Merewether won't be the only place to enjoy the sights and sounds of Surfest this month as foundation sponsor City of Newcastle celebrates the iconic event's 40th anniversary.
A free exhibition at Newcastle Museum will offer an insight into the history of the contest, representing a year-long collaboration between the Museum and Surfest to uncover the stories that make this competition a special part of local, national and international surfing culture.
A crowd of more than 25,000 surfers and fans gather on Newcastle Beach for Surfest in 1986. Chris Patterson, Hannan Photography
The exhibition, titled Newcastle: The City That Made Surfest, will open on Friday 20 March showcasing objects and photographs from the Surfest archives, items loaned from the community, as well as surfboards owned by local surfing legends Mark Richards and Russell 'Russ' Maloney.
CEO Jeremy Bath said City of Newcastle has been part of Surfest every year since its inception.
"Surfest began in 1985 as an initiative of Newcastle City Council, with Council contributing the initial funding to help create the contest," Mr Bath said.
"The success of proud Novocastrian and four-time world champion Mark Richards gave organisers confidence Surfest could work in Newcastle.
"The contest was seen as a way to help Newcastle evolve from its industrial roots and promote its beaches and surf breaks to a new audience. As it celebrates its 40th anniversary, Surfest is now the largest surfing festival in the southern hemisphere."
City of Newcastle's Director Museum Archive Libraries and Learning Julie Baird said the exhibition will highlight the role Surfest has played in shaping our city.
"This exhibition celebrates the Newcastle community that forged the legends and legacies of Surfest in Newcastle and around the world," Ms Baird said.
"It offers new ways to connect the public with stories for and about Newcastle, from the Mark Richards twin-fin surfboard, shaped by the four-time world champion at the family surf shop on Hunter Street, to the posters that were plastered all over the city in 1985."
Other items in the collection include a board that was presented to 14-time Indigenous Classic men's champion Russell Maloney, and the women's trophy that represents Phillipa Anderson, Surfest's first Novocastrian champion.
Sports Infrastructure Working Party Chair Cr Peta Winney-Baartz said City of Newcastle is proud to have fostered an event that champions men's and women's events, junior competitions and the Indigenous Classic.
"Every object tells a story and this exhibition will show how Surfest has made an impact on so many people over four decades," Cr Winney-Baartz said.
"The exhibition features a surfboard commissioned especially for the Indigenous Classic, a cornerstone of the Surfest competition.
"Proud Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander surfers have travelled from across Australia to compete in this event since the late 1990s.
"The exhibition will follow on from City of Newcastle's support for a special mural to celebrate the 40th anniversary, which was painted on the wall of Merewether Surf Life Saving Club last month by Newcastle artist Mitch 'Revs' Resevsky.
"Surfest has always fostered a strong relationship between local organisations and businesses, while the influx of people supports local shops, cafes, retail and other services, boosting our profile as a world-class destination."
Classic footage taken throughout the history of Surfest will also be on display.
Organiser Warren Smith said local support has always been vital to the success of the contest.
"Local media has played a big part in promoting Surfest," Mr Smith said.
"A lot of the earliest footage came from Newcastle's own NBN Television, which broadcast the finals of Surfest live in the early years of the competition."
Fittingly, City of Newcastle has also supported a special documentary produced by NBN, marking the 40th anniversary of Surfest.
It will air on Saturday 7 March ahead of Surfest's WSL Challenger Series event, which will begin on Monday 9 March.
An encore of the documentary will be telecast on Saturday 21 March at 2pm.
