Surfing Walk of Fame
The Australian Surfing Walk of Fame at Maroubra Beach was initiated in 2006 and is the first of its kind in Australia, it recognises and celebrates the outstanding achievements of Australia's leading Surfers and Surf Life Savers. The Australian Surfing Walk of Fame is a prestigious and sought after award within Australia's surfing beach culture. Inductees are highly regarded and considered 'Legends of Surf'.
The Surfers and Surf Life Savers inducted into the Australian Surfing Walk of Fame will have a bronze plaque in recognition of their efforts laid into the promenade at Maroubra Beach at an annual or bi-annual ceremony, preferably associated with a high-profile beach and surfing event.
The 2023 inductees to the Australian Surfing Walk of Fame were announced at Beach Breaks on Sunday 23 July 2023 at 1pm at Maroubra Beach.
2023 Inductees
Layne Beachley AO - Inductee for Surfing
- Association of Surfing Professionals Women’s World Champion 1998-2003, 2006
- Laureus World Alternative Sportsperson of the Year Award 2005
- International Surfing Association World Masters Champion 2011, 2013
- Chairperson for Surfing Australia Since 2015
- World Surf League Masters World Champion 2018
- Midget Farelly Lifetime Achievement Award 2018
- Surfing Hall of Fame Inductee 2006
Brenda Miley - Inductee for Surfing
- Founder and Surf School Director Lets Go Surfing Since 1995
- Founder and President of Bondi Girls Surf Riders Club Since 1999
- Women's Surfing Director and Life Member of Surfing NSW
- John Shimooka Aloha Spirit of Surfing Award 2022
- Bondi Business Woman of the Year 2019
- NSW Tourism Awards Hall of Fame Inductee 2019
- International Women's Day Award Inaugural Recipient 2023
Blake Thornton - Inductee for Surfing
- Qualified and Competed on The World Championship Tour 2010
- O'Neill Cold Water Classic Series Champion 2009
- O'Neill Cold Water Classic
- Cape Town Event Champion 2009
- Australian Open Titles Champion 2005
- NSW Open Titles Champion 2004
- Newcastle Pro Junior Champion 2003
- Billabong Pro Junior Series Champion 2003
Lisa McGuigan (Nee Hardy) - Inductee for Surf Life Saving
- World Champion Open Women’s Board Race 1988
- Pioneered Ironwoman Racing Fosters Ironman 1985
- 1st Woman to Compete in the Kellogg’s Nutri-Grain Endurance Ironman Series 1985 - 1990
- Medallist Australian Open Women’s Board Race 1987
- Medallist Inaugural Australian Open Women’s Board Race 1985
- Outstanding Contribution to Surf Life Saving
Selection Criteria
- Applications are open to individuals, who have won world-class surfing or surf lifesaving championships and/or made a significant contribution to the sport.
- A local Maroubra person will be considered at each event. An individual who either began their surfing/surf lifesaving career at Maroubra or who currently resides, trains or is strongly affiliated with a local surfing association or surf club.
- There is no set number of inductees.
- The selection committee reserves the right to not induct anyone to preserve the high standard of inductees.
Past Inductees
2022
Pam Burridge - Inductee for Surfing
- World Surf Riding Champion 1990
- Australian Women’s Surf Riding Champion 1980, 1981
- NSW Women’s Surf Riding Champion 1979 – 1981
John Holt. OAM - Inductee for Surf Life Saving
- Surf Life Saving Australia Hall of Fame
- NSW Sports Hall of Champions
- UNSW Sports Hall of Fame
- World Ironman Champion 1971, 1974
- Australian Ironman Champion, Junior 1970, Open 1977
- 123 Ironman Events, 95 first places
- Outstanding contribution to Surf Life Saving in competition and administration
Pauline Menczer - Inductee for Surfing
- Women’s Amateur World Champion 1988
- Women’s World Pro Champion 1993
- Women’s World QS Champion 2002
Jacqui Russell - Inductee for Surf Life Saving
- World Champion Open Womens' Surf Race 1988
- Australian Champion Open Womens' Surf Race 1987, 1989
- NSW Sportswoman of the Year 1988
- Australian Surf Life Saving Representative Team to Asia Pacific Championships 1994
2019
Barry Stuart - Inductee for Surf Life Saving
- Australian Life Saving Championships (1958 -1974) seven gold medals
- Australian Life Saving Championships (1957 -1968) seven silver medals
- Australian Life Saving Championships (1954 -1978) six bronze medals
- New South Wales SLSA (1954-1978) 13 gold, eight silver and five bronze medals.
Barry Stuart also represented Australia at the Olympic Games in 1956, 1960, 1964 & 1968.
Tom Carroll - Inductee for surfing
Tom Carroll was inducted in 2019 for his surfing achievements, including:
- Australian Junior Title 1978
- Pro Juniors 1977, 1980
- ASP World Tour Champion 1983, 1984
- Pipe Masters 1987, 1990, 1991
- Twenty-six World Tour Wins
2018
Samantha O'Brien
- Malibu Board Race Australian Champion 1987, 1990, 1991
- Malibu Board Race World Champion 1990
- Inaugural Ella Baché Ironwoman Champion 1991
- Inaugural Australian Ironwoman Champion 1992
Stephen ‘Bullet’ MacKenzie
- Australian Pro Bodyboard Tour Champion 1996, 1997
- Australian Bodyboard Champion 1984, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1995
- Australian Sports Medal 2000
- Pipeline Bodyboard Champion 1997
- Shark Island Bodyboard Champion 1998
Mark ‘Winny’ Windon OAM
- Established Maroubra Southend Boardriders 1985
- Local Maroubra surfing mentor
2017
- Candice Warner (nee Falzon) - 19 Surf Life Saving national medals, NSW Iron Woman Champion 1999 & 2013, Professional Series Coolum 2012.
- Graham “Johno” Johnson - Australian Surf Life Saving Championships 1966 – 1975, Olympian 1972.
- Tony White - GUNSTON 500, South Africa 1977, Stubbies Surf Classic and Coca Cola Surfabout 1977 – 1980, Pioneer of pro-surfing & role model.
- Kevin Davidson - 2SM/Coca Cola Surfabout 1978, Local Maroubra surfing mentor.
2016
- Gordon Merchant AM - Founding member of Maroubra Surfers Association and outstanding contribution to surfing
- Jon Donohoe AM - Australian Surf Race Champion 1955, 1958, 1959, 1961, Australian Surf team representative 1960, 1961 (Captain), Olympian 1956
- Leigh McCleery (nee Habler) - 1st Female Australian Surf Lifesaving Team Captain 1999-2001, Australian Surf Lifesaving team member 1996, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, Olympian 1992
2015
- Steve ‘Blackie’ Wilson - Pro surfer, big wave charger and local Maroubra legend
- Jessi Miley-Dyer - World Junior champion 2003, 2005, Billabong Pro Maui Champion 2006, World Number 4, WCT 2006-2011
- Walter Brown - Olympic Bronze Medallist 1956 K2 10,000 metres, Australian Surf Ski Champion 1953 &1956
- Ron McKeon - Australian Surf Live Saving Champion Cadet Surf 1976, Junior Surf 1977, 1979, Open Surf 1980, Open Belt 1984, Olympian 1980 & 1984
2014
- Mark Scott - 1980 World Surfing Champion and outstanding contribution to surf life saving
- Dennis Green - Australian Surf Life Saving Champion
2013
- Grant Kenny - OAM World Ironman Champion and Outstanding contribution to surf life saving
- Tony Seddon - Australian Surf Life Saving Champion and outstanding contribution to surfing
- Lynette MacKenzie - World Surfing Champion
2009
- Dennis Heussner - OAM Captain Australian Surf Life Saving Team 1970-1971
- Karla Gilbert - World Ironwoman Championship 2000-2002
- Larry Blair - 2SM/Coca Cola Surfabout Championship 1978
- Mark Richards - World Surfing Championship 1979 – 1982 Inductees Inductees Australian Surfing Walk of Fame at Maroubra Beach
2006
- Snow McAlister - Outstanding contribution to surfing
- Nat Young - World Surfing Champion
- Midget Farrelly - World Surfing Champion 1964
- Barry Rodgers - Australian Ironman Champion 1967, 1968, 1969
Last Updated: 2 August 2023