“So I wouldn’t be putting the surf industry as a pillar of the economy.”
And so Kelly Slater’s Surf Ranch is… just kidding! But I am proud that BeachGrit’s Founders’ Cup coverage rivaled only BeachGrit’s menstruation-gate coverage in breadth and depth. Wall to uterine wall. But today let’s move on from Lemoore, California. Let’s fly all the way down to Torquay, Australia very near Geelong and its Cats. For it is here that the surf industry is in the throes of economic retreat. It is here that tears are ready to flow without stopping for it is here that iconic Quiksilver, founded here in 1969 is moving in with new girlfriend Billabong up to Burleigh Heads.
Torquay is struggling with the potential break-up but its most famous son, and wonderful surfboard shaper, Maurice Cole is there with words of encouragement. And let us read from the local broadsheet.
At last month’s Surf Coast Shire meeting, in a question about the impact of growth on Torquay, Mr Cole used Quiksilver as an example of how Torquay’s surf industry was struggling and that the shire should not rely on surfing as a major economic driver.
“As you know, surfing is now going backwards. The market has declined significantly – I’m sure you’re all aware that Quiksilver will be moving to Burleigh Heads – so there is no growth in the surf industry in Torquay. In fact, it’s deteriorated by 50 per cent in the last five years; that’s the turnover of the companies.
“So I wouldn’t be putting the surf industry as a pillar of the economy.”
Shire general manager of environment and development Ransce Salan did not directly address Quiksilver in his answer, but said the existing Council Plan identified the need to support key industry sectors such as surfing and tourism.
He said the draft 2018/19 budget (adopted by the council at the same meeting) contained a request to undertake an economic development and tourism strategy in 2018-2019.
“This strategy will identify key current and emerging sectors and provide actions to drive the economy and create jobs.”
Oh. Those words don’t sound too encouraging. And now back to Lemoore!
Just last week ,I was surfing the surf coast on a sometimes good spot,and a “world famous” shapers son , drop ins on me,before I could pay him back, someone drops in on poor him and he sends them him in with a ‘ if you can’t duck dive best you go in line’
This a classical Torquay form,at the moment that has be come the norm.
Maybe I shold get a job at quick silver ,(slowgold),and move too France ,fade all the locals there at hossg..
“Lord of the rings” who will carry the ring to mordor? Who is worthy? As proven by the grotesquely long trilogy, no group can accomplish said task.
of course it is. i was just calling it like i see it
beachgrit is the gay bar of surf journalism
does that make you horny?
no.
why do ask? does it make you horny? nice psychological projection
I just thought you were thinking or fanaticising that BG was a gay bar?
You would know , with your gay ekky raves in the cave , back in margz before you got run out of town
gee lindy , what’s your problem with Gays , can’t you find a nice girl friend and settle down , was it you that ran me out of town as women seem to do that all the time, and I know you feel spurned about not being invited to the cave , all you had to do was declare your joyful , gayful self no problems ghere dear!
I had a wise ass reply typed out but then the spliff kicked in and dylan is in the background singing something about desolation row. I think i’ll just type that I hope you are well and surfing as much as often.
I thought you were coming onto BG as you thought it was a gay barsite?
still projecting
Take your life into your hands walking the streets these days with Chinese driving down the wrong side of the road.Haven’t seen them yet, but I heard there is going to be digital traffic signs on the Great Ocean Road in Chinese. Lovely.
Haha, but also sad
Just read some of the mainstream surf media coverage of Lemoore.
Christ Almighty, what a fucking snooze fest.
Talk about being dammed with faint praise.
They got more hits with Chris Hemsworth surfing there!
Why is Waco in such good favour?
MC passing financial advise , fuck me this is the same stoner that has fucked up more buisness deals than anyone living in Tourqay , i suggest MC sticks to doing what he does best , getting stoned.
Sounds good to me. Pass the bong Linda.
Ok deepus throatus ! Tourquay , never lived there , but you must be one of those wannabe surfers who was told , ” if you can’t fucken duck dive , get up those stairs,NOW before you get hurt!”
Pot calling the kettle black , MC has fucked up my buisness deals than he has succeeded in , and now he telling the shire how to run thier books , he would be better of doing what his is best at , getting fucked up.
ha it’s you Rance , see you in council , in a week we actually have busted you bullshitting us!
Rensce Salbas… sounds a little too much like Reince Prebus….
A little too close for comfort.
Please present your conspiracies, thank you in advanced.
Maurice looks like tom araya from slayer,
I legit thought it was Tom before I actually clicked the story. aaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhrrrrrrr!!!
Cool…Nothing wrong with that.
Am i the only surfer proudly flying the 80s Thrash flag?
Or did grunge come back into fashion?
This is too close to drugs for you. Please step away.
Should have titled this
“The Mercurial Musings of Maurice Cole: The Plundered Pillar That Was Quiksilver”
Greeny’s love of horses exceeded his love of surfing. Cigarettes also quite a passion. And those grey ill-fitting suits. What a man.
In fairness, that’s me doing that… those that don’t take the time to pick an avatar get given one, and its always terrible.
Sunnies, coming your way !
Lets just build Lemoore in Torquay and all will be sweet
Alan Green and John Law
John bought in a bit later , Greeny actually had a guy called Brewster Everit at the start!
I just love it when civil servants get involved with planning economic growth.
A fuck up every single time !
Empire building with the weight of federal law and a raft of local bylaws to support and protect them and their mistakes. All backed up by the consultative process.
Good luck, Torquay. You and your rates are gonna pay for it.
They are very good at writing reports of all flavours containing big numbers and making wild predictions. Just lick the stamp and send me my rates ya chumps! And the reminder notice. And the legal letter.
And meetings.
Ahh yes a meeting !
With minutes and agendae ! And tabling of reports !
Discussions ! Further reports and recommendations to seek and commission !
Budgets to be decided and agreed upon !
And a good old fashioned lunch !
A meeting ! By God, Yes !
You’ve worked for a council obviously.
Fuck never mate. I would last about 3 seconds or 3 feet, whichever came first.
But I know how the game is played.
Three pints at least, then I’m the fuck outta there
Do you think BG has meetings? I’d like to attend one. I think I’d walk away much happier than beforehand. For various reasons.
Yea, mate. You’re officially invited, brother Tomas.
First order of business is to wipe out the advertising income on the bar.
Next order – we’ll take out a fucken great loan to ensure our worker mignons will have to keep providing for us. Then we’ll drink that too.
All in agreement ? Fucken Oath.
Right, let’s get started, A round over here – and keep em coming.
Good ideas! I recall Chas and Derek were desperately seeking bar jobs not so long ago. I propose they serve us drinks.
Mate, they’ll be too busy repaying that filthy great loan we’ve just taken out and booked up to BG. Bar job ain’t going to cut it.
And if they fuck around repaying – I propose we take out another. And charge them interest on top.
Can I shout another round ? Course I can. Whatcha having Tomas ?
I’ll take another beer, thanks Astro. None of that craft shit that smells like flowers and none of that beer for peasants either. Also, let’s get another loan and rack some lines up!
I second that.
No prob but we’ll leave the hooty tooty til after the meetings adjourned.
Can’t get called into question for acting irresponsibly.
Love council meetings.
Take minutes…waste hours.
Ha – Very good !
Late to to the party here, but as someone engaged in the said field (hence the lateness) I can assure you it’s a cluster fuck of misguided but well meaning intentions, a lack of foresight, petty greed, political pressure, bureaucratic inertia and chaotic events so comedic you’d be hard pressed to believe them.
Thanks for replying.
Matey, having been to war many times with different councils over the years, nothing surprises me anymore.
I am, at the moment involved (again) in a valuation dispute that involves the Crown, the council and a pack of lying, procrastinating lawyers who were charged with the responsibility of land purchase on behalf of the Crown.
A perfect clusterfuck, as I’m sure you can appreciate.
In behind all of that lies an agenda initiated by the Council and their district plan. What that exactly is has yet to be revealed. 5 years now this has been inching along at a huge cost to the taxpayer. In a simple valuation excercise that normal people could sort out in 10 minutes. Seriously – maddening and frustrating.
I will admit to using illegal substances in order to forget about it while they continue to fuck around. I am hopeful a resolution will be reached shortly – probably on the courthouse steps.
I have got dirt on all them – the lying, colluding pack of cunts.
Great handle, btw !
ha wait till you see , what we have found with the Surf Coast Shire , bullshitting the community , and now we have found a loophole in their process’s where it looks like they fucked up so all development will have to be stopped!!
to be con’td
Good luck !
You might want to look at this from a long term point of view.
You may halt them by exposing a loophole. This is just a hiccup for these cunts, Maurice.
They will be back with a revised plan that satisfies all community objectives.
You’re prolly going to need community support to get a satisfactory outcome. (This is always the cheapest best solution. Name and shame is the guts of it with full community support.) But sometimes it’s not an option.
So to the concerned folk of Torquay heres a short brief.
Get the best lawyers you can afford, experienced in civil and Federal/Crown law, you will need one if not two.
Get fully qualified, noted experts in the relevant technical areas that are prepared to stand up in court. You’ll need at least three. They will have at least two.
(You’re prob going to have to look outside of town for these people. The local experts are likely to be compromised by council already.)
Be prepared for a long battle. Councils have in place processes for disputes that must legally be followed before the courts are involved.
The powers of democracy do not like to be proven wrong.
These cunts are steely and grey with the full weight of the law on their side.
Aaannnd the truly sick thing is – you’re all gonna pay for it. They are unstoppable in the final analysis but that’s not to say you can’t force them into a position of compromise on their part.
cheers, a
Good to hear…. If you need anyone to chug South of Heaven or Hell Awaits on their shire steps,give me a shout…
We can alter the lyrics to suit the occasion..
I’m in the Central space, but in previous incarnations of my handle, I had to work closely with district councils – some great people, but in my lands, for the most part a shallow pool of capability to choose from which limits the talent available to populate council positions. Of which, unfortunately leads to an abundance of those who demonstrate ignorance, reticence bordering on paranoia, a lack of initiative, bad decision making and easy capture by their political masters… though not too disimilar to any other power structure.
Unfortunately, I occasionally still get dragged into that tier of government’s problems and it’s painful, so I wish you well – the machine should always be challenged.
I understand. I have met many council officers over the years. Some incredibly bright, smart people. Some not, of course.
But thanks for the sentiment.
I may live to see the situation resolve itself.
Unless I throw the tongue due to heart attack or more likely, cirrhosis of the liver. cheers
We all have our vices. Mine is the masochism of balancing the public good against political ambition, folly, a curiosity around power and a deep seated distrust of government – stressful and a heart attack in waiting – I’m currently in no better field for such things.
That’s straight-talk right there! Love people in the surfing world who wear their heart on their sleeves and aren’t afraid to offer their opinions.
Oh Maurice is very good at sharing his opinion in the water. You can hear him sharing from hundreds of metres away!
Haha classic
Oh just fuck off, Neal. You’re forever whining at me for having opinions.
You are a great writer Jamie, it’s just I don’t consider you part of the “Surf World” haha jus playin my man! Loosen up a bit mate-crack a Michelob Ultra Gold or two and forget about forever. Foreva-Eva
Touché, Neal! And you’re right. The difference, of course, between you and me is that I don’t want to be!
I totally believe you. I’ll be back….I have to take an Inertia