A photographic exhibition showcasing the Gold Coast’s colourful history of beach culture.

In July 2002, Gold Coast surfer Damon Harvey rode a single, continuous wave from Snapper Rocks to Kirra – a distance of 1.5 km that took him nearly four minutes to cover. This is almost certainly the longest wave ever ridden on the Gold Coast, perhaps in Australia. This year Bleach* Festival has taken the concept of riding the longest wave and applied it across a series of art installations, photographic exhibitions and theatrical coastal guided walks.

The Longest Wave as a theme is about much more than one wave ridden by one surfer, however remarkable. It speaks of our ongoing ride, the cultural continuum we are still adding to along this exquisite interface of land and sea. The first Australians have been enjoying what we know as the Gold Coast for untold millennia, as a place of ceremony, celebration and great natural abundance. Generations of Australians have flocked here in modern times for holidays or to chase the audacious dream of building an entire lifestyle around the beach.

The 2013 Bleach* Festival celebrates this ongoing ride with one of the most beautiful and documented stretches of coast in the country. Born of the ancient volcanic eruption of Wollumbin 25 million years ago, shaped by the relentless elements and time, the series of points, bays, estuaries and beaches that form the southern Gold Coast, seem to have been designed for ocean play and lazy beach days. The beach serves as both village square and stage for our coastal home, where so many of the high points of our lives are played out. Bleach* 2013 aspires to share, celebrate and add to this unfolding story.

We invite you to paddle into the line-up and take off on the Longest Wave as it spins and peels down the southern Gold Coast… and see where it takes you.

Historical Photographic Exhibition

Surf writer Tim Baker and curator Michael Aird create a colourful historical kaleidoscope of beach culture on the southern Gold Coast. Thousands upon thousands of Australians have treasured memories and mementoes from their holidays spent on the southern Gold Coast, and The Longest Wave Exhibition will showcase a photographic exploration of this rich tradition.

The Longest Wave Exhibition will give the community the opportunity to share their own treasured memories of this stunning coastline while presenting timeless and historical images of our changing relationship to this coast. Images have been sourced from a variety of collections including newspapers, libraries, professional photographers and family photo albums. Surf World Gold Coast is a contributing partner of The Longest Wave Exhibition, which will later be installed at the Museum in Currumbin.