RUSTY MILLER | 1965 US SURF CHAMPION, FOUNDER OF RUSTY MILLER SURF | BYRON BAY.
SPOTLIGHT ON BYRON BAY | RUSTY MILLER.
Name: Rusty Miller
Age: 70
Star sign: Libra
Hometown: Born in La Jolla, California; raised in Encinitas, California.
What brought you to Byron Bay, and how long have you been here? I came to Byron Bay to visit a surfing friend in 1970 and have been here ever since, except for a bit of back and forth in the early 70s.
What do you love about this place? I love its diversity and toleration for being different.
Tell us a bit about your surf career… I was United States Surfing Champion in 1965. In 1966 I came 9th in the world contest at Ocean Beach, California. I spent the 60s surfing big waves in Hawaii and was invited to surf at the first four Duke Kahanamoku Invitational Surf events. There is a well-known photograph of me surfing Sunset Beach in 1962 that was used as a billboard around America for a beer company. In the early 70s I was in the iconic Australian surf film, Morning of the Earth, being the first to surf Uluwatu in Bali.
We are a beginner, where should we surf? Taking lessons with Rusty Miller Surf.
And once we get good, where do we find the best waves? I’m not going to tell you, as you must discover this for yourself.
Your favorite place to surf? Where I am on the day.
Your ultimate Byron weekend: a surf, coffee, newspapers, and sailing our 16’ Hobie cat in the Bay.
Where should we caffeinate? Top Shop or Roadhouse.
Favorite lookout point: Cape Byron Lighthouse.
Favorite weekend getaway outside Byron: in the hills behind Byron, which is where I live.
Who is on your stereo? I love jazz, so artists like Gerry Mulligan, Art Pepper and what is called West Coast Jazz, out of where I came from in Southern California.
Who is inspiring you? Peter Singer.
Words to live by…the golden rule. Do unto others, as you would have others do to you.
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