Novocastrians are in for a wave of nostalgia as Newcastle Museum hosts a free exhibition celebrating Surfest’s 40th anniversary.
Titled Newcastle: The City That Made Surfest, the showcase explores the iconic event’s history and its impact on local, national, and international surfing culture.
The exhibition opens on Friday, 20 March, featuring photographs, memorabilia, and surfboards from the Surfest archives. Highlights include boards owned by four-time world champion Mark Richards and 14-time Indigenous Classic men’s champion Russell ‘Russ’ Maloney.
Community-loaned items and historic posters from the 1985 inaugural contest also offer a glimpse into the festival’s early days.
The exhibition also celebrates Surfest’s role in fostering inclusivity in sport, showcasing trophies for pioneering women competitors like Phillipa Anderson, Newcastle’s first female champion, and a surfboard commissioned for the Indigenous Classic.
Surfest began in 1985 as an initiative of Newcastle City Council, with funding aimed at promoting the city’s beaches and surf breaks.
Over four decades, the festival has grown into the largest surfing festival in the southern hemisphere, attracting competitors and spectators from across Australia and beyond.
The event has long championed junior competitions and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander surfers, highlighting the festival’s broad community impact.
Classic footage from the competition’s history will be on display, with much of the early coverage captured by Newcastle’s own NBN Television. A special documentary produced by NBN to mark the 40th anniversary aired on Saturday, 7 March, followed by an encore screening on Saturday, 21 March at 2 pm.
Newcastle: The City That Made Surfest runs from 20 March at Newcastle Museum. Entry is free, and visitors can explore the exhibition alongside the ongoing WSL Challenger Series event, which kicked off on Monday, 9 March. You can find out more via newcastle.nsw.gov.au.
