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The Moffateers Oral History
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Collection SummaryIn 1974, the inaugural 'Pa' Bendall Memorial Contest was organised as a mark of respect for the Charles Ben (Pa) Bendall. 'Pa' is the grandad of surfing in Queensland. He and wife Marjorie (Ma) settled in Caloundra in the 1950s. They lived at Harmony Court Flats on The Esplanade at Bulcock Beach, which Ma owned. There were only a handful of other surfers living locally at the time and when the couple took up surfing aged in their early 50s, they were the oldest surfers out catching waves, thus the nicknames, Ma and Pa, as they were the mother and father of surfing on the Sunshine Coast. Pa formed the invitational 'Moffateers' in 1966 as a club to promote integrity and sportsmanship in the sport of surfing. He encouraged the surfing youth of the Sunshine Coast to maintain their good character, by offering them free membership to the club. Using the club contests as training and conditioning for more challenging contests, Pa encouraged the young Moffateers to compete in regional, state and national championships. The contest is a memorial to Pa's enthusiasm for surfing and his efforts in promoting the sport and encouraging the young surfers of Caloundra. The first Pa Bendall Memorial contest was held at Moffat Beach on the 2nd and 3rd February 1974 in three- 4-foot surf. First prize was $1500, the largest prise offered for any Australian surfing contest at the time. The competition attracted every professional surfer in the country including Wayne (Rabbit) Bartholomew, Simon Anderson and Hawaiian legend, Gerry Lopez, as well as hot local talent. The contest has been held for 36 consecutive years (eight years as the Ma & Pa Bendall) by the the WindanSea Board Riders Club. The competition has been a springboard for many young surfers moving into the professional ranks with past winners including Australian and World champions.
Date of interview15/03/2023IntervieweeWayne JonesGeoff NunquamGreg MeinertIan DicksonInterviewerAndy Geddes
Date of interview15/03/2023IntervieweeWayne JonesGeoff NunquamGreg MeinertIan DicksonInterviewerAndy GeddesImage
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CollectionHistory of Surfing on the Sunshine Coast
The Moffateers Oral History. Sunshine Coast Life, accessed 04/04/2026, https://sunshinecoast.recollect.net.au/nodes/view/3672