Surf Coast Times
Tuesday 5 October 2010
VOL 8. No 40
www.surfcoasttimes.com.au
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Anglesea is set to rock this weekend with its inaugural music festival. To be held over three big days, the festival boasts more than 80 acts appearing across five main venues and a host of fringe venues. Pictured gearing up for the festival were organisers (from left) Karren Stoneham and Nikki Taylor, pictured with local teenage band The Underhanded (back, from left) Cory Balloch, 16, Ian Hawkins, 16, (front, from left) Jarrah Taylor, 16, and Patrick Doolan, 16. For more information on the big musical weekend, visit www.angleseamusicfest.com
A FOND FAREWELL People from all over Australia are expected to converge on Torquay next month to pay tribute to everyone’s favourite local legend
BY SARAH LAWRENCE THE NAME ‘China’ was echoed all over beaches throughout Australia last week as people remembered local legend, Rex ‘China’ Gilbert, who died last Tuesday at age 86. Gilbert was a passionate surf life saver who first came to Torquay in 1942. He fell in love with the town when he borrowed a bike from some American soldiers staying at South Melbourne during World War II. He rode the bike until he came to the beautiful beach he had been told about and his love affair with the surf began. In 1947 he joined the Torquay Surf Life Saving Club and he holds the record as the longest serving
member – a stint which included 20 years as club caretaker from 1980-2000. Gilbert was a winner of four Victorian longboard championships and won three Victorian surfboat championships. “He could paddle a surfboard majestically, it was poetry in motion,” said club historian, Ken Pollard. Up until two years ago, Gilbert was still attending surf carnivals. “He had a special chair at them and loved watching the boat races all day,” said club captain Keith Millar. His nickname came about from his ability to be friends with anyone. “China is old rhyming slang. China plate is your mate and he was mates with everyone,” explained
Surf Forecast
Rex ‘China’ Gilbert with his sister, Gladys Nicholls.
China in the crowd. He went straight up to him, and said ‘China, how ya’ going?’ And the whole crown fell about,” said Pollard. Gilbert was also well known for his mischievous personality.
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Millar. Gilbert’s notoriety saw him become one of the most well-known people in surf life saving through the 1960s and ’70s. “Anywhere you went, if you said you were from Torquay, they would ask if you knew China,” said fellow club member, Brian Booth. “Everyone thought they knew him when he walked down the street. Even if he didn’t have time, he would always make time to talk to people,” added grandson, Sam Beel. His wide friendship circle even included past Prime Minister, Bob Hawke. “There is a story where at a big football game at the MCG, as then Prime Minister, Bob Hawke, was walking around with all his security, he spotted
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