Russell Graham, a master surfboard-maker and a Torquay surfing icon has died at 74.
Through the numerous surfing contacts he developed, Russell found work at Brookvale on Sydney’s northern beaches with Midget Farrelly – Australia’s first world surfing champion. In addition to being a champion surfer, Midget was also a surfboard designer and maker and he taught Russell the essential elements of board making. Russell revered Midget who he considered gave him his career.
Their first Victorian home was at 77 Sunset Strip, Jan Juc, which they bought in Williamstown for $25,000 and had transported to the Surf Coast. Later, they bought an original home in central Torquay, a treasured abode they never moved from.Russell began working at Rip Curl where he glassed and shaped boards for high-profile surfers including Surf Coast surfing legend, Wayne Lynch.
Another of Russell’s lifelong passions was cars and car racing, at which he excelled. His love was hill climbing – car and driver racing the clock. Russell won four Victorian Hill Climb Championships. Of the many cars he owned over the years, his favourite was the yellow Clubman he bought from Donald K. Thompson, the first secretary-general of the Confederation of Australian Motor Sports .
Because of his warmth, his boundless interest in others, and his legendary status within Torquay’s surfing industry and community, Russell became one of the town’s best-known identities, a much-loved personality and part of the town’s fabric. He was hugely respected along the entire Surf Coast and elsewhere. Clear evidence of that was the size of the farewell he was given following his death.
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