Surfing NSW Origins.
Surfing took a step in its maturity in 1963 when Surfing NSW was established to administer the sport.
Since then we have produced a roll call of world champions from Midget Farrelly – who was the founding president of Surfing NSW in 1964, through to multiple world champion title winners including:
NSW World Champions – Honour List
- Midget Farrelly (1964)
- Phyllis O’Donnell (1964)
- Nat Young (1966 & 1970)
- Mark Richards (1979,1980,1981 and 1982)
- Tom Carroll (1983 and 1984)
- Damien Hardman (1987 and 1991)
- Barton Lynch (1988)
- Pam Burridge (1990)
- Pauline Menczer (1993)
- Layne Beachley (1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003 and 2006)
- Mark Occhilupo (1999)
- Chelsea Georgeson (2005)
- Mick Fanning (2007, 2009 and 2013)
- Tyler Wright (2016 and 2017)
- Stephanie Gilmore (2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2014, 2018 and 2022)
- Molly Picklum (2025)
Surfing NSW Lifetime Members.
Surfing NSW would also like to honour our life time members, the following people have received life time membership for their commitment and service to Surfing in New South Wales.
Today our organisation is a leader in a network of aligned surfing organisations spanning Queensland, Victoria, Western Australia, South Australia and Tasmania. Together we have also formed a national body, Surfing Australia.
NSW Lifetime Members – Honour List
• Midget Farrelly
• Ken Williams
• Bluey Mayes
• Ron Morris
• Dave Gyngell
• Mark Windon
• Rob Nedwich
• Phil Courtney
• Matt Grainger
• Wayne Pack
• Sandra Enligsh
• John ‘Headbutt’ Rixon
• Nick PearsonShane Stalker
• Matt Lawson
• Brenda Miley
• George Leslie
• John Harvey
• Steve Evans
Surfing NSW – Board of Directors
Ben Rolleston
Chair
- Current Country Manager – Audible Australia
- Former Head of Alexa Skills and Partnerships ANZ – Amazon
- Former Vice President, Commercial and Content Distribution – Viacom International
Lyndel Gray
Deputy Chair
- CEO at Caravan and Camping Industry Association NSW
- Advisory Board Member – Tourism Advisory Council
- Former Board Member – Tourism NT
- Former Executive Director of Tourism – Destination NSW
- Former Executive Director and General Manager – Tourism NSW
Mark Windon OAM
Executive Director
- Former Surfing NSW CEO and Surfing NSW Life Member
- Former Director Surfing Southern Beaches and Life Member
- Founder of Southend Boardriders at Maroubra and Life Member
- Advisory Board – NSW Water Safety Council
Felicity Conlan
Non Executive Director and
Chair Audit & Risk Committee
- Former Chief Financial Officer – Adslot Limited
- Former General Manager Finance – Network Ten Limited
- Former Finance Director at Beattie McGuinnes Bungay (UK)
- Former Finance Director at M&C Saatchi
David King
Non Executive Director
- Former Senior Legal Counsel (APAC) at Endeavor
- Served as APAC legal counsel for the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC)
- Advised high-profile sports and media talent represented by IMG
- Played a key legal role in major sponsorship, media rights, event operations, and government tourism partnerships across APAC
Regional Directors
Surfing NSW – Staff
Lucas Townsend
CEO
Jim Pinnington
General Manager –
Sport & Community
Zoe Cronin
Head of Marketing and Partnerships
Mathew Lawson
Senior Manager –
Water Safety & Programs
Adam Seminara
Programs and Education Manager
Kathy Walton
Club Development Officer
Dylan Bird
Club Development Officer
Ella Croasdale
Finance Manager
James Robinson
Art Director
Rylan Blanch
Communicatons & Digital Lead
Mick Talbot
Head of Brand & Event Experience
Tom Bloore
Events & Marketing Manager
Ryan Haworth
Talent Development Officer
Jarrad Howse
Technical Performance Manager
Nathan Webster
Talent Development Manager
Katherine Smith
Talent Development Manager