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Coolangatta Beaches Thronged

COOLANGATTA, December 31.

After a week of most
                  unpleasantweather,
                  combining wind and rain, to-day broke gloriously fine.

                  The popular surfing beaches at
                  Greenmount and Kirra
                  were thronged all day
                  and although the heavy surf

                  which was
                  running on Saturday had moderated considerably, it still had sufficient "kick" in it to provide
                  plenty of enjoyment.
,

Splendid exhibitions
                  of shooting the breakers

                  were given by the "Duke" surf
                    board experts, as well as with and without the small boards, while numerous canoes appeared in the surf.

...

SWEPT ON ROCKS.

On Saturday, by contrast, a very heavy sea was running on the Tweed Heads bar, and a strong surf on the various beaches.

Aided by the high tide the strong sweep carried bathers hither and thither like corks, and the beach patrols had to exercise great
 
vigilance.

An unbroken line-of
                  breakers surged from
                  Schnapper Rocks across Greenmount Bay to Kirra Point, thus providing excellent surf for strong swimmers on both Greenmount and Kirra Beaches.
The strong sweep,
                  however, swirled in
                  around Greenmount and Kirra Points, and the force of the waves washed bathers on to the rocks, a number being subsequently treated by the ambulance for minor bruises and cuts.

Trove
1934 'SUNSHINE AND SURF', The Courier-Mail (Brisbane, Qld. : 1933 - 1954), 1 January, p. 3. , viewed 02 Jul 2016,
http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article1156129

The Courier-Mail
Brisbane, 1 January 1934, page 3.

BIG PROGRAMME

GOVERNOR'S SURF CARNIVAL

COOLANGATTA, December 31.

At a meeting of
                    the committee of management



                    arrangements were completed for the Governor's surf
                    carnival, which will be held at Coolangatta on Sunday next.
 
At least 11 teams
                    of men and two of
                    women will take part In the march past and other carnival events, Including
                    two teams from New
                    South Wales, and a number oí individual competitors from that State also. 
 
 

The whole of the
                    surf clubs associated with the movement will form a guard of honour for the vlce-regal party, and
                    will
 
 
engage in a
                    spectacular march past and a combined surf
                    rescue event.

                    Lady life-savera
                    will give a display of the methods of the Royal Life Saving
                    Society.
 

Large entries have
                  been received for the
                  senior and junior suri races, the entrants including the State champions and leading New South Wales surf swimmers.
 
 
Other interesting
                  events will be a surf boat race, canoe race, surf board display, and a chariot race.

                  If big surf is
                running the big "Duke"
                  surf board experts are expected to give a thrilling
                  display, efficiency
                  in this branch of surfing having advanced rapidly during the past season or two.
 
 

Trove
1934 'BIG PROGRAMME', The Courier-Mail (Brisbane, Qld. : 1933 - 1954), 1 January, p. 13. , viewed 02 Jul 2016,
http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article1156063

The West Australian
Perth, 2 January 1934, page 4.

Beaches and All Sports Very Popular.

...
At Scarborough surf boards seemed even more in evidence than usual.

The beaches of the Swan had their full quota of visitors, more particularly family parties.

Today many will awaken sore and sorry, but yesterday nobody had any thought of the morrow.

Trove

1934 'THE HOLIDAY.', The West Australian (Perth, WA : 1879 - 1954), 2 January, p. 4. , viewed 02 Jul 2016,
http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article32781873

Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners' Advocate
3 January 1934, page 9.

NEWCASTLE SURF CLUB
...
TAREE OLD BAR CARNIVAL.

                    Arrangements are well in hand for the Taree Old Bar
                    carnival on January 14.
 
Four cars will
                    leave on Friday night and three on Saturday morning,
                    and a motor-lorry will leave on Saturday morning
                    about 11.45. 
...
 
 

Surf board riders to represent the club will be E. Lambert, H. Scott. A. Sargent and E. McMichael.

Trove
1934 'SWIMMING', Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners' Advocate (NSW : 1876 - 1954) , 3 January, p. 9. , viewed 02 Jul 2016,
http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article139885401

New Call
Perth, 4 January 1934, page 15.

COMING IN ON THE ROLLERS

SURF BOARDS were very busy over the holidays,
and though the surf was not as vimful as it might have been,
bathers had lots of fun.

ON THE CREST OF A WAVE

A FAIR SURFER revels in the thrills of the foaming surf on

a rubber "board."

Trove
1934 'COMING IN ON THE ROLLERS', New Call (Perth, WA : 1931 - 1934), 4 January, p. 15. , viewed 02 Jul 2016,
http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article210853067

The Newcastle Sun
6 January 1934, page 1.

Surf Boards For Hollywood Beauties

ON THE SHORES of Santa Monica (California)
beach beauties are learning to do pretty things with surf-boards which recently have been 'discovered,'
as aids to enjoyment in the breakers.

Trove

1934 'Surf Boards For Hollywood Beauties', The Newcastle Sun (NSW : 1918 - 1954), 6 January, p. 1. , viewed 02 Jul 2016, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article165069047

Table Talk
Melbourne, 11 January 1934, page 3.

And I Wish That I Were There!

Those who are unfortunate or foolish enough to be working in Melbourne will cast envious eyes at these scenes.

On the top left [below] is a surfing "team" at Lorne with their outsize in surf boards.

They have trained themselves to ride it in on the surf together.

[Right] ... the surfers are a couple at Anglesea. Miss M. Penny and Mr R. Curtis.

Trove
1934 '"And I Wish That I Were There!"', Table Talk (Melbourne, Vic. : 1885 - 1939), 11 January, p. 3. , viewed 02 Jul 2016, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article147260376

The Newcastle Sun
8 January 1934, page 2.

[Photographs]

THE SURFO PLANE, latest invention for shooting the breakers, is becoming increasingly popular on the beaches.
This photograph shows a youngster at Newcastle Beach with his inflated raft.

ITS A GRAND AND GLORIOUS FEELING. — Two lads shooting the breakers on their surfo plane.

HANG ON AND KEEP COOL — The surfo plane will do the rest.

Trove
1934 'No title', The Newcastle Sun (NSW : 1918 - 1954), 8 January, p. 2. (PICTORIAL SECTION), viewed 02 Jun 2016,
http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article165073323

The Evening News
Rockhampton, Queensland, 11 January 1934, page 3.

In The Surf

Dr. Ernest Smithers's Invention.

THE SURFOPLANE

                    For eight years Dr. Ernest Smithers, of Macquarie street, literally walked on" air, and then came to earth this summer with an
                    invention which is destined to introduce a huge people to one of the world's cheapest and most thrilling sports, to save many lives, and to carry Australia's name into every corner of the earth!   
 

His invention is a rubberised surfoplane, or a rubber oblong"bag;" corrugated, and designed scientifically so that it can do all

the work of a surfboard - and more.

STRANGELY enough, although surfoplanes will replace surf-board's, they do not in the least resemble them (writes John Willams in the Sydney "Telegraph').

Overseas manufacturers years ago, realising that the heavy surfboards of wood, dangerous on crowded beaches, must be replaced by something offering the same thrill's without the danger, copied the design of the boards into rubber.

But the principles that operate in wood, will not in rubber.

Surf floats in all shapes and sizes were made in rubber but, still the boards remained - the thrill supreme.

Dr. Smithers, who lives at Bondi, and is a keen surfer, eight years ago started experimenting with rubber surf 'planes.
He has made hundreds of different types.
"Our home was littered with rubber bags, yellow, pink, blue, red, and all shapes and sizes," the doctor recalls.

"We stumbled over and walked and slept on them for years.

We talked about nothing else at meal times.
We lived on air!

DR. ERNEST SMITHERS,
Inventor of the surfoplane.

I was determined to evolve the correct type.

World medical statistics show that nose, ear arid antrum troubles are worst in Sydney because here we surf so much that the sand penetrates and causes the troubles.

"The measurements of our perfected surfoplanes are 35 inches long by 27 with a buoyancy (which is the secret) to support the heaviest person afloat.
"I discovered these proportions through an accident I had with a copy in rubber of an actual, surf board.

It snapped in half in the surf, and I found I raced ashore on one half, riding the breakers faster and straighter than I could on a

board!

"Those few seconds of practical experience taught me more than years and years of research.

And the result is what we have to-day- a faultless safety surfoplane."

The benefits of a surfoplane, as I saw at Bondi yesterday are: First, because of its lightness and cheapness it brings the sport within the grasp of old and young.

I saw a baby boy of 11 months afloat on one and a few yards away a bearded man of 74 recapturing lost youth with an other!

Surfboards in the hands of hundreds of swimmers racing through a crowd of thousands in the water would be dangerous - bumps, bruises, and injuries."

But surfoplanes, which are blown up by the mouth to only 21b. pressure, cannot inflict even a scratch.

For years old and young have sat on the sands and envied the owners of surfboards their thrills and spills out on the rollers, but surfoplanes1have, broken down the exclusiveness of surfboards.

Anybody who can swim can "shoot" the breakers now.

 
And surfoplanes
                    keep the
                    head out of water, enabling you -to see where you are going and banishing the cause of antrum and
 
other head
                    troubles.
 And they are great fun as rafts for children in smooth water. 
 
They give the
                    kiddies confidence.
 
Already this
                    season many people who

                    have got into difficulties owe their lives to surfoplanes.

Each can support six men clinging to it like a lifebelt.

The idea is: If you see a person in trouble give him (mostly her I) the closest surfoplane and then tow him - to safety.

Surfoplanes give colourful pep to a crowded beach because, they are painted canary yellow, the colour which stands out best in the water.

And they are useful as protection against the fierce sun and cold winds, and as beach cushion and tables.

Dr. Smithers, through his marketing partner, Mr. Frank Knight, has obtained the exclusive rights to rent surfoplanes on all the metropolitan beaches from Palm Beach to the south coast

At Bondi, for example, Stan McDonald, well-known life-saver and patrolman, has forsaken his beach work to rent them.

And from his stall to the surf there is a canary yellow bee-line of young, and old racing back and forth with their surfoplanes.

Dr. Smithers shortly will go abroad with his all-Australian invention, which already is giving work to many Australians.

He will visit Hawaii and the .U.S.A., and then Europe and "everywhere there is a drop of water in which people swim!"

Every surfoplane will be branded "Australian surfoplane" and there is no reason why enterprising young Australians should not go abroad an become selling and renting agents for them on foreign beaches.

Trove
1934 'Riding On Air In The Surf', The Evening News (Rockhampton, Qld. : 1924 - 1941), 11 January, p. 3. , viewed 02 Jul 2016, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article201261201

The St George Call
Kogarah, 12 January 1934 , p. 5.

SWIMMING
CRONULLA SURF L.S. CLUB.
(By E.C.S.)

At North Bondi surf carnival last Saturday the champion Cronulla surf boat crew silenced the critics by winning
the senior surf boat race after a wonderful exhibition of oarsmanship.
Their performance is also meritorious considering that it was the first occasion the crew selected had rowed together under stroke Jack Toyer, who himself was making his first appearance in competitive events this season.
...
Another pleasing exhibition was the second place of R. Holcombe and R. Bennett using the double "surf ski" in the canoe race. They were only narrowly beaten and when they get some more experience they should prove tough nuts to crack in events of this
nature.

Trove
1934 'SWIMMING', The St George Call (Kogarah, NSW : 1904 - 1957), 12 January, p. 5. , viewed 23 Dec 2016,
http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article232212102

The Australian Women's Weekly
Saturday 17 February 1934, page 24.

Another young Sydney man going abroad shortly is "Blue" Russell, who leaves in April to study certain details concerning the wool industry in Germany.

With possible family connections with the Australian wool industry, and thus the interest of Sydney society pages, Russell later travelled to Hawaii to compete at the Pacific games in 1939.

Healdsburg Tribune, Enterprise and Scimitar
Number 35, 8 March 1934, page 6.

Out For A Ride

Big bad waves hold no terror for this little Connecticut visitor in Hawaii.
The tiny miss holding the big surfboard is an expect on the tricky craft,
and she is said to be Hawaii’s youngest surf rider.

California Digital Newspaper Collection,
Center for Bibliographic Studies and Research, University of California, Riverside.
http://cdnc.ucr.edu
Healdsburg Tribune, Enterprise and Scimitar, Number 35, 8 March 1934, page 6.

The Sydney Morning Herald
13 March 1934, page 14

AUSTRALIANS FOR ENGLAND.

Mr John S. Hoskins, managing director of Empire Speedways Ltd will leave for England tomorrow

He will bring back for the next Australian season the British team.
He Is pioneering another Austrailan sport in England and the Continent.
He will introduce the surf o planes which have become so popular on the Australian beaches.

Trove
1934 'AUSTRALIANS FOR ENGLAND.', The Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842 - 1954), 13 March, p. 14. , viewed 02 Jun 2016, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article17066180

The Courier-Mail
Brisbane, Monday 2 April 1934, page 11.

LIFE SAVERS' BUSY DAY

Rescues at Burleigh

FOUR CLUBS AT WORK

BURLEIGH HEADS, April 1.

Spectators at the surf carnival this afternoon were provided with plenty of thrills, when spectacular rescues were effected a short distance from where the surf competition was being held.

The members of four surf life-saving clubs participated in the rescues, and splendid work was done by C. A. Burcher, of Corinda, on his surf ski, a new contrivance for shooting the breakers.

On one occasion when Mr. Burcher went to the assistance of four men who were being swept out to sea, three reels were brought into use, and the surf boat was rushed to the aid of those in the water.
Fortunately the services of the boat were not required, Mr. Burcher and the life-savers were able to bring the men to safety.

Trove
1934 'LIFE SAVERS' BUSY DAY', The Courier-Mail (Brisbane, Qld. : 1933 - 1954), 2 April, p. 11. , viewed 18 May 2016,
http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article1185375

The Gosford Times and Wyong District Advocate
Thursday 7 June 1934, page 15.

Surf-o-Plane Rights

'One of the Public' (Mateham), writes: —

Do Councillors consider they have made a good business deal by granting a monopoly of four beaches to surf-o-planes at 30/- a week.
At Tcrrigal alone, when weather is favorable, there will be 50 of these at 1/- an hour.
I myself consider that the Council has no right to grant a monopoly.
If there must be a monopoly it should go to the life saving clubs.

Trove
1934 'Surf-o-Plane Rights', The Gosford Times and Wyong District Advocate (NSW : 1906 - 1954), 7 June, p. 15. , viewed 02 Jun 2016, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article166945382

The Telegraph
Brisbane, Friday 21 September 1934, page 19.