This edition of Australian pro skateboarders and companies I did not know existed is brought to you by Ken Macleod, who posted a picture of a Ken Gibbons pro model. I tried to find something about it/him (Ken) and that led me to the photography of Chris Stroh, whose portfolio is primarily surfing, but also includes some 80’s era skateboarding. That’s Ken in the photo above, in the bowl at a place called “Five Dock,” circa 1986. Unfortunately, Ken was the victim of a hit-and-run and died in 2006. I scraped the web for more bits and pieces on Ken and Bonzer and managed to find a few items.
The blue deck photos from Ken Macleod is thought to be a Japanese bootleg of the Bonzer model. Black deck photo: @tintoptoy
Ken photos courtesy of Chris Stroh. Top left: Flemington ’87. Others: Five Dock around ’86
Here’s another uncredited photo of Kenny I found on the web. Leave a comment if you know the photog or the original source.
Bonzer Skateboards was originally an Australian brand that was first registered in 1986 by John Desmond Field. The trademark is listed as lapsed, but there are what looks to be some generic cruiser/longboards out there now with the Bonzer name on it. Theres’ a very obvious Pushed influence here. I have to admit I thought “Manly” was being used as an adjective but it refers to Manly, New South Wales. Bonzer is also a kind of surfboard type or brand, I’m not sure, I haven’t been able to make sense of it, and I’m obviously a Hodad.
Enjoy some random Bonzer Skateboards action. This first one is from @marci_oravec.
The John Bogaerts model is from @sk8cheddar.
A couple more from , while the others are from @tintoptoy again.
Bonzer mounting hardware as seen on Ebay.
6 comments
Simon
My cousin gave me his Bonzer Retros and Bonzer Ghetto wheels back in the day. I know he also used to skate and know Danny Van.
He also around the same time gave me a Santa Cruz Jeff Grosso Coca Cola Classic deck…but when I was wanting to learn, the lull of the early 90s hit and no one was skating.
I grew up out west and used to hang out as a kid at Get Rad skate shop in Seven Hills in the late 80s owned by John Grey from memory.
I was a mediocre skater at best, but now my son is getting lessons from ann old school Brazilian ex-pro and we get down to the Manly mini and skate park.
I’m slowly getting parts to put together a board for myself to carve around (in true skater style where my son’s coach is bringing me second hand parts to cobble a setup).
Nice to see someone putting an article together about Bonzer and sad to hear Ken Gibbons died from a hit and run, tragic.
Stephen
Tony Mann had a pro model with Bonzer skates.
Keiran
I’ve got an original pair of Bonzer sand cast trucks.
Anthony Cowan @tintoptoy
Thanks for crediting my pics great article.
Terina
Ken “GIBBO” Gibbons was such a great friend. I met him when he was first on the Gold Coast in the early 90s. I have been trying to track down a bit of memorabilia of Gibbo’s and was hoping to be pointed in the right direction.
Nathan Liddle
John Fields nickname was Johhny bonzer. He set up the board factory in Brookvale NSW. Most of the art work was done by Ben Brown of The Hellmenn fame. Bonzer had a mobile 10ft ramp which was towed on two trailers. They set up demos in shopping centre car parks all around Sydney. There was also a Danny Van pro model as well as some others I can’t recall. Some good times !