Lucky enough to work just down the road from the Museum of Sydney, I was able to pop into the Surf City exhibition at lunchtime.

Having grown up on Scottish shores and only just moving to Sydney in September, it was a great education for me and a fabulous, technicolour insight into the evolution of the surf culture in Sydney from the 1950s through the decades.

What actually struck me the most, was that surfing – a sport and indeed lifestyle which I associate with freedom and flow – grew within a very controlled, policed surf club culture on Sydney’s beaches. I had no idea of the regimented marching of surf clubs along the sand, or the need to register your board before surfing; nor the threat of your board being confiscated for a weekend, should you surf outwith the rules of the surf clubs on patrol. The exhibition contains some great photographs and a superb video which captures all of this and indeed the rebellion against this imposed order, not to mention the colourful music, fashion and ‘surf n stomp’ which accompanied the surf lifestyle on Sydney’s shores.

As a recent newcomer to surfing, I’m increasingly interested in the history and evolution of the sport. As someone who moved to Bondi primarily with the intention to improve my surfing, it was absolutely intriguing to see how much the surf culture has grown and changed here in such a short period. There’s a real sense of these young folk in the 50s with a passion for the sea and surf, being real pioneers – trying new moves on their boards; making their own equipment and all of this being framed within a lifestyle choice – surfing is not ‘just’ a sport. The exhibition is great in capturing the wonderful love affair which Sydney siders have always had with the beach. And back when this was all kicking off, it wasn’t just those who lived on the beaches who loved to surf; rail access to Bondi meant that young men from the western suburbs could get up early and get down to the beach to join the crowds. There is footage of men surfing long planks of wood, some with graceful ballet moves, straight into the shore. The fantastic collection of old surfboards, wetsuits and surfing paraphernalia lets you see for yourself the lifestyle captured in the photographs and film. It’s incredible when you compare the early days to the hordes of surfers at Bondi now – of both genders, of all nationalities and of all abilities.

All in all, whether you saw these decades for yourself and fancy immersing yourself in the nostalgia of the good old days, or are an outsider like me who has had their eyes opened to how Sydney surf has been transformed over the years, it’s well worth a visit.