Shane Stedman OAM

Shane Stedman has spent the last 50 years of his life bringing the joy of surfing to others.

“Seeing the look on a young bloke’s face when he gets his new, often first, surfboard, especially if I have custom shaped it specifically for him, is my motivation,” Mr Stedman says. “The nature of my business has allowed me the freedom to go surfing almost every day!”

Mr Stedman hasn’t sought recognition, but he has made a significant impact. For his service to the surfing industry, he has been awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia.

“What I felt on learning of my nomination was that I was honoured and humbled, especially as my OAM is for having a lifetime of having fun.

“My brother (David Stedman OAM, 2022) received his for his hard work in helping foster unfortunate kids. He is currently on his seventy-fourth.”