The first NIMBIN GNAR-WALLS blazed through the Lismore district with skaters from near and far getting the locals sparked up for the end of summer.
The Lismore district got hit hard by the 2022 floods and a lot of businesses and locals survived things that most people in modern Australia have never experienced. NIMBIN GNAR-WALLS was part of the one year anniversary to celebrate the incredible community and bring the good times back to The Hinterland. The week kicked off with drinks and celebrating at Two Mates Brewing in Lismore, who exactly a year before had a flood of three and a half metres wash through their brewery. Within a few weeks they managed to get set up enough to be a local gathering point and offer locals cold tinnies and community. It was a fitting place to get the weeks festivities started and they kept it going with all the goods and prizes for the main event on Saturday.
Lismore is getting ready to upgrade its skateparks and add a world class national sized facility. The first skating of the week was the Flea Circus for the Under 18s at Goonellabah skatepark which is about to get a rad redo as part of the new skate strategy for Lismore. With prizes and snow cones being given out to all in attendance from MODUS Bearings, Emerica Shoes, 36 Chambers Skate Shop and BOWLZILLA, the skating was definitely radder than anything the locals had seen for quite some time. There was a ripping group of youngsters scratching out new lines and tricks all over the park. Huddy, the Brandini brothers, Keke, Tāne, Kaedyn and the rest of them amped up the session and left new marks all over the park.
Nimbin is an all welcoming no egos kind of place and all the skaters that turned up for the open invite were sufficiently rewarded for their efforts and being part of the whole. The day kicked off with the Time Trials and it was an all in shred fest. Everyone started and stopped their own clocks which got them amped that much more. Nikki Lovelace took out the Women’s division with her next level training, Tony Chavez strategised into first and Shaun Boucher was the one to beat straight out of the gate. With $1000 for 1st, $600 for 2nd and $400 for 3rd, everyone had a serious go but in the most unserious way you could imagine as all egos were left at home.
PJ Sheek and Soy Division rocked out on the platform all afternoon as certified Australian legends Robert Brasher, Matt Davis, Trout and Dave Adair handed out $6000 in cash for ripping and good vibes to everyone charging the park. They were calling out tricks to be done, lines to run, spots to hit and vibes to be shared and everyone joined in and shared the stoke. The cash, challenges and good vibes were shared by Masters, Women and Opens equally. The field was massive with crew like; Chris Enwright, Matt Beer, Kayla Mathews, Marcio Brandini, Barry Taniwha, Nikki Lovelace, Nick Hepenstall, Shaun Boucher and even Steven Pineiro who trekked all the way from Puerto Rico pushing everyone to higher levels for which they were suitably rewarded.
All skaters and fans alike were grateful for Lismore Council and NSW Government supporting the local skate community and bringing back friends and family from all points for a final summer celebration of skating. They gave back to the Nimbin community making them busier than they’d been for years and everyone was stoked that it was because of skaters.
"NIMBIN GNAR-WALLS was our way of saying thank you to the skate community for stepping up and putting on ripping shows for everyone at all the events they continuously support. It was an open invite with free accommodation and celebrations and all in attendance went home stoked and rewarded. It just felt like the right gathering for Nimbin and the wider Lismore area for the example they set for what true Australian spirit means in how everyone came together a year ago during the devastating climate crisis. Bringing everyone together to celebrate and acknowledging the efforts they put in set a different tone to the standard gatherings and on behalf of our entire team we were all incredibly grateful we got to be a part of it.” Chad Ford – Event Director
All the things that make skaters lifers were be in full effect for the week. Good times, rad concrete, crazy challenges, road tripping, camping, live bands rocking it out on the platform, huge gatherings of epic skaters, art, parties, generations deep with gnarly skating and bags of cash rewards for everyone that turned up the stoke levels.
It is important to acknowledge the influential skaters and scene that came before us. NIMBIN GNAR-WALLS acknowledges and celebrates this by building on the past while writing a bright and energetic future.
All photos by: Michael White
