1931 - 2018

Garry Taylor was a champion surf lifesaver and swimmer with the North Bondi Surf Life Saving Club during the 1940s and '50s. He was a life member of the North Bondi SLSC, renowned not only for his swimming prowess but also for excelling in water polo, shuttlecock, beach football, and squash.

Garry was a talented swimmer and surfer, achieving success at Sydney Boys High, the Bondi Amateur Swimming Club, and at State and National levels. In 1948, he narrowly missed Olympic selection by 0.01 seconds in the 100-metre trial.

Both of Garry’s parents passed away when he was young. He left school at 15 but later completed his Leaving Certificate as an external student before pursuing an Economics Degree at Sydney University.

During his time at the North Bondi SLSC in the 1940s and '50s, Garry was a key member of the club's championship surf teams. He was part of North Bondi’s 1948 Australian junior champion surf team and later joined the Australian senior champion surf team in the 1950s. Remarkably, he continued competing into his 60s in masters' events and accumulated numerous Australian surf titles.

At the 1948 Metropolitan surf titles held at Bondi Beach, 16-year-old Garry made a significant impact, winning the junior belt race, junior surf race, and junior surf teams’ race. Just two weeks prior, he had obtained his bronze medallion, which allowed him to compete in this surf carnival.

Garry’s sporting achievements extended beyond surf races; he excelled as a still water swimmer. In 1949, at just 17 years old, he surprised many by breaking the state intermediate record by 2.9 seconds with a time of 61.4 seconds in the 110-yard intermediate freestyle championship of New South Wales. He was also the state champion in the 220-yard freestyle and a member of the champion medley relay team.

Balancing commitments to both surf and swimming championships, Garry faced challenges. In 1949, his representation of NSW in the Australian Swimming Championships at Brisbane prevented him from defending his Metropolitan junior surf titles.

During the 1950s, North Bondi SLSC dominated surf racing, exemplified by their performance in the Metropolitan Championships of January 1953, where four members, led by Garry, claimed the top four spots—an unparalleled achievement in surf sports.

One of Garry’s fiercest rivals was Manly’s Max Riddington, a multiple national and state champion. They frequently vied for top honours and were regulars among the NSW representatives at Australian surf championships throughout the 1950s.

After retiring from competitive sports, Garry remained active within the club, serving as race secretary and maintaining meticulous records of swimmers' statistics, whether in his head or on scraps of paper.

Garry Taylor remained active until the early 2000s, participating in the Australian Masters Championships in 2002. Despite his reluctance to enter state events, his persistence paid off when, with John ‘Pud’ Regan, he won the gold medal in the Australian Masters surfboard rescue event in the 60-64 age category.

Throughout his life, Garry resided in Sydney’s Eastern Suburbs, including Bondi, Dover Heights, Campbell Parade, and Ben Buckler Point. He lived with his wife Eva and their daughters Katja, Krystal, and Kristy on Ben Buckler Point. Later in life, Garry was known locally as a taxi driver, working three shifts every weekend to support his family.