GENERATIONS IN BUSINESS
GENERATIONS IN BUSINESS and despite the increase in Chinese imports, the industry is hanging on and hopefully it will keep going.” Throughout the years, The Factory attracted talent in the form of shapers Kent Manning and Mick Grace and “young guys” Joel Beck, Thomas Bexon and Chris Hunt. While working for Paul, they started their own surf labels and soon The Factory was not only offering its own label but also Thomas, Beck and Mendes surfboards. Each of these young blokes has gone on to become successful board shapers and businessmen in their own right.
It was like living the hippy dream.
M
Pa formed the “Moffateers” in 1966 as a club that promoted integrity and sportsmanship in surfing and its members were offered free membership in exchange for a commitment to good character and upholding the club’s reputation. With the population of Caloundra growing and the influence of Ma and Pa drawing in and fostering new surfing talent, a culture around the movement quickly blossomed. Taking a leaf out of the Moffateers book, the Windansea Surf Club was formed by local surfers Bruce McKean and Greg Minert in 1970 and has gone on to produce some of Queenslands finest surfers. Names like Gary “God” O’Donnell, Daryl Parkinson, Ben “Silky” Silk, Joel “Parko” Parkinson, Serena Brooke and Wade Goodall are only a few of those who have begun stellar careers from Caloundra’s shores. 14 Caloundrabuzz
Silky was so enamoured by the strong surfing ties of his hometown of Moffat Beach that once the time came for his career and extensive travelling to wind down, he settled into his old stomping ground to start up a successful business as a surfing instructor. “Even when I was a youngster surfing, I would be teaching other people how to surf,” he said. “Now I’ve come full circle and I’m also working with the (Windansea) board riders to help the next generation of groms coming up. There’s such incredible talent here.” But at the end of the day, a person cannot become a surfer without a board so it is no surprise that talented shapers have called Caloundra home for more than five decades. At the tender age of 17, David “Humphrey” Lascelles decided to set up his own surf board shaping factory in late 1965. Drawing in the talented Bob McTavish, Kevin Platt, Russell Hughes and Algy Grud from the Hayden Factory at Maroochydore, the crew established the Cord surfboard label. Cord has been credited for helping to spark the introduction of short boards after star surfer
Windansea president Terry Landsberg said the 42nd event, held on March 25-27, had once again fielded a full roster of 120 competitors. “It runs like clockwork now,” he said. “This event is the second longest surfing contest in Australia, behind the Bell’s Classic.”
Matt undertook Queensland’s first surf board manufacturing apprenticeship, a program the TAFE and an employment agency had to tailor-make in order for him to become a qualified tradesman. With a team of masters, including world-renowned shaper Tom Wegener, as his guides, Matt became hooked on the industry.
CALOUNDRA'S SURF CULTURE
ore commonly known as Pa and Ma Bendall, the pair settled in Caloundra when there were only a handful of surfers and it was not long before they became admired and respected figures in the sport.
Its coolness could arguably never have eventuated without the Bendalls and although Pa passed away in 1973 and Ma in 2001, they continue to be honoured through the annual Windansea Ma & Pa Bendall Memorial Contest. The competitive event has attracted
surfing’s biggest names since its inaugural event, known at the time as the Pa Bendall Memorial contest, in 1974 where its $1500 first prize was the largest offered for any Australian surfing contest at the time. Names like Wayne “Rabbit” Bartholomew, Simon Anderson and Hawaiian legend Gerry Lopez as well as hot local talent were drawn to the contest, which was renamed a decade ago.
Matt Williams is the face of the next generation of Caloundra shapers. The 27-year-old took over the reigns from Paul three years ago and has more than tripled the number of boards he makes each year by actively engaging young surfers through social media.
Epic wave action at Moffat Beach. Photography by Brian Rogers Photographics
Surfing is a pastime enjoyed around the world, but Caloundra’s surfing culture has always been unique, thanks largely to the steadfast foundations Charles Ben and Marjory Bendall laid in the 1950’s.
see the return to grassroots surfing culture. “Young Matt and I talk about the evolution of the Caloundra surfing culture,” he said. “When he first started in the industry, Caloundra was a seriously uncool place for him and his mates, which we didn’t mind as we never wanted to tell everyone we had the better surf. These days, you go down to Moffat and it’s full of hipsters and they have discovered it’s a totally cool place to be.”
Paul said the surf board industry was the most diverse it had ever been and he was pleased to
New owner Matt Williams with former owner Paul Carson
Factory owner Matt Williams with Matt Laing
PA & MA BENDALL MEMORIAL SURFING CONTEST 2016 RESULTS
Peter Drouyn won the 1966 Australian Surfing Titles on the Gold Coast with an 8ft board designed and made at the Caloundra factory. Fast forward nine years and Paul Carson and his wife arrive on the scene. A passionate surfer, Paul quickly became involved with Stephen and Wayne Reid of Free Fluid Surf Boards and ended up taking over the business. The Carsons remained in the surf board business for a number of years and at one stage opened a surf shop and factory out on Caloundra Rd. Paul, 64, has seen the Caloundra scene evolve from the golden years of Ma Bendall to corporatisation and now the resurgence of grassroots surfing culture. He started up The Factory in 1993 and said it was like “living the hippy dream.” “Every afternoon through the 70s we would be shooing kids off to school that wanted to watch us at work,” he said. “But through the 90s and the start of the 2000s, kids were walking straight past and not even looking in, they just wanted to buy the big brands like Quicksilver and Billabong off the rack from the surf shops. Now it’s gone back
Open Mens - Eli Steele Open Womens - Hinako Kurokawa Kneeboards - Dean Case Over 40s - Ross Day Peter Boyd, finalist in the Masters
Moffateers Cadets - Taj Stokes Cadets - Skye Faddy Junior Mens - Dextar Muskens Senior Mens - Yerin Brown Legends - Clive Sinton Masters - Ben Silk
Dave Reardon-Smith, Eli Steele, Tom Prout
Photo credits - Brian Rogers Photographics
www.caloundrachamber.com.au
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