MAGAZINE

Jim, Conz and all the people that have breathed life back into the annual Belco Bowl jam out did themselves this year.

The easiest way to not be seen is to wear hi-vis. A bright yellow vest, some witch’s hats, throw in a clipboard and your basically invisible. The ultimate camouflage.

We have teamed up with our mates at Sweetheart Skateboards to make a limited run of boards to go with our first article of the year "The Elephant Man" by Jake Waters.

Held up on either side by his companions, drooling and stumbling I almost imagine hearing him scream "I AM NOT AN ANIMAL!!". 

Then it dawns on him. That smile didn’t leave his face for the rest of the day. A lifetime of working towards a goal that is suddenly laid in his hands.

If i didn't draw the graff then it wouldn't be the spot. I'm not gonna choose what looks better, I just care about the spot as it is.

"But the funny part of the story was it ended up being a pro surfers skateboard, Dylan Longbottom. I’m pretty sure that’s his name. End of the story I gave his board back, Heath didn’t kill me and I made friends with a pro surfer."

Kiama skate park (KSP) has recently turned twenty. And the ole girl Is still looking alright. Shes had some little face lifts, some of the wrinkles got a little bit of botox. The skin maybe a little bit rougher but it's held up well protected in the old quarry. The coping is still almost non existent but there's definitely still a heap of lines to be found.

Luke gently goes about his business without any fuss, whilst doing the most insane moves on a ramp, that makes me have vertigo when I stand near the edge of the platform. What I love is that Luke has stuck to his guns and still progresses on something not many people want to skate.

Doing anything outside your normal routine, every week for one hundred weeks in a row, is a massive undertaking. It requires enthusiasm, commitment, sacrafice, motivation and passion. All those mentioned attributes, Shannon Farrugia has in spades. He recently just published his 100th podcast, under Terrible Happy Talks, in as many weeks.

I had ‘Skatecation’ on my mind for months. When it finally manifested and I was on the road the list of items I probably should have packed started to build. How many pairs of socks did I chuck in? Did I pack my skate tool? I wonder if I’ll need Panadol or Band Aids on this trip?

I acquired it for free from my sister about 3-4 years ago. I love that whip. I never spent a cent on it other than a new battery one time and tyres for rego.

I think that TWS part that Matt mentioned was def a huge influence, especially as Matt also said Huf passing during the time we were out skating , it was on our minds a lot

"I worked with Matt at Becasse which was a two hat fine dining restaurant in Sydney , where he was one of the top skilled chefs there. Always super nice to everyone, never angry, but also super talented and a perfectionist as well." - Alex Huxtable , Head Chef Ciccia Bella Bondi

Im pretty sure most of Wollongong has seen Bima's infectious smile either cruising on his pushy around town, ripping at the Harbour curbs or in the kitchen at Balinese Spice magic. His stoke for life and the good things about it will make you as equally stoked.

The go fund me came about from us just always hanging out, skating a lot and speaking in depth about the disadvantages he unfortunately faces every day. It’s not much to do for your friend, I just wanted to see some change and help him advance. So much love for Stove.

When your stinging in the shower from the hot water scorching all those open wounds just consider how lucky you are. Seriously, most people exist through their entire lives avoiding anything with the mildest chance of injury. We seek that shit out.

Adam Harris posted an old video part of Pete Dalmer’s on to the socials. The part was from an old Kiama homie video from the early 2000’s and as with any Pete footage it created a stir. Comments came in thick and fast and emojis were thrown around with true disregard. Pete himself commented on the post with three simple words, The Golden Era.

Having plenty of time at home during COVID-19 I had the chance to go through my computer. I thought these photos ought to see the light of day again, so here’s a selection of photos from around 2012-2015.

While to the basic punter this may not constitute a spot, however this crew take great pride in it . Firstly it is so well seasoned with wax that you actually pick up speed mid slide or grind. Which makes your first attempt at hitting it as anxiety inducing as a trick down El Toro.

New clip from Jarryd Rees all filmed at the Mavrikis ghetto spot. Featuring Jordan Marsh, Brandon Cullimore, Tim Yayo, Ben Laxton, Ty Jeffery, Ben Watts, Seiji Hirashima and many more.

What do abandoned spaces, and outer space, have in common? Nothing and everything. Hear me out for a second. Ghetto spots are very similar to phenomenons that happen in the unfathomable vastness of the known universe.

The Gnar Wizard has a thick sorcerers book filled to the brim with spells of stoke and stories of unhinged apocalyptic chaos. Scenes of morbid dread with a slight hint of whimsical cheekiness that make his work almost fit for a children’s book but at the same time could feature in the graphics of a Creature Skateboards deck.

Celebrate our diversity because that’s what makes this thing so beautiful. And stand with our brothers and sisters of colour, support them, fight with them and demand more for them and for all of us.

With bags hastily packed and tickets acquired they scrambled. “We got across the border with an hour to spare”.

Rob has a calm wise character about him which blends over to the way he skates- a pure pleasure to watch and skate around.

Social Distancing is a term that 3 months a go we knew little to nothing about. Now it is a turn of phrase that you can't get (1.5m) away from. From loved ones to the people buying bog roll, none of us are exempt.

We give you the Beatniks Corona Colouring-in Competition. Steal some crayons and colour pencils off your younger siblings and get creative.

"Its not the journey it's the destination." That’s usually some shit your dad would say on a family holiday while you’re driving through the god damn wheat belt. It's always about the destination otherwise you would never leave.

Always skating fast and possessing no comply that Mr Barbee would aprove of, it was a no brainer to find out where it all started for him.

Go do your homework and get educated. You may have to dig deep and use some dated technology to view some of these golden moments of skateboarding.

It’s that time of year again. To make the pilgrimage to the nations capital to watch some underground rippers in a giant sacred hole in the ground. Yep Belco bowl jam.

To say Mike is a beloved part of the Australian skate scene would be a gross understatement. Equally enjoyable to witness his smooth antics on a board, as it is to have a beer with him off one. We peer into his world via some top 3s

Marlon and I had been getting clips in the arvos/ night times as it was hard for he and I to line up the same day off together. We lined it up one random weekday and decided to ambitiously drive down to Canberra, just us two for the day.

This is what skateboarding was built on, we don’t need corporate tennis shoe sponsors or council affiliated youth events. All we need is an abandoned lot, a few hastily constructed obstacles and the pure joy of ply wood and urethane.

This diy jersey barrier, courtesy of Matt West and Marty Girotto, was a hot spot in Wollongong for a minute. It was way up in the escarpment on a road that doesn't get used all that often, except for mountain bikers, drift cars and the occasional local.

In the first Origins we talk to Kiama’s high flying, rebel rouser Mitch Lee. He’s light footed and quick witted so browse on and find out where the sparks started.

Have you ever wondered what the average citizen thinks of skateboarding? I don’t mean the finished product, like the highlights of the mega ramp that turn up on their feed or the Richie Jackson part from three years ago

Scenario – I’m sitting at the shop on a Sunday afternoon, with Doon and Jordan Marsh. Ty pulls up with two tall cans of Guinness. One for me, one for himself. 

Because Tim rides on this raging cloud of pure stoke that’s been evaporating radness from a deep dark sea of skate gnar for decades.

This got me really hyped to skate again also because I had just broken up w my girlfriend in Italy and realised how much skating was a good thing when you got other shit getting you down in life

Ray Macken to me is what Johnathan Thurston is to unemployed alcoholic Queenslanders

Whilst some monochromatic photography of this nature can fill the viewer with a sense of gloom, Matts photography has a soothing effect like meditation in the rainforest.