The Rip Curl Locals Day

For generations, there has been a healthy rivalry in the waves between longboarders, shortboarders and surf club members. Rarely does it boil over into anything more than a little friendly banter, but the differences, and the boundaries, remain.

Several years ago, Noosa surfer Dane Wilson noticed this distinct segregation and searched for a way to overcome it. His answer: the Locals Day.

“The reason we set up Locals Day,” says Wilson, “was that we noticed in the water that the mal guys weren’t getting on with the shortboard guys, and the shortboard guys weren’t getting on with the surf club members, so we wanted to bring them all together. Beyond that, it was also to say thanks to the local surfers for hosting all the competitors in their town and on their local breaks during the festival of surfing.”

Incorporated into the Noosa Festival’s celebration of surfing, The Rip Curl Locals Day brings together teams from each stable – the Noosa Malibu Club, Noosa Boardriders and Noosa Surf Lifesaving Club – in a day of fun, camaraderie and friendly competition.

Not your conventional surf contest, The Rip Curl Locals Day incorporates such events as softboard shorebreak bashes, relay races and other divisions based not so much on skill but rather, inspired by a kindred love of ocean activities.

“We just wanted to bring all those people together to build a better vibe in the water,” explains Wilson – the organiser of Rip Curl locals day. “Now we’ve set up a day where everybody can come together, have a laugh and enjoy some friendly competition. Since our first one, everyone seems to be getting on so much better in the water all year round, so it seems like a really good initiative to increase the vibe in the water.”

Rip Curl was immediately supportive of Wilson’s concept and has sponsored it for many years. While uniting the various factions of the local line-up, the all-ages the Rip Curl Locals Day has an underlying motivation to inspire youngsters to adopt a similar inclusive mentality and respect for the natural environment.

“ There’s always been the saying that the best surfer in the water is the one having the most fun, but I don’t think that’s true; the best surfer in the water is the one allowing everyone else to have fun as well, because it’s always better shared. That’s what I pass on to the kids”. Said, Wilson.

2025 welcomes back the Rip Curl Locals Day to the sands of Noosa’s Main Beach for another day of fun, laughter, team spirit and, above everything, a connection across the boundaries of how we enjoy the ocean in our own, unique ways.

For participation in the locals day please meet Dane and the gang out the front of the Beach Bar from 3pm on Tuesday 18th March. Participation is completely free and all are welcome to join whether you belong to a surf / boardriding club or not.

The Festival would like to take this opportunity to thank Rip Curl for their unwavering support of grassroots surfing and the local Noosa community. Once the locals day has finished, Rip Curl would like to welcome all participants and their parents into the beach bar for a complimentary bar tab.

You can catch all the action of the Noosa Festival of Surfing from the 14-23rd March, 2025.