A swell exhibition

Western Australia big wave photographer Russell Ord is himself captured in action at a bombora 1km out to sea in heavily shark-infested waters by his friend, fellow surf photographer Tony Warrilow.

Tony Warrilow

AS THE Centenary of Australian Surfing Photography exhibition at Yamba Museum winds down this weekend, there will be no rest for the exhibition as there are plans for it to travel throughout Australia.

Exhibition co-ordinator Debrah Novak said the exhibition went way beyond her wildest dreams with many people coming to support the exhibition.

While Ms Novak was unable to make contact with a living relative of Osric Notley, the man who took Australia's first surfing photo, prior to the exhibition, it is a vastly different story now.

"I've been working on this exhibition project for two years and was unable to locate a living relative in Australia; however I did find two young nephews in the USA," she said.

"I always thought, having national media coverage of this event, if there was a living relative out there they would hopefully make contact with us and that is what has happened."

The relative, a 90-year-old woman from the Central Coast, has now been contacted by Ms Novak and she was able to shed light on many unanswered questions concerning her uncle Osric Notley and friend Tommy Walker.

Ms Novak said she had spoken at length with Osric's niece twice and had arranged to meet and interview her in two weeks.

"She still drives and has a very sharp mind and her recall of events concerning her uncle Osric Notley and Tommy Walker is simply amazing," she said.

"Before my visit she has promised to gather up all of Osric's photos and family memorabilia to share with me so that I can complete the story of who took Australia's first surfing photo and the man who introduced surfing to Australia."

The surfing photography exhibition has brought together many diverse groups of people including many international visitors from all around Australia. Almost 2000 adults have now paid to see the exhibition while another 500 kids have gone through for free.

Ms Novak said the comments in the guest book were outstanding and simply heartwarming. Some of the comments included "the best thing we have seen while in Australia", "has inspired me to go surfing again", "what a wonderful asset for Yamba" and "didn't know surfing had such a long history".

A number of the photographers whose works were featured in the exhibition travelled interstate to see their photographs hanging alongside such greats as George Greenough and John Witzig.

One of those surf photographers to make the journey from WA was Tony Warrilow whose parents and relatives still live in Yamba.

After years as a respected high society wedding photographer, Tony has decided to follow his passion of surfing photography, big wave style.

This weekend will be the last opportunity to see the 'One Click In Time' surfing photography exhibition that celebrates and marks 100 years of Australian surfing photography, 1911 - 2011.

The Yamba Museum is open Saturday and Sunday, cost is $5 for adults, under-18s are free, money raised goes to disabled surfing and the Yamba Museum.