Where sea meets Country

Along the sweeping coastline of Wadandi Boodja, where the rhythm of the ocean has shaped life for generations, a quiet but powerful movement is unfolding.

Here in the Margaret River Region, the Wadandi Surf Academy is helping young Aboriginal people reconnect with culture, confidence and Country, one wave at a time.

The region’s surf culture is legendary. From early morning locals paddling out at Main Break, to the global spotlight of the Western Australia Margaret River Pro, surfing has long been woven into the identity of place. But, before competition jerseys and broadcast towers arrived, these waters were part of a living landscape: read, respected and understood by the Wadandi People.

Hero image by Gareth Bowles.

Surf boards represent culture. Image: Gareth Bowles.

Surfing as the entry point, culture as the foundation

Led by Undalup Association Inc., the academy blends surfing with cultural learning, mentorship and time on Country. While surfboards and wetsuits might be the most visible tools, the deeper work happens through story, connection and intergenerational knowledge sharing.

Central to the program is Zac Webb, a Wadandi Bibulmun man born in Undalup (Busselton) and raised on Wadandi Boodja.

For Zac, the Wadandi Surf Academy is deeply personal. Established in honour of his grandparents, Vilma and George Webb, the program continues the legacy of the Injibup Indigenous Surfing Classic. This event celebrated Indigenous surfers and cultural pride long before such recognition was common.

While surfing draws young people in, Zac explains it’s only one part of a broader cultural journey. Many participants, he says, have never truly spent time on Country. “Surfing is the entry point, but culture is the foundation,” he explains. “From there, they start learning how to read Country, how the boya (rocks) shape the waves, how land and sea work together.”

Led by Zac Webb, the Wadandi Surf Academy helps young Aboriginal people reconnect with culture. Image: Gareth Bowles.

A typical day at the surf academy begins early. From 9am until lunchtime, students surf with professional coaches, learning ocean awareness and safety alongside technique. After lunch, the focus shifts to cultural learning, sometimes inland, sometimes along waterways, sometimes simply sitting and yarning. “We teach them how to read what Country is telling us,” Zac says. “When flying ants arrive, rain’s coming. When certain flowers bloom, like the Inji bush, it tells us big fish are in the ocean,” he adds.

These lessons are shared by Elders and cultural champions, allowing young people to experience the intergenerational passing on of knowledge in a culturally safe space. Indigenous surfers from across the country have also attended, reinforcing pride and identity while opening up conversations around racism and resilience, particularly within school environments.

Honouring legacy

That sense of continuity is echoed by Boranup’s own Simon Zuvich, a Yindjibarndi man whose journey into surfing began on Margaret River’s powerful coastline. Simon says the region’s surf culture played a defining role in shaping who he is today.

“When I was growing up here, surfing was everything,” Simon says. “It gave me confidence at a time when we weren’t learning much about Aboriginal history at school. Surfing helped me understand myself.”

As a teenager, Simon competed in the Billabong Indigenous Surfing Classics, winning a surfboard presented by the late George Webb. Simon continues to compete while mentoring young surfers through programs like the Wadandi Surf Academy.

He has also watched the evolution of the Margaret River Pro closely, seeing both progress and responsibility. “Having Indigenous surfers competing on Country and seeing acknowledgements of First Nations people through World Surf League events, that matters,” he says. “Surfers slowing down, listening, sitting on Country, it’s a step in the right direction.”

For Simon, those moments help young people see themselves reflected on the world’s stage. “It tells kids they belong here, not just as spectators, but as part of the story,” he says.

Simon continues to compete while mentoring young surfers through programs like the Wadandi Surf Academy. Image: Surfing Victoria.

Changing outcomes on and off the land

The Academy has also delivered unexpected outcomes. Zac says the program has led to noticeable improvements in school attendance and academic engagement. Relationships with local police have shifted, too, after officers joined students in the water, everyone in wetsuits, barriers dissolved.

“That moment changed things,” Zac says. “It showed the kids that police are people too, accessible, human.”

Recognition, reflection and carrying culture forward

In 2025, the Wadandi Surf Academy received national recognition, winning the Indigenous Surfing Community Celebration Award presented by Surfing Australia.

For Zac, the recognition is welcome, but the real impact remains with the kids. “Surfing opens the door,” he says. “But surf culture is part of Country. When young people understand that, when they feel proud and connected, everything else starts to shift.”

In a region defined by waves, the Wadandi Surf Academy is ensuring that surf culture carries something deeper too: connection, responsibility and the strength of culture carried forward.