Denny and Al Colligan

Inside the Southern Comfort factory at Taren Pt, Denny Childs and Al Colligan at work photo Ross Marshall ’78.

Gary Yealland

Gazza is a familiar face around Cronulla, with son Scotty a Cronulla Point standout the pair have been regular sight and longtime fixtures around the headlands and waves. Gary is also known for owning the extremely popular Ne-Hi burger shop in the 70’s in the lane way across from the station.

 

Southern Comfort Spray

1978 Southern Comfort Surfboard. William York 6ft 8in shape with a Jim Davidson spray job.

Bruce Weller

Sandshoes regular and standout Bruce Weller rips up the the short but hollow summer fun waves at the  reef .

Surf Movies at the Cronulla Community Hall

Situated in Surf Road the Community Hall was the location in the 60’s and 70’s where 16mm Surf Movies were screened to the surfing public.This was years before video changed the whole concept of watching the latest surf movie from around the world. As the projected rolled stoked kids cheered the wipeouts and if the movie was crap they pelted the screen with confectionery. Titles like Morning of the Earth and Sea For Yourself were played to a rapt audience  most Saturday nights during summer.

 

William York

Bill York was head shaper at Southern Comfort Surfboards working out of the Taren Point road factory around ’77 and ’79. Below former Southern Comfort  worker and team rider Ross Marshall took the photo below of Bill showing off some of his shapes in 1979.

Steve Core ’75

Steve followed Jack Edens lead in putting Cronulla surfers in the media and public eye through his 16mm movies, surf photos and mag throughout the 70’s. He owned and operated the Reach The Beach store in thee 80;s as well.

Terry Bishop G&S Shape and Spray

G&S head shaper Terry Bishop was the compays top shaper during the boom years of the 70’s. below one of his designs from back then.

Pre-Christian Surfers House.

Regarding the house pictured below on the
corner across from The Workers Club
that became the 'Christian Surfers House'
on the corner of the Kingsway & Gerrale St,
(now Rydges) here's  a little bit of further history. 

     It was occupied by the Odd family (Gerald,
his girlfriend Kathy James, sister Debbie, brother
 Doug, father Frank & me, an ex-St.Peters boy!) prior
to becoming the Christians hangout! Gerald was a 
well known surfer around Cronulla & was going around
with Yvonne Van Hoorn,(now Tozzi) him 5'2, her 6', 
Kathy made crotchered bikinis (for Max Garling)in 
the front curved glass sunroom, & I ended up 
marrying Debbie & building a house in the
new suburb of Bangor, as couldn't afford to buy
 in Cronulla. Geoff 'Soleman' Solness, shaped & 
glassed his 'Shark Island Design' boards 
in the detached garage, fronting Gerrale. 

     Yvonne, (mother of Tahina and Cheyenne Tozzi)
ran a chicks shop in main street near 'Street Farm',
called 'Hers & Mine',which Debbie worked at! 

The house eventually was vacated for the 
Christian guys & became known as their hangout 
for many years after!!! Info from Peter Trevena.

Denny Childs

Denny Childs started his own board company called Southern Comfort in the winter of ’73 after spending his apprenticeship in board shaping at Jackson Surfboards. Along with partner Bob Colligan they started in an old house as the factory at Taren Point with $1000.00 and 5 custom orders. By 75 when the shot below was taken at Wanda, Denny’s custom shapes were in demand. Photo Peter Simons.