Cottage's 19th Annual Boardriders Surf Day! 

"We selected this group from Ararat for our Annual Boardriders Surf Day because their region was affected by the 2024 bushfires. It was a special week of ocean adventures – from surfing, boogie-boarding and rock-pool rambles to spotting seals and other marine life on a boat charter. A few of the children had never been to the beach before, which made it all the more meaningful. They were open to trying new things and really made the most of this opportunity," shared Cottage by the Sea Program Manager Sean Dunne.

The morning started at Cottage, with the children organising themselves for a full day out on the Surf Coast. After grabbing Quicksilver wetsuits in each of their sizes as well as one of our blue rash vests kindly donated by Boardriders the previous year, we jumped on the buses and headed for Cosy Corner in Torquay for our surf session. 

It was right on low tide and a nice little wave was rolling into the beach – perfect for our beginners. After meeting our friend Eve and the crew from Boardriders and getting a quick surf lesson on the sand, the children were eager to get in the water.

The conditions were perfect for the participants to paddle into shore, with some nice sets rolling in. Some children were popping up onto their knees after the first few waves and in no time at all onto their feet! The Boardriders team and Cottage staff assisted the children with tips and tricks on how to improve on each wave: “Bend your knees!" and "paddle a few more times!” were encouraged to many.

The participants accidently forgot to bring their own beach towels for after the surf but, coincidentally, Eve had brought gift bags for each child, which contained a hoodie towel, cap and beach bag. They were over the moon with their gifts and wore them for the rest of their time at Cottage.

After the session, we had lunch at 4 Pines Torquay, which is located above the Boardriders store. Eve and her team from the Boardriders Group joined us, sharing some epic surf stories while we all enjoyed a delicious burger and chips.

"My time at Cottage by the Sea made me feel excited and happy. I loved all the activities," shared a participant at the end of their program.

We thank the Boardriders Group for the generous donations and support for our future pro surfers. We are so grateful for this long-standing partnership that has given so many children over the years the opportunity to learn how to surf.