The Taj Mahal of kites in Australia

Ok. I wondered about this for a while and I really tried not to compare one sport to another, but I could not help it, as in many ways kite surfing owes some of its origins to surfing, and SUP is no different.

So I asked myself, well Torquay in Victoria is considered, at least officially the premier capital of surfing in Australia. Why? Well the Bells is held there every year, and the famous one himself Hawaiian Duke Kahanamoku demonstrated surfing there very many moons ago, aparantly to Aussies that had no idea what surfing was, yet I am sure this can be disputed that it was really us Aussies that invented it, not the Duke or the yanks.

But I digress!

So I asked myself then, where is kite surfing's capital in Australia?

Is it WA? Is it Gold Coast or is it this ...

www.thezu.com.au/lessons/kiteboarding-lessons/

Oh God please say no, it's not that place?

But it's featured in KiteLife, and even quite often in Househusbands.

So what is it about the Zu (weirdest business name if there ever was one. Resembles more an African trinket shop IMO)?

Surely there is a holy place, a place that has not been corrupted by selfish mongers or other big blahblah shops that only care for one thing... The dollar! Surely there is a place where people are treated like humans, where the word 'noob' is not even a word, and where everyone from beginners to pro champ kiters can congregate, share stories, battle scars and ideas that actually mean something to the soul, and kite surfing in general?

Maybe kite surfing is too new? Maybe out of the ashes from the glossy so called kite shops, there will rise a shop that is more a shack than a roller door factory, with schmick brand new kites been sold to those that really end up trying to fob them off here or on ebay, a year or so later.

Maybe I am too much of a dreamer?

So I ask my fellow kiters, surfers, anyone.

Where is the true capital of kite surfing in Australia?

Sincerely

Now that's what Iam talking about

Any beach where the flying sand is stinging your shins, and there is a smile on your face.

Make every beach you are on a better place, lend a hand, a smile, and pickup that bottle someone left behind and put it in the bin, the kite(or foot) you save may be your own.

I would be surprised if I spent one minute in kite shops for every hour on the beach, and even that much time is just chatting to them because they are friendly, it does not take long to buy and get back out the door.

What we are looking for is all around us.

+1 to Peninsula Kiteboarding bloody cool vibe no pressure to buy offer you a coffee. Look the only downside to having a cool vibe in a store (I have worked retail) is that people feel awkward when they come in when they see a crew of people chilling out. In skateboard stores we had the chill out area in the back with a ramp and a fridge.... those were the days.... Torquay used to have that vibe then they had to make a buck and put some money into there super. Now look at Torquay let alone surf there...

That is great guys! Keep em coming.

Rosebud sounds very enticing. Not only a great store, but flat water just out the front when the winds are right.

Intheloop: I was not having a go at the shops, nor Zu for that matter. This is a tongue in cheek thread, more about wanting to know what the vibe out there is like and the quality of shops around. I guess I was looking for want of a better word, a single spot/location where kite surfing is gold. A place where that's all that is talked about. Not a place where it's more a milkbar (ie mixed business) selling anything and everything just for the sake of market share. Purity is what I was after. I heard your shop is like that too. So that's great man. I know we all look out for each other and that's commendable. But like what happened in Torquay (as per above), I guess I too fear what may lie ahead. So yeah... I will keep dreaming.

... are you talking about a shop or place? In my humble opinion kiting mecca for Oz has got to be Gero!

yeah good point. I meant "The capital of kite surfing in Australia". So far it seems to be Rosebud

Kazan the capitol of kitesurfing in Victoria can not be Rosebud... I lived there for 4 years now I live back in the west of Melbourne.

Just saying Peninsula Kiteboarding is a cool place. KSS in Altona could have the same vibe if they tried a bit... but they would loose floor space...

Sailboard Headquarters in Sandringham gives you a nice coffee but no real place to chill out.... Its hard to seem inviting but make a buck as well...

Kiting Mecca in VIC...
1. Inverloch: Best Variety of conditions anywhere...
2. Point Danger Torquay and 13th Beach Torquay... Great waves and Flat water in spots
3. Altona: Awesome flat water and great little waves especially down near Point Cook...
4. Rosebud & Rye: Like Altona but soooo flat and cool...
5. St Kilda: Lower down the list only because of the amount of people...

There are many more in Vic. I will probally get lampooned for this list....

AT the risk of being SOOH Yesterday and REAL Old school, I reckon that finding the ultimate kite shop for true "soul of Kiting Vibe" is probably an illusion. Not that there are not dedicated owners and staff that love the sport and provide excellent service, its just that there are enough people into any of the surf sports now that are in it for the "scene" and the residual "cool" of the image rather than the essence of "doing " the sport.

If there was EVER a place that had soul it was Ray Richards Surf shop in Hunter St Newcastle back in the Day. Sea grass matting on the floor in the "Show room" , probably 200 plus boards (made on the premises) and the smell of surf wax and cured resin (fibreglass that is - not the other type). And Ray Richards himself and occasionally bumping in to mark (before his world titles) who would sell you stuff that either they made themselves or had tested for themselves. Surf shop that sold surfboards , made by themselves with a couple of racks of wetsuits and a rack of boardies (I think trackers and platts were the brand of the day). In those days surfers were not mainstream and it was a lifestyle . There was no scene...just surfers looking for the best gear to do what they loved- Surf.

Im sure theres a few other shops of the days gone by that people can recall as having a special vibe

In terms of more recent times I think that gero had (and still has) the cool places. THe Youngs original Surf and sail (pre kiting) was really cool. RIcks original Sail West on Point Moore was awsome . G spot in Gero is pretty dowm to earth (complete with kite repairs on site) and Kim at Surf and sail(and kites) is a cool shop. Its a pity the point moore location no longer exists as the shop across the road from on of Gero's Premier spots was impossible to top for location . Stand on the verandah and be basted by 25knots and stare strait into hells gates...... break something on the beach and run across to the shop and replace it..

And yes GERO people whether you like it or not being a "windy hole of a place" (as the un kiting /sailing public have been known to call it) qualifies Gero as a conteder for Kiting Mecca (add the water temperature, sunshine hours etc.)

Kiting and windsurf dedicated shops have the edge over any modern "surf" (read clothing) shop as they stock the gear that brings a smile to thepeople who actually do the thing they love, KITE.

I think that if G spot or Gero Surf and Sail relocated to a beachside location where you can walk from shop to launch area ,or chill at the shop and watch the action on the water you'd have a real contender....

I'm confused? Are we talking about places to kite or shops? If it is the latter well personally I don't really care. not sure why a nice retail environment is so crucial? Maybe I'm missing something I am reading this on a small iPhone.

in terms of gero personally I reckon it's a better windsurf destination because when it blows it blows ya fuc en head off. And that's from 10 in the morning!
Me I'm a 17 to 23 kinda guy not a 25 plus by 11 o'clock in the morning kinda guy!!

Plus gero locals are weird. Wouldn't bother with that place and the drive.

The best shop is the one that sells what you want and smiles when they sell it to you.

Are you reffering to Geraldton about 5 hours north of Perth?
Thanks, until I saw that post I never thought that you could kite up that way.
May have to check it out