A surfing history museum would be another string to Port Macquarie’s tourism bow, a surfing official says.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Surfing NSW, the largest and longest running of the recognised state bodies for the sport of surfing in Australia, has thrown its support behind a push for a proposed surfing history museum in Port Macquarie.
Surfing NSW executive director Mark Windon said Port Macquarie was a natural place to build a surfing history museum.
“You only have to look at some of the surfers that have come out of the region to show what a strong area it is,” he said.
The Port Macquarie Surfing History Association is behind the push for a museum to celebrate the surfing culture and the significant people and milestones throughout the surfing eras.
Mr Windon praised the commitment of the association’s committee members.
The museum would also benefit the area’s tourism.
“The Port Macquarie area is one of the jewels in the crown for tourism in NSW and this would only further enhance the area,” Mr Windon said.
Mr Windon said a surfing history museum would be a bonus for the area.
Australia had embraced surfing as its own since Bernard "Midget" Farrelly won the first world title in 1964, he said.
But the state does not have a purpose-built surfing history museum.
“We are up to our third and fourth generations of surfers and I think it [surfing history museum] is well and truly long overdue,” Mr Windon said.
He said the proposal was worthy of support from government across all levels.
Port Macquarie-Hastings Council will consider the proposal for a Port Macquarie Surfing History Museum as a submission to the reviewed Cultural Plan on exhibition.
The museum, which would bring together all surfing disciplines, proposes to preserve our rich surfing past and beach culture.
The museum’s establishment is expected to be a lengthy process.