Graham Black was a local Kirra Grommet, who rarely attended the Coolangatta School, located on top of the Kirra Hill.
As a young boy Graham would watch perfect waves wrap around Kirra Point unridden.
At the age of 14 Graham started surfing at Kirra on Johnny Charlton's famous Hire Boards. Graham spent most of his time surfing on the hire boards with his mate Curly Pinniger, eating Banana and bread sandwiches, hiding from teachers who were constantly chasing the two boys to get back to school.
When Graham was at school he would watch Brian Woodrick and his brother surf perfect Kirra to themselves.
When the word was out that some locals were forming a Kirra Surfriders Club, Graham was keen to join, as he loved Kirra, Johnny's hire boards and the friendships that were constantly formed at Kirra.
Graham was the third member to-have ever joined Kirra Surfriders.Graham's surfing developed quickly and it stood out when he won the QLD Junior Titles in 1964/65.
His contest history is fascinating and he was one of the best surfers in his time.
Blackies boards were made by his mate Brian 'Fury'Austen, who always took the Kirra groms up and down the coast on surf safaris.
Fury worked in Joe Larkin's factory at Miles Street Kirra, Graham can remember glassing Joe's boards and this experience has now taken Graham into the board manufacturing industry.
One of Graham's best memories is back in 1966 when he surfed perfect 6 to8 foot Kirra with one other person.
Over the years Graham has seen Kirra change in many ways, and he would like to see KirraSurfriders maintain a heavy local club, that it has always been and to remain one of the strongest Surfriding clubs in Australia