Charles "Snow" McAlister was Australia's national surfing champion for three years running, starting in 1925. He remained a beloved fixture on Sydney beaches well into the 1980s. The quotes below are taken from his "Surfing With Snow" column, written for Surfing World magazine in 1964.


I've viewed surfing activities at Sydney’s Manly Beach for nigh on 50 years. I’ve seen the lot—surf carnivals, ladies’ march-past team displays, night surfriding contests, on and on—but the finest spectacle to grace the beach over that period was the recent World Surfboard Titles. Over 65,000 people crowded Manly. The beach really erupted on the final day. Strangely enough, a large number of adults were mingling with the usual teenage followers. This trend in wider age group interest, particularly by TV viewers, shows the degree to which the sport is now accepted.


The surf safari arranged after the '64 world titles was most enjoyable. A mingling and surfing get-together of boardriders from around the world, joined by top Australian surfers, this leisurely surf jaunt from Sydney to Queensland's Gold Coast sure impressed the visitors. They were loud in their praise for our surf beaches.

I had the honor of taking a party of four of the best women surfers on this safari, and what a role for an aged bachelor. The party included Phyllis O’Donnell (Queensland), Linda Benson (USA), Jenny Shackley (Western Australia) and Carroll Charlton (Queensland). Naturally, the first stop was Crescent Head. Our arrival was greeted with wild cheers from the already formidable array of surfers assembled there—Joey Cabell (USA), Midget, Max Wetteland (South Africa), Gordon Burgis (Great Britain), Garry Birdsall, Brian Jackson, Bob Evans, John Witzig—enough talent to run another surf title. We rode Crescent all day.

The following morning our giant safari moved on to Angourie. Early morning photos show it was “all time.” This was the first visit to this break by Phyllis O’Donnell and Linda Benson and, like all good surfers, they took time to study the shape and layout of this famous spot, then got right with it, turning on their best display to date, despite the usual fin or two in the rip outside (I have frequently seen fins outside while surfing Angourie).

How the sport has progressed, particularly in the women’s field. One could not imagine a team of women surfriders touring the North Coast and holding their own even a year or so back—it was unheard of. It speaks volumes for the encouragement that has been directed to the women surfers and their ability to accept the challenge, adapt and assert themselves.


It is difficult for present-day surfers to realize that in the Victorian era, bathing in public view was prohibited. All bathing took place in enclosed segregated baths for men and women. Indeed, Manly’s women’s baths were tucked away in the western corner of the harbor beach; the men’s baths in their present position.

Manly had the proud distinction of introducing bodysurfing to Australia. In this respect we honor Tommy Tanna, a South Sea island native—his employer brought him out to attend his garden. Is was Tanna who introduced his island sport of bodysurfing to the Aussies, showing us the art of cracking a wave on the body.



I suppose the most ardent wave-hunters over the years would be the Victorian surfers escaping to the warmer waters of New South Wales. Keenness was essential; long plywood boards had to be transported and roof racks were practically unknown.

An affinity still exists to this day between Torquay and Manly. The friendship between these two surfside cities began in 1925 when a prominent young Manly life-saving club member, A. W. “Sprint” Walker, was transferred to Melbourne. With his enthusiasm, and help from a few N.S.W. men, he encouraged the locals. Long treks on weekends to Portsea and Sorento were the summer program. At these breaks they demonstrated the joys of bodysurfing and boardriding. Out of these journeys grew the Victorian Surf Life Saving Association—Sprint Walker, to this day, is president of that body in Victoria.

Torquay later became the mecca for Melbourne surfers, as well as the rest of the country. No early N.S.W. rider had completed his surfing education until he paid homage to the great Torquay surf, because where else could you see surfboats riding on waves for practice?

Bob Pike in 1958 took his first Malibu board to Torquay, and while he staggered the locals with his new equipment, he confided in me that Torquay was essentially most suited to the long surfboard and surf skis. I bear with Pike, but don’t overlook this beach in your haste to have a crack at its neighboring glamor spot—Bells Beach.


In 1925 I was invited to give a boardriding display at Catherine Hill Bay, near Newcastle. Lock McLaren, Manly surf swimmer, joined me. Our host for the weekend was the coal mine doctor, Dr. Woods. I found suitable waves near the mine jetty.

This safari sounds simple enough, but without road transport as we know it today, you carried your 75-pound surfboard off the Manly Ferry at Circular Quay and bundled it onto a tram. Reaching Central Station, you pleaded with the train guard to take your board.

On arrival at Wyee, an awaiting Ford Model T conveyed you to Catherine Hill Bay. Reverse the above journey and you are back home after an enjoyable weekend surf.

I spoke with the young coal mine apprentices and workers at Newcastle about their surfing interests. The best view they had of the beach was from the elevated mine pit. If good surf was on, even in those early days, attendance for work that day was poor indeed.

I was recently amused when talking with a group of young Sydney surfers. They told me of a terrific new break they had struck—at a place called Catherine Hill Bay.

Snow McAlister

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