A temple to faded glories!
The former home of Billabong GM Dougall Walker, on the beachfront of Casuarina just south of the Gold Coast there, is a lightly run-down monument to the faded glories of that once-great surf brand, at one time a mini millionaire factory for anyone lucky enough to orbit within its radiance.
History tells us, of course, that it all went to hell, as most profitable private biz’s tend to do once they go public, and the brand now operates as a husk of its former greatness.
Dougall Walker, the former pro surfer turned head of Billabong International for eighteen years, quit in 2003, retired briefly three years later, cofounded Firewire surfboards then pivoted into the CEO gig at Volcom Australia.
Three years before he quit Billabong, Dougall scooped up four beachfront blocks at the then-new Casuarina development just south of Kingscliff for two mill and spent three mill building a tennis court, a 12-hole putting green, a pool and a jacuzzi and a five bedroom house on it.
The compound’s three-quarters of an acre is still one of the regions’s largest private beachfront holdings.
Dougall sold 2-5 Chatfield Court, Casuarina, NSW, in 2012 for two-and-a-half mill, about half of what he paid for the whole rig, right about when hubris took Billabong into a three-quarts of a billion dollar loss.
Anyway, it’s for sale again, very little has changed and strolling through the rooms online you get a sense of what it must’ve been like to’ve been rich in 2001 with its Brushbox timber floors, beige walls and cavernous rooms.
Want to buy it or stroll through the ol time capsule, examine here.
Casuarina, and if you’re wondering, features a series of ordinary beachbreaks where Great Whites will sometimes beach themselves. The surfer Rob Pedretti died six years ago in the mouth of a Great White, right in front of Dougall’s old joint.
As Longtom wrote at the timne,
Poor bastard had his leg ripped off in the jaws off a fired up Great White. He did not survive the attack.
Soft, wintery day. You get a lot of them around here this time of year.
Warm sun, high cloud drifting in. Clean babyfood with little cats paws of wind ruffle on it. A fit wiry sixty year old would think of nothing but enjoying a little shred.
Day before the attack was a dreamy day. Head-high sets rifling down the bank. Moderate crowd. The water was stacked with bait. Slivers of cut glass in the morning sun. A yellowtail kingfish the size of a small pony swam straight past me. Crystal clear water.
There’s no safety in that. We’ve learnt the published guidelines on avoiding White shark attacks are straight up BS. They like clear water, sunshine, small surf. The mistaken identity theory was the first casualty. White sharks, we learnt, are curious to aggressive.
What makes a looker, into a circler, into a bumper then a biter we don’t know.
Neither will Rob Pedretti or his buddies that tried to drag him in after the attack. The attack happened around ten am.
Paramedics were there by 10.40. The police cat scrambled from Tweed Heads, went out the bar, turned south, went past Fingal headland, then Kingscliff creek and the rocky reefy corner of the coast before it got to the open stretch of beach in front of a series of resorts and a new suburb called Casuarina.
That took just under an hour. Rob was already gone by then.
Under a blue sheet on the beach, soul hopefully transporting to a more peaceful place.
Threat of GWs, sure, but imagine missing those steps, then going head first into that marble kitchen island. No thanks.
That was a swift pivot from rich white cunts hell waste of money house to bloke killed surfing,,,,,
It’s the demon waiting behind the door for us all etc.
Too many great whites otherwise I might be a buyer
Thought about buying into that development at the time. It promised architectural standards, great place to raise kids etc. But those awful beachbreaks turned me away. The reef, she good, howevs.
Story confirmed it; ‘junky beach break out front’.
House is a small monument to excessiveness, waste, greed, etc, etc.
May the surf industry continue to reap what it’s sowed.
And it sowed, ‘nothing -meaningful’.
I’ll have you know that house has its own putt putt golf course.
Classy!
I think we can carry the laughing at stab, and them having to pull an episode of their poddie off of the air for bad optics, when sam had to harass and harangue the subject of the episode to partake, into this thread. That’s just great storytelling.
The fella really did come across as a tool, although I’m so stupid and gullible that I partially bought his bullshit when he said they didn’t need any other surfers to market their brand because they already had 3 good ones. My initial reaction was , “What about the groms? Or the Grey Hairs?”, but I dismissed those thoughts and foolishly agreed with him.
This was Sam at Stab’s response, which sounds plausible, but let’s face it, is most likely total bullshit:
Hmmm. My fault.
I’ve always really liked Ryan and what he’s done, and I really wanted him on the new show. He wasn’t that keen on the idea because he prefers to operate from the shadows. The only reason he agreed was because we promised he’d get to review the episode before it went live.
I don’t normally share edits before release, but in this case it made complete sense. Ryan had never seen what this new show was going to be, so the plan was always to edit it first and send it over for approval.
We recorded in California, then I disappeared into the desert at Gnaraloo for a few weeks avoiding anyone who had starlink. When I got back into range a few days ago, I received a push notification from the Stab app saying the episode was live.
I checked with the team to see if it’d been sent to Ryan for approval first. It hadn’t. I was mortified.
We pulled it immediately, and it’s now with Ryan for review, exactly as we’d originally agreed. If he’s happy with it, it’ll go live again. If not, we’ll respect that.
sam’s been doing a lot of explainin’ lately – if I had a dime for every time in the last few months he’s said he felt badly, or was sorry, or whatever, etc etc
as someone who’s never met Sam / nor talked to him / nor ever communicated w/ him in any way (other than a couple times he’s responded in the comment section over there) , I generally find him to be an entertaining personality , even when his stuff is layered in bs (e.g., the access journalism stuff from a while back).
But this constant backpedaling / apologizing / feeling sorry or bad or whatever is a little much. I get it, keeping all these surf divas happy so they’ll keep helping you make content is a tough job / hard balancing act, etc. And there’s a big part of me that appreciates the bts and transparency (if that’s actually what it is and not some after the fact bs icing made up to cover the fly in the cake). But for chrissakes …
truth is, I really love the pod when Dane is on it , don’t listen to it at all when he’s not , although I do dip in a little bit if Sam’s on just to keep up w/ things. Guess I’ll have to listen to this one if it ever goes up again.
The episode was nothing special and mostly fluff, although it would still be worth it on an hour long drive.
They included a clip from the Jordy episode of Dane and Jordy discussing “brands” and that was somewhat interesting. As for sam, it must be a nightmare trying to do anything online nowadays where all it takes is 10 commenters to jump in and spin a narrative when there are probably 100 more who were happy and chose to say nothing, because there was nothing to say. It’s probably such a shit job trying to find the balance and keep the keyboard warriors happy.
Also, just went back through some of the Gisele articles from 4 years ago, when BG tried to pivot into profitability, looking for a particular article where Twillsy got a lot of kicks by shitting on all the blowins who arrived at the site via “Gisele Tom algorithm searches” and it was funny. DR was all up in the comments, having a good ol’ time, correcting any mistaken folks who thought that Gisele wasn’t hot. It may be the last thing that Chas and DR have in common, their appreciation for her. Tis such a shame, for them , that the commentariat, led by the pirate Surf Ads, revolted.
I agree with all that. The pods with Dane are very good. Shame he’s stepping back
Yeah, agreed, Dane is a rare treasure.
Smart kid, ol Wheels, writes well, knows all the zeigeisty buzz words, has kept Stab growing despite the collapse of surf industry, mostly through his never diminished enthusiasm for surfing, but his aversion to controversy is an achilles heel. Not that it matters, profitwise, just takes the fun out of things, I think.
I do see how you see his aversion to controversy as diminishing the fun factor, but we all get our kicks in different places. It would seem that he gets his kicks flying around the world surfing good waves on his company’s dime and shining the gloss of the surf industry, which we all know is anything but clean, is what allows him to do so. He doesn’t really talk about his business but Dooma, who is a talker, talks about them going to the far ends of the surf world together.
I love what you do, but I too have a natural fear of and aversion to conflict and would likely have followed sam’s friction-free model instead of the rougher course. To each their own. I realise that I’m soft while some of you are genuinely fairly tough.
I hope that one day you watch all the How Surfers Get Paid episodes. They’re truly quite good. Thanks for keeping the lights on for us here. I miss the real estate articles dearly.
Yeah, well, I’ve spent far too long examining history and can’t help but falling deeper into a nihilistic hole. Hence the years of self-defeating behaviour. I’m very lucky to’ve found Charlie to spiral with. Wheels’ model for life far more successful than mine, I’d agree.
And that’s where your good self brought the spice to the dish.
Sounds plausible enough. As far I can tell these new episodes are the first time he’s showing himself in front of the camera on surf content. I’ve seen him on mainstream, Aussie podcasts before but he’s always stayed behind the camera on stab stuff up until now.
Oh who was the interview with? And what so incendiary within?
Welcome back. Just today I was enjoying your defence of the gorgeous Gisele, from four years ago, who you once met on a beach, from the ogres in the comments section who were saying that she didn’t look lovely. Did you ever get to chat with Jennifer Hawkins? She was a true sweetheart and was the same age (20) when she passed through the Caribbean as when you met Gisele.
The interview, the second with sam now in front of the camera, was with Ryan Hurley who sam has harangued for many months to take part, having failed to get Bob Hurley on camera. He and Dooma were trying to get a bit of “ inside baseball” about the beginnings and current state of Florence. I know the beginnings already as I’ve listened to Jamie Brisie’s pocast with Bob Hurley for the TSJ podcast. That was actually pretty good.
Ryan came across as slightly cryptic, very noncommittal to answering simple questions (such as if you had unlimited budget which surfer would you get on the brand) (or if you could ride for any surfboard company, surf brand and wetsuit company which three would you choose) and a bit of a douche. I, myself, am not a douche so I had no real problem with the interview because it takes all types; and he’s an industry leader while I’m poor. No issues.
But the stab commentariat, according to some of our esteemed brothers who have accounts over there, had a problem with his answers and called him out as being a kook. In hindsight, he did come across a bit that way but i think he just didn’t want to say the wrong things. It was VERY unlike the episodes of HSGP where the subjects are being forthright and we do get a lot of ‘inside baseball’ about the industry. I know you’re likely not a fan of a the guy but those 16 episodes are some of the most honest stuff to ever come out of the surf industry, and clearly has allowed the airing , and healing, of some old wounds. Communication. For example in the episodes about board companies Ando seemed very bummed by Hayden and the deal that he feels he should have gotten and now in a recent episode Ando only had very good things to say about his HS boards so I think that Hayden has made sure to give him new revenue opportunities (either backpay or increased revenue on newer models).
So did you get to meet Ms Universe? Our local Ms.Universe has a smile that could light up the horizon, and used to be one of the only moms who would bring her son down to the local pointbreak to get surf lessons when it was small. A wonderful lady, smart as a tack, but definitely not Jen Hawkins hot.
Well, first, thank you for the comprehensive breakdown. Sounds like ol Ryan played defence so hard he, like England at the Cup, got schooled. Jen? Bumped into her once, got swallowed by her smile, but no follow up. Sam asks real good questions, I think, and have seen bits of the How Surfers Get Paid series although a follow-up series, maybe by us and reflective of the times, is warranted, How Surfers Don’t Get Paid. Thought Ando was a bit sooky about the Hyptos and Hayden.
Fair play about Ando, although I guess he just felt like he got the short end of the stick ; which we’ve all felt at different times whether we were right or not. It can make us all act a bit sooky. I thought he had a point, but that’s the socialist in me and I’m likely wrong. I just love that the airing of the laundry ( open communication) has once again brought clarity. I’m a big fan of communication, something that humans are still fairly bad at. I’ve seen one or two other examples of that happening with that series such as with Taj and his boards and some others that I can’t now recall.
I was surprised by the complaint. I thought his experience going into business might’ve given him a little better angle on how enterprise works. The same thought frame could be applied to Quiksilver asking for a partial refund for the million(s) they gave him to begrudgingly wear their trunks and tees ’cause his image didn’t sell enough prod to balance the ledger.
Equity is a privilege and not a given.
I also remembered another, what I thought to be, disingenuous answer by Hurley . They asked him who he thought had moved the most product in the history of the surf industry. I liked his answer of Duke Kahanamoku, and the justification he gave was things such as restaurants and what not.
What he didn’t want to say and what they wouldn’t call him out on is that Kelly Slater has clearly moved more surf product than anybody else in the history of the sport when you consider how big Quik grew in the time he was there with him being the face of the brand. They would have still been massive without him, but not the same brand. Almost every major surf product he has put his name to has been a seller. I do agree that by the time that Dane, Jordy and John got their big contracts that Kelly was no longer the main seller but he had already made his financial mark. To pretend it’s anybody else is just wanting to ignore the obvious.
Some surfers aren’t really surfers
I resemble that remark
my 18 yr old self would be totally perplexed at my current life – a mix of impressed, confused and w/ lots and lots of questions (including, why the hell is she sleeping w/ you, you lifeless old wanker!)
LEGENDARY! My boys abuse me relentlessly about how my destroyed body is capable or even bothers to paddle out, ride a mtn bike or climb a mtn in the winter. I shoot them a middle finger regularly and keep at it while sleeping with their patient mother who participates in the aforementioned activities.
this is livin’ , ha
I’d never considered the ‘I rooted yo moma last night’ retort in this context.
The always proper Mrs Madeoff sent the boys into serious embarrassment a few months ago with an innuendo about nailing me after they questioned my ever-declining sporting skills. They may not recover from this once in a lifetime comment from her.
10 mil and no view???
But look at all those throw pillows!
And golfing practice lawn!
Sprawling empty rooms completely devoid of personality. Yep, it’s the perfect monument to the surf industry.
… screams ‘beige gooch’:
eternally ‘beached’ between creativity, potential & pleasure, and excrement.
I live in a boat on stumps. Got holes in me uggboots like a two bit street whores pumps.
the dinghy resides in the carport ready in case of a class war.
gotta knife so’s I can snort the K borg
and no I’m not movin up north.
flesh eating asteroids cruise the jellied atmosphere up there. There’s no way I’m living with them.
if cancerous hordes are buying up boards . and land and houses thinking they’ve scored. Good night to them they should go for a swim.
as soon as the contract is signed in red ink.
Pretty good, Deeks. More of that.
I’m working on a melody. This needs to get in front of the WSL top brass.
Do the big sharks out front cost extra or are they included in the price of the property?
Dunno, but make sure you ask the landholders what the true direction of the devil wind is.
I can ask Craig – he knows everything about “devil winds”, especially for places he has never been!
Billabongs for the fucking girls !!
Fucking hell Dez, real estate, shark attacks and all within 5 mins of where I live, I am on sensory overload bruz! We actually call Casuarina either The Northern Beaches or Melbs round here cuz its fucking chockablock of soft cock, fancy blowins from either Sydney or Melbourne who do nothing but sook like fuck about the lack of anything they were used to in their sad former city lives xx
Sounds like Yalls or Dunsborough
Just an extension of the goldie chunks
Yeh thats pretty true but Fingal, Kingy, Caba and Potty have completely different vibes
Where is the surf performance centre ? Don’t they hit the beachies with their jet ski regularly? So good to pay $10M for a house and all you do is hear the buzz of those pests all day. We get it in summer a bit but it’s getting better now the foil board MAMILs have gone electric rather than towing each other in.
Casuarina mate
Might be time to move to the US where the government hasn’t ruined the fisheries and you can surf while the juvenile whites frolic just beyond the break. Come on CS, head north!
Haha what yous ride over there is not what I call surf Picard, and I also fucking hate the cold mate!!
Well SC I would have thought that you’d be tougher than what you’re projecting. I love my 3/2 and my shorty so maybe some time in the US would be good for you?
‘Merican Cunt doesn’t have the same ring to it.
Seppo wanker or softcock sounds pretty sick though but
Speaking of sad. Been seeing Negs over at Stab a bit. Throwing in the odd comment in the void of soft cocked punches. My take? Just think the confidence is low and trying to get his reps up over there before he enters the gladiator pit again. Showing his face here is going to take time but we should welcome him with open arms when that time does come.
the stab comment section is … something else
Honestly. Might be my last year over there.
Hard edged?
I think he means that they’re a bunch of delusional muppets. He can correct me if I’m wrong.
nailed it
no edged
Miss the old coot
https://uploads.disquscdn.c…
Miss that guy.
Real nice man, miss too.
good take
Wrong man to ask about this topic Mr Bond
lol
From “Omg, I love this quaint little town, let’s move here” to “this place is so backwards, let’s change everything about it”
in 12 months flat.
Nailed it, pack of complete cunts
Where you, Banora Point?
Kingy mate and the real one not south Kingscliff like the real estate agents and flogs are trying to call Salt these days !!
Ain’t it crazy that Kingy’s stretch of sand is so much better than the ones out front of Dougie’s ol joint. You think the Reef that shall not be named messes with the flow?
Yeh it holds all the sand in there from south swells so the banks get sooooo good when we get any swells from the east.
If I ever come back we’ll meet up at Salt Bar and Bistro for a posh feed and a game of squash.
https://maps.app.goo.gl/5vuczd6MReEVuUSy7?g_st=ic
Just use Google Maps to find a pool filled with tossed Laptops in the area (due to Ethan Ewing’s heat strategy)
… better be at least two established purveyors of cheap, illegal ciggies nearby, or my 10 mil remains in my sky-rocket cunt!
Haha no dramas on that score bruz
Let’s all agree they are very ordinary beach breaks
Very apt as BB was a pretty average product.
But so much joy to be had so nearby!!
At the Pubs?