The Birdrock Memorial Surfing Contest will return to Bonny Hills on Saturday, 30 May and Sunday, 31 May 2026, continuing a tradition that has celebrated local surfing culture and community memory since 1981.
Held across two days from 7 am to 4 pm, the long-running event brings together surfers of all ages and abilities to compete, connect, and honour the lives of those who helped shape the region’s surfing history.
For Camden Haven Junior Boardriders president Damien Kelly, the contest is far more than just a competition.
“The Birdrock Memorial Surfing Contest began in 1981 to honour the lives of the Hastings Valley surfing community,” Kelly said.
Considered the longest-running surf competition on the Mid North Coast, the event carries a strong memorial focus, with names of past surfers continuing to hold meaning for generations of local families.
“I think probably the best way to think of it is like we’re able to continue surfing for the people who surf before us,” Kelly said. “Everyone’s name that’s on that list played a part in informing that community, and I think the future of the area and all the even right down to the little kids, they need to see that that’s important.
“And those people on the list can’t surf anymore, and so we can continue that for them.”
Kelly said his role as president of Camden Haven Junior Boardriders – working alongside North Haven Boardriders – focuses heavily on the competition side of the event, while long-standing organisers manage the memorial and sponsorship elements.
“I wanted to make sure that the kids in my junior club feel a part of that and that they’ll be the ones that will sort of carry the flag for the next 20 or 30 years,” he said.
This year’s contest will again feature a wide range of divisions, from cadets under 14 through to over-60s competitors, as well as shortboard, longboard, knee board and multiple graded categories.
“There’s a good opportunity for even people who just compete casually for their competition,” Kelly said. “I wouldn’t want to exclude them. They need to be able to feel part of that.”
“We’ve got about 70 to 80 members at the moment, and the average age is like 10.7,” he said of the junior boardriders scene. “The next five to 10 years in this area are going to be really great.”
Entries are expected to attract surfers from across the east coast, with participants travelling from the far south coast of New South Wales through to the Gold Coast.
“We’ve seen some entries from the far south coast of New South Wales up to the Gold Coast,” Kelly said. “It’s going to attract a lot of people who were previously part of the area and hopefully we can get all our local kids to be part of it as well.”
Kelly said the event plays a rare role in uniting multiple boardriding clubs across the region.
“It’s a chance to combine all the boardriding clubs in the area because that doesn’t happen very often,” he said.
“It just gives it a little bit more significance having the memorial aspect as well.”
With surfing conditions always a key factor, organisers remain flexible, with backup locations including Middle Rock and North Haven if required.
“We need that ability to have a couple of banks running at the same time, but we’ve got backup plans,” Kelly said. “Surfers are happy to get in the car and drive to chase waves – it’s not out of the ordinary for them.”
Registration will remain open until the Friday night prior to the event, with organisers aiming to finalise draws based on conditions.
A memorial gathering will also take place on the Friday evening at the Town Beach Memorial, followed by a traditional paddle out before the male and female open finals on Sunday.
“That paddle out is a bit of a tearjerker, but it’s super important,” Kelly said. “It’s the heart and soul of the event. We’re able to do that and just make sure people remember why we’re here.”
For Kelly, the growth of the junior surfing scene is one of the most encouraging signs for the future of the sport locally.
“We’ve got about 70 to 80 members at the moment,” he said. “It’s out of control – in the nicest possible way.
“The kids are just doing so well, and there are so many of them that they’re supporting each other and feeling safe. You could rock up to any beach in the area, and there’s a good chance someone there knows them.”
He said the contest’s inclusive structure is key to keeping the legacy alive.
“There’s a division for everyone,” Kelly said. “We want people to be part of it. That’s what keeps the legacy going, and that’s a good thing for the community.”
As the countdown begins, organisers are encouraging surfers of all levels to take part in one of the Mid North Coast’s most enduring and meaningful sporting traditions.
“We just don’t want people to feel like they can’t be part of it,” Kelly said. “Even if they’re not the most serious surfer, there’s a way for everyone to get involved.”
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