What's possible in the eighth decade of life? Rusty Miller will be 80 this year - and he's still rocking off at Lennox Point and taking off on the best set waves.
Born in Southern Californian, Rusty was the 1965 United States Surfing Champion. He moved to Byron Bay Australia in 1970, where he has since lived, surfed, taught, and written about surfing -- and been an integral member of the community.
Rusty was amongst the first surf travellers to venture to Sri Lanka, Lebanon, Israel, Egypt and Portugal in the mid-1960s. In 1971, he was featured in Albe Falzon’s iconic film Morning of the Earth.
In 1973 Rusty started the North Coast region’s first alternative newspaper, The Byron Express, and has been printing an annual magazine - Rusty’s Byron Guide – since 1984. It offers a practical and philosophical introduction to the Byron area.
In 2012, Rusty co-wrote his first book Turning Point: Surf Portraits and Stories From Bells to Byron 1970-1971. Then came Turning Point II: Surf Portraits and Stories Hawaii: Oahu-Kauai-Maui 1968-1972. Both of which were collaborations with his partner, social geographer Trisha Shantz. They have two daughters, Taylor and Courtney.
Rusty continues to share his ample surfing wisdom through his school – Rusty Miller Surf.
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Listen with Lauren L. Hill & Dave Rastovich
Sound Engineer: Ben Alexander
Theme song: Shannon Sol Carroll
Additional music by Dave & Ben
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