Great photo by Fiona Murphy of Rhonda Davies, Vic Croawell, Peter Brownhill taken in 1969 at North Narrabeen, with the old clubhouse in the background.
I asked Fiona if the bikers were surfers, along with a few other questions… Yes [according to Fiona] all surfed to some degree. When we weren’t riding bikes or hanging out at the beach, we were probably at the pub!! We were all regulars at all the local pubs, LOL. Workwise, Rhonda worked for an accountant, Vic was a boiler maker, Peter worked for an airline, forget which one. I worked in a shop (that’s me at the beach with Rhonda), Mick Marlin worked at the markets. It was a big mix of people. Lots of the guys were tradies as well.
Photos and notes courtesy of Fiona Murphy.
About 1966 when bikes were taking over from boards for some of us. Rhonda was one of the few girls who rode with the boys. Vic on his Yammy before he got his Triumph Bonneville. Brownie on my first bike, a US 350cc Honda Street Scrambler I bought from a Canadian.
Bikes were fazed out by the cops in the late fifties as rockers and ho-dads caused mayhem. A la Marlon Brando in “The Wild One” movie. Over 250cc’s were as expensive to register as a car.We reserected them when the under 250 CC Jap bikes became available.Every beach had a gang of surfer-bikers riding around in safety gear, shorts, thongs and T-shirts.
mick marlin
25 Jul 11 at 4:32 am
great stuff Mick – Derek Hynd reckons that high powered bikes left a trail of wreckage amongst Newport thrill-seekers in the mid 70s as well. Do you remember any serious accidents or calamity back then…?
Gary Crockett
25 Jul 11 at 12:13 pm
Yeh ! The old North Narrabeen Surf Club in the backgound was the venue for one of the great Saturday night “Stomps” There was Avalon and Manly and a few on the southside. But when the “Sundowners” with Billy Jackson up front ripping out The Shadow’s F.B.I, Round and Round and 36-24-36 in full cry plus any guitar stuff like Pipeline, Walk Don’t Run etc.it was a ripper. Ah, the memories of the 60’s. The “Stomp” was fantastic! Anyone could do it and no dancing teachers required. Always great after a couple of cold ones at the Newport Pub!
Ron Turton
29 Jul 11 at 6:05 am
great snapshot Ron – thanks
Gary Crockett
29 Jul 11 at 1:28 pm