Midget Farrelly immortalized in rock in public artwork at Palmy

A fine tribute to the great Bernard Farrelly – watch the vid here

News from the Northern Beaches Council:

Local surfing legend Bernard 'Midget' Farrelly, winner of the first men's World Surfing Championship, has been honoured with a rock carving at Palm Beach.

The 2-metre-tall bas-relief was carved by local artist Newton Bishop, of Newton Stone Design into Black Rock, situated along Ocean Road, Palm Beach.

The carving was inspired by an iconic photograph of Midget Farrelly by Jack Eden, in one of his classic surfing stances and celebrates his inaugural World Surfing Championships win at Manly Beach in 1964.

In 2023, the Midget Farrelly Recognition Committee approached Council seeking approval to create a fully funded artwork at Palm Beach which was supported following engagement with the community.

The Committee believed the most appropriate form of recognition for him was a bas-relief sculpture carved into the rock face designed to soften with the natural effects of weathering.

A Palm Beach resident for 54 years, Farrelly opened his first surfboard business in Palm Beach at the age of 18 years old and was an accomplished sweep and trainer of young rowers at the Palm Beach and Whale Beach Surf Life Saving clubs for over 20 years. Most mornings and some evenings, Midget could be seen in the surf on one of his many short or Malibu surfboards or riding his bike along the beachfront.

Midget Farrelly was the first Australian man to win a major surfing title, the 1962 Makaha International Surfing Championships, the unofficial world surfing championship of the day. Two years later, Farrelly won the inaugural World Surfing Championship (1964) at Manly Beach in Sydney.  

Black Rock, also popular with local climbers is sometimes referred to locally as Big Rock, or Elephant Rock.