Madman Tee

It’s 1981 and Tracks descends on the mean streets of Maroubra to interview Steve Wilson and Dave Parkes; two hard-charging mates who don full-face helmets and denim vests for the photo shoot. Strolling across Marine parade, in the gritty heart of the ’Bra, they shatter the stereotype of the bronzed, pretty-boy surfer. Resembling characters ripped from the set of ‘Mad Max’ they are indeed Madmen in Suburbia. 

At the time, Steve is a top sixteen-ranked surfer on the tour while Parkes is one of Australia’s best kneeboarders and shapers. When at home, they surf the ‘Bra three times a day; the bigger and chunkier the better. Dave bluntly explains the appeal of the hard-scrabble beach on the city-fringes where certain sections are known affectionately as The Stormy and the Toilet Bowl. “It's good because you can surf it every day. You can surf it even when it looks shithouse.” 

While dreaming of a Carlton Draught sponsorship, Steve gives Dave plenty of stick about being a kneeboarder, however he also insists his mate is a revered figure amongst local surfers. “He's in the class of crazy, mad, not-all-there – outrageous surfing, that's the attitude of stand-up surfers to him. He couldn't be classed as your average suburban surfer… I get on a gnarly reef break and I see this crazy, legless bastard taking off behind the peak and I try to do the same.”