Port Macquarie born Louis Becke was a sailor, blackbirder, trader, smuggler, pearler, whaler, stockman, worldly traveller and unsung Australian author at the end of his days to name a few of his vocations.
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Becke history buffs also believe the man could have been instrumental in shaping the surfing culture of Australia.
Walcha's Glenn Dick set up a society to help push momentum in establishing awareness of Becke's feats.
Members are working to resurrect his name, to recognise him as being the most important citizen to be born in Port Macquarie.
The society wants to share Becke's life tales and embed his name into the narrative underpinning our local history.
The youngest of six children, George Lewis Becke was born in 1855.
Mr Dick said Becke wrote about learning how to surf, taught by Islanders during his travels.
Becke always dreamt of being a pirate and at the age of 14, embarked with his older brother Vernon to the USA on the "Lizzie and Rosa".
He used his savings to buy a share in a trading ship, cruising the Marshall Islands for several years and in 1871 returned to Australia, aged 16.
In 1897 Becke wrote in Wild Life in Southern Seas he had "learned to fahaheke (use a surf-board), having been instructed therein by the youths and maidens of the village individually and collectively".
"And when you have once learned surf-swimming the game takes possession of your innermost soul like unto cycling and golf," he wrote.
Becke's youngest daughter Alrema Becke was photographed in The Australiasian, named as the Queen of Palm Beach in 1930.
According to the National Library of Australia during the late 1920s and early 1930s Alrema was a member of the Palm Beach Surf Life Saving Club and helped save lives.
"Her father's love for all things aquatic shone through too - in her surf board riding - something she clearly first saw a body board version of, where women and girls were the experts, as early as 1908," the library reported.
Mr Dick said Becke could have been Australia's first international surfer, who brought the sport to the country.
The society is pushing to see Becke's name cemented into Port Macquarie forever, through naming a significant landmark after him.
"Becke lived a fabulous lifestyle travelling the south seas over a 20 year period. He was an adventurer and he challenged things," Mr Dick said.
Becke was elected the a Member of the Royal Society of NSW in 1910 and died at the age of 40 at the York Hotel in Sydney in 1913.
His last books, Bully Hayes and Buccaneer were published posthumously.
Anyone wanting to be a part of the plan to honour Louis Becke can contact Glenn Dick on 0411840940.
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