boardriders formed, and the rest is history.

Eastern States was concocted by a group of surfers primarily past students from Blakehurst High School.

Their inaugural meeting was held in the backyard of Peter Hands, in his parent’s home, in Blakehurst. While the exact date is unknown it was an early summers evening in 1966.

These guys surfed North Cronulla from about 1963-ish and often occupied the northern end of the old North Cronulla Wall.

Most didn’t have cars and either hitchhiked to Cronulla or bussed it up to Hurstville or Kogarah and caught the train to the beaches. Many would leave their boards at either the various weekly store-a-board shops, or in/under friends’ sheds or houses.

Sutherland Shire Council, as did most Sydney beach-based councils, imposed a ridiculous sticker system which meant that boards had to be registered and if not, they were confiscated by the Clubbies from North Cronulla Surf Club.

The Clubbies had way too much power through the council for those disliked and intrusive registered board stickers, and they were basically bullies. It is no wonder that the Surfers and the Clubbies had a hatred for each other, as the Clubbies took their “influence” way too far.

Most of the guys were forced to go further up the beach to an unnamed section known as Midway to the local surfers. Midway, of course, is now Elouera, but in those days, Elouera wasn’t invented. Elouera Road ran from North Cronulla to Wanda; hence we all called it Midway.

Midway was not patrolled, but very safe and those Blakehurst guys used to have mini fun competitions between each other.

In 1965-66 most of the guys got their Driver’s Licenses and cars were part of the scene. They bought cheapy inexpensive old rocket cars, panel vans, and utes like Holden FX, FJ and FE, Austin A30, Morris Minor and Oxford, Vauxhall Velox, Ford Zephyr, and even a ’38 Oldsmobile and a ’39 Buick.

We were all aware that Cronulla Boardriders had formed, but it was a closed book for many. The Cronulla Boardriders crew were all great guys, but they were overloaded with members. Their President, Mark Windon, and 1964 World Title Judge and Cronulla’s ASA delegate Ken Williams gave some great advice and help.

The late Darryl Eastlake and Barry Rodda approached a few of us at Midway and said, “why don’t you guys form a team and surf against us guys from Wanda” (sic)

Back to the Inaugural Meeting

Many names were thrown up to be considered for the club. The most popular was Midway Boardriders, but two of the guy’s dads were WWII veterans and humbly suggested that would be improper due to the Midway Battle of 1942.

Other possible names were considered and one guy yelled out that as we often travel down the south coast, and some go north, and that we cover the Eastern States, that should be its name.

That guy was David Staas, and he was an hilarious character, and chanted out continually, “Eastern States, Eastern States, Eastern States”. Everyone was laughing and started chanting with him, and that’s how it got its name.

Rex Hudson become the First President with Ross Summerell, Secretary and Paul Daley, Treasurer. Other guys at the meeting that evening were Peter Hand, David Staas, Rob McGroder, John Macfarlane, John Keshan, John Knight, Paul McNeilly, Hans Salimann, Cec Marcusson, Grahame ‘Gus’ Diment, Phil Jowett, Mick Allen, Russell Allan, Peter Keshan, Col Gibson, Cliff Bond, Eddy Bolling, Colin Crosley, Bob Lappin, and so many others who we just can’t remember. However, we reckon there were up to 30 guys there.

Surfers and wonderful personalities like Bob Evans, Scotty Dillon, Phil Jarratt, Graham Cassidy, Mark Windon, Barry Ross, Jack McCoy, Jack Eden, Darryl Eastlake and Brian Jackson all helped and encouraged us to join the Australian Surfriders Association.

To raise money to run contests, outings etc., the club used to host some amazing weekends and evenings.

Some tremendous times those that come to mind.

Rock bands and Surf Movie nights (sponsored by Rothmans) at the old upstairs dance studio known as The Lackey Building on the corner of Princes Hwy and Park Road, Carlton.

It was owned by Reg & Maisie Lackey who never charged us for the venue, if we left the place neat and tidy. We also held club meetings there.

The Stanwell Park “Lost Long Weekend” where we all converged at David Staas’s parents’ weekender and held a little surf contest, consuming four kegs of beer, transported down in the back of some of the panel vans, from the Allawah Hotel.

We opened the contest to everyone and many surfers from parts of Wollongong turned up and more friendships were made over the cool kegs and the barbeque.

South Coast Surf Treks and mini contest to places like Currarong, Culburra and that ‘secret place’ Spot Y, which is Bherwerre Beach, a long walk south-facing ocean beach approached from Cave Beach car park. It was a magic surf spot.

Surf Contests:

Eastern States were members of the newly formed ASRF and competed against similarly motivated clubs with trips to Palm Beach, Maroubra, Freshwater, Culburra, plus other Sydney beaches and even a team to the State Titles at Crescent Head in 1970.

In the second contest against Wanda, Darryl Eastlake commented on how the clubs’ riders had improved and soon surfers were attracted from many Sutherland Shire and St. George areas to join Eastern States.

Guys like Wes King came to the club, and Wes eventually became the club’s President. Wes is still in the Cronulla area and was a legend in those exhilarating days.

Some of the guys that joined were Rob Helsby, Johnny Symonds, Chris Schroder, Chris Vorbach, Terry O’Brien, Brian Almah, Jeremy Greaves, Larry Cohen, Garry Lee, Ross Fielder, Ed Little, Matt Kane, Garry Weinert, etc. Again, apologies to so many others whose names we just can’t remember. That was between 50 to 60 years ago.

We also attracted and catered for many junior surfers, and one exceptional rider was Bryan Love from South Hurstville. Ralph Love, Byran’s older brother, designed the logo for t-shirts and stickers, but it’s sadly been long lost.

One of the key reasons that surfers wanted to join Eastern States was because they nurtured Juniors and encouraged guys who were just average surfers. Some of those “average surfers” soon became super competitive with encouragement and practice.

A swish newsletter was posted monthly to every member, and it was sponsored by advertisements from Gordon & Smith Surfboards, Jackson Surfboards, Ken Appel Sports Store, Taren Point Pub and many small businesses.

The all-girl students from Caringbah Business College who were learning typing and office studies printed the newsletter using a Roneo hand operated stencil machine. In those days photocopiers and the internet were yet to be invented.

A few members were also Firies in the NSWFB. They would meet up with other Firies in friendly small mid-week contests held at Wanda, Tamarama, Bondi and Maroubra. Well regarded surfers like Ray Leahy, Barry Ross, Barry ‘Magoo’ McGuigan, Bobby Pike, John JT Thomas, Ray Latta, Billy Nash, Ted Thompson and Billy Farquharson were all Firies and associate friends of Eastern States.

Before and into the early/mid 1970’s many of the members went overseas, some got married, some moved to country areas, some did National Service and even went to Vietnam.

The club apparently ceased late 1970’s or early 1980’s and left a plethora of amazing memories.

Sorrowfully, many members have now gone to God, but won’t be forgotten by those still around.

Now all aged in our late 60’s, 70’s and early 80’s, we still share the stoke and those heady and reckless days.

Eastern States was always a happy, relaxed and cruisy club. It was neither demanding nor stressful, and many friendships from those times 50 to 60 years ago still happily exist today.