How important is Straddie to you?
I lived on Straddie up until I was 20, when I moved to the Gold Coast to further my surfing career. My family have lived on the island since my great-grandparents, which makes five generations, so I guess you could say that Straddie is in our blood.
What are your favourite memories of Straddie?
It was such a great place to grow up one of the best. I can remember going to the beach to surf with my mates both before and after school. What a great opportunity, and even the kids on the island now probably don't realise what they have is so special. The other thing I loved to do was play rugby league for the Straddie Sharks; it was one of my other favourite sports.
Straddie has such a great community; we had so much freedom to walk the streets and know that we were safe in the close knit community where everyone knows everyone else. It is an environment where people look out for each other.
What makes Straddie different to other island/ beach destinations?
I think the three different townships (which all have their own character and uniqueness about them), the communities that all complement each other and, of course, that it is not over populated. It is good to see that Straddie has not been over developed. It hasn't changed all that much since I was a child growing up there. I travel all around the world to many beaches and islands but Straddie has so much to offer from the North Gorge walk, the beautiful clear waters and the great beaches.
What do you like to do when you are on Straddie?
The best thing about going back to Straddie is catching up with my friends and family and for me now to take my family over there so they can enjoy what I have grown up with. Of course, I never go to Straddie without going for a surf, as it is never crowded. I also like to throw in a line and do a bit of fishing. My daughter Willow is now 2 and she just loves the whole experience of going to the island, especially the barge trip over. I don't think locals really appreciate that this regular form of transport for them can be so special for other people visiting the island.
What is one special place you like to visit when you are on the island?
Definitely Main Beach headland, just standing there and looking all the way down the beach where on a clear day you can see the Gold Coast. It is a place where you can just sit and watch the waves for hours.
What do your friends think of Straddie?
The guys that I surf with from the Gold Coast, Joel Parkinson and Mick Fanning, like to travel to the island, especially when the surf is up on Main as the water over there is just so clean. Also, when my American friends come over they can't believe how beautiful the island is and the best thing is it is not over developed.
In April this year I held the inaugural Fox Grom Shootout, where more than 90 kids, including 35 locals, had the opportunity to compete against some of the best up-and-coming young talents on the surfing scene. It was my way of giving something back to the community and the sport that helped me lay the path to become a pro surfer.
Bede Durbidge is No. 12 on the ASP world surfing tour.
