Surfing milestone: Marking 110 years since The Duke came to Cronulla

Surfing Sutherland Shire plans to commemorate the 110th anniversary of the visit to Cronulla beach of the world’s most celebrated waterman, Duke Kahanamoku.
The special event will take place at North Cronulla Beach on February 15. Words: Murray Trembath / Images: John Veage

Duke Kahanamoku, a celebrated Hawaiian swimmer and surfer, visited Sydney in 1914-15. Between his Olympic medal-winning feats, Kahanamoku travelled internationally performing swimming and surfing demonstrations. It was during this period that he popularised the sport of surfing in Australia.

Surfing Sutherland Shire President John Veage said it was an honour for the Duke to paddle out at Cronulla and for it to also be the first Australian surf spot where the Americans surfed their Malibus in 1956.

“Even if you’re not into history it’s a great story of how surfing came to Cronulla,” he said.
During his stay in Sydney, ‘The Duke’ – as he became known – constructed a board from solid sugar pine and with it famously performed ‘Hawaiian-Style surf shooting’ at Freshwater Beach on December 24, 1914.

On February 7, 1915 Duke Kahanamoku and his party were met at Sutherland Station by members of the Cronulla Surf Lifesaving Club.
They went on a sightseeing tour to Waterfall, returning to the National Park for lunch at Audley.

Photo caption: Marking the 100-year celebration of The Duke’s visit to Cronulla are Adam Brown, World surfing champion Peter Townend, Mark Speakman MP, and then Sutherland Mayor Kent Johns. Photo: John Veage

A launch then took Duke Kahanamoku and the others up the river to Cronulla where the beach was packed with people.
An impromptu surf reel race was staged before Kahanamoku took to the water at the ‘Big Beach’ (North Cronulla) for an exhibition of surfboard riding – standing upright, standing on his head, diving off, twisting the board.

“It all looked so ridiculously easy,” reported the St George Call, “and so it was to the Duke, but local men, who tried after came to the conclusion that they had a lot to learn about the game.”

The day ended with tea at Cronulla’s clubhouse followed by music where the guests of honour entertained sang Hawaiian songs with Duke Kahanamoku strumming on his ukulele.

Duke left one of his surfboards behind with a Cronulla SLSC member, Ron Bowden, which has never been found, but it sparked a new level of interest in board riding on Sydney’s southern beaches.

Surfing Sutherland Shire will have an historic wooden surfboard exhibition on February 15 at Peryman Place from 9am-noon, including the replica Duke surfboard that was created for the 100th anniversary in 2015.