The Gidget Surfriders were an all girls surf club in Western Australia. Established in 1986, and closing around 1996.
We started with 5 girls who wanted to hang out and surf together, progressing up to 50 members in its "hay day". The Gidget Surfriders Association was the first ' Girls only' Surfboard Riders club in West Australia, perhaps Australia for the period between 1986 to 1995. It was started by 5 friends who got bored of sitting on the beach watching their boyfriends surf and have all the fun. By the lat
e 80's early 90's, they had up to 45 members, with many National & State Level competitors coming to call the Gidget's "their"own. We surprised ourselves when we were asked to contribute to a small column in "Tracks Surfing Magazine" and also to local mag "Ocean Express". Our motto was to go out and have fun, & to give other chicks the confidence to get out amongst the waves and shred or face plant, but to just get on out there... and have a good time. The best part was, it was all with a bunch of great mates you could have a cuppa tea, a Timtam and laugh at how good or bad you had ripped. The Gidgets started when surfing was dominated by males, who liked to tell us "GIRLS DON'T SURF!!" Thankfully this has changed. We had regular competitions, (annual comp; Cowabunga Classic) lots of surf trips away and their infamous "Initiation Night" struck fear into many who wished to become apart of club, that in the end provided us with all many solid friendships - that still to this day exist. This page is dedicated to girls and women everywhere, who give "surfing a go" with friends who make it all worth while.
