Star Surf + Skate
Star Surf + Skate is a Mandurah, Western Australia-based specialty surf retailer operating a flagship store and national e-commerce platform, selling 500+ premium branded surfboards, wetsuits, apparel and accessories to consumers across Australia.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1980
- HeadquartersMandurah, Australia
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Star Surf + Skate does
Star Surf + Skate is a specialty surf retailer headquartered in Mandurah, Western Australia, operating a flagship physical store alongside a national e-commerce platform at starsurf.com.au. The company sells premium branded surfboards (more than 500 in stock at price points ranging from A$329 to A$2,395+), 209 wetsuit SKUs, surf hardware, apparel and accessories from a curated portfolio that includes JS Industries, Firewire, Channel Islands, Slater Designs, Pyzel Surfboards and Lost Surfboards. It also distributes two proprietary house brands, Star Surf Boards and Star Softboards.
The business model is multi-channel specialty retail with an integrated services and content layer. Revenue is generated through high-ticket surfboard sales, apparel and accessory volume, surf lesson services via Mandurah Surf Lessons, and ancillary merchant features such as ZipZip buy-now-pay-later financing and free shipping above A$99. Customer acquisition and retention are supported by the VIP Club loyalty program and the Wooly TV YouTube content channel. Customer segments span beginners, recreational surfers, advanced surfers, surfskate enthusiasts and families.
The company is privately held and owner-operated, with Ian "Wooly" Macpherson leading the business for 27 years. It employs 11–50 staff and has won Australian Retailer of the Year in the single-store category for three consecutive years, positioning itself as Western Australia's most awarded surf shop. There are no disclosed institutional shareholders, funding rounds or M&A activity in the available record.
Star Surf + Skate firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Star Surf + Skate
- Legal name
- Star Surf + Skate
- Website
- https://starsurf.com.au
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1980
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Star Surf + Skate is a Mandurah, Western Australia-based specialty surf retailer operating a flagship store and national e-commerce platform, selling 500+ premium branded surfboards, wetsuits, apparel and accessories to consumers across Australia.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Star Surf + Skate industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Surf and Skate Retail
- NAICS
- Other Miscellaneous Retailers (4599)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Surf & Beach Sports Retail (Surfboards, Bodyboards, Skimboards) (CRAMAIAE)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Water Sports & Marine Recreation Retail (Paddle/Surf/Dive/Boat Accessories) (CRAMABAI), Swim & Surf Performance Wear (CRAAAEAG), Surfing & Kitesurfing Experiences (Lessons, Camps) (THAJAJAJ), Surf Schools & Surf Camps (THAAAKAC), Paddle Sports Retail (Kayak, Canoe, SUP, Paddles) (CRAMAIAD)
Keywords
Where Star Surf + Skate is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Mandurah
- HQ country
- Australia
- HQ region
- Oceania
Offices1 record
Markets served
Star Surf + Skate business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Surfboard Sales: Retail sales of surfboards including premium brands like JS Industries, Firewire, Channel Islands, Slater Designs, and their own Star Surf Boards brand. Surfboards range from $329 to $2,395.
- Wetsuit Sales: Sales of wetsuits from major brands including O'Neill, Xcel, Vissla, Patagonia, Quiksilver, Roxy. One of the largest wetsuit ranges in Australia with 209 products.
- Apparel and Accessories Sales: Sales of surf apparel, clothing, accessories including sunglasses, sunscreen, luggage, and skate hardware. Includes brands like Patagonia, Rusty, Quiksilver, Billabong, Roxy, Vissla.
- Surf Lessons: Mandurah Surf Lessons offering instruction for all skill levels from experienced instructors.
- Surf Hardware Sales: Sales of fins, traction pads, leashes, surfboard covers, and accessories from brands like FCS, Futures, Creatures of Leisure, and Ocean & Earth.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Entry-level surfboards and softboards |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Mid-range performance surfboards |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Premium and specialized surfboards |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Wetsuits across all categories |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Surf accessories and hardware |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels7 records
Star Surf + Skate product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Star Surf + Skate is a Western Australian surf retailer that operates a physical showroom in Mandurah and the starsurf.com.au e-commerce store, selling over 500 surfboards, one of Australia's largest ranges of wetsuits (209 products), surf hardware (fins, traction, leashes, covers), bodyboards, surfskates, and surf apparel from premium brands such as JS Industries, Firewire, Channel Islands, Slater Designs, Pyzel, O'Neill, and Patagonia. The business also runs Mandurah Surf Lessons for all skill levels and produces the Wooly TV YouTube channel of surfboard reviews and product education.
Product overview
Star Surf + Skate is an Australian surf retail business operating as a multi-brand e-commerce platform and physical store in Mandurah, Western Australia. Founded in 1980, it offers over 500 surfboards and a comprehensive range of surfing equipment including wetsuits, surf hardware (fins, traction, leashes, covers), bodyboarding gear, skate/surfsboards, and apparel. The product portfolio spans multiple branded surfboard lines (JS Industries, Channel Islands, Slater Designs, Firewire, Pyzel, Lost, Thunderbolt, Salt Gypsy, Sunova, Modern, and own-brand Star Softboards), wetsuit brands (O'Neill, Xcel, Vissla, Patagonia, Quiksilver, Roxy), and accessories. Supplementary services include Mandurah Surf Lessons for all skill levels and Wooly TV, a YouTube-based surfboard review and educational content platform. The business operates a VIP Club loyalty program and stocks complementary lifestyle brands like YETI.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Star Softboards: Own brand of softboards used in surf schools across Western Australia, ranging from 6ft to 8ft in length.
- Star Surf Boards
- Wooly TV
Products and services
- Surfboards Multi-brand range of surfboards including shortboards, longboards, mid-lengths, softboards, SUP, skimboards, and foil boards from JS Industries, Channel Islands, Slater Designs, Firewire, DHD, Pyzel, Hayden Shapes, Lost, Thunderbolt, Salt Gypsy, Sunova, Modern, Softech, Gnaraloo, Catch Surf, Kale Brock Designs, Col Ladhams, and the store's own Star Surf Boards line; prices range from $329 for softboards to $2,395 for premium boards.
- Wetsuits Wetsuits for men, women, boys and girls from O'Neill, Xcel, Vissla, Patagonia, Quiksilver, Roxy, Rip Curl, and Florence Marine X, including steamers, spring suits, rash vests and wetsuit accessories; 209 products stocked, priced from $59.99 to $749.99.
- Surf Hardware Surf accessories including fins (FCS II, Futures), traction pads, leashes, surfboard covers, wax and miscellaneous items from brands such as FCS, Futures, Creatures of Leisure and Ocean & Earth; accessories from $4.95.
- Bodyboarding Bodyboards and bodyboarding accessories for wave riders of all skill levels.
- Surfskates and Skate Hardware Surfskates including Smoothstar and YOW Skateboards, plus skate hardware and bikes for land-based surf training.
- Surf Apparel, Sunglasses and Accessories Surf-inspired mens, womens, boys and girls clothing from Patagonia, Rusty, Quiksilver, Billabong, Roxy, Vissla, Former, JS Apparel and the store's own Star apparel line, plus sunglasses, sunscreen, luggage, backpacks and gift cards.
- Star Softboards (Own Brand) Own-brand softboards in 6ft to 8ft sizes and various widths, tested in all conditions and used in surf schools across Western Australia.
- YETI Outdoor and Drinkware Products Premium YETI coolers, Rambler bottles, tumblers, Hoppers and Roadie hard coolers available for store pickup only.
- Mandurah Surf Lessons On-site surf instruction at Mandurah for beginners through to advanced surfers, taught by experienced instructors; doubles as a customer acquisition channel for the retail business.
Companies that use Star Surf + Skate
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Star Surf + Skate technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Star Surf + Skate partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- Mandurah Surf LessonscoreIntegrated business unit operated by Star Surf + Skate providing surf lessons for all skill levels. Run by owner Ian 'Wooly' Macpherson who has 27 years of experience. Serves as both revenue stream and marketing channel for the retail business.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves1 record
Expansion highlights5 records
Star Surf + Skate competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Billabong: Iconic Australian surf apparel and hardware brand with retail and D2C; comparable because Billabong is both a stocked brand at Star Surf and a competing retailer/brand owner with broader scale across wetsuits, apparel, and accessories.
- Patagonia: US-based outdoor and surf brand with strong wetsuit, apparel, and fleece categories; comparable because Patagonia wetsuits and apparel are stocked at Star Surf while Patagonia simultaneously operates its own D2C and wholesale retail that compete for the same conscious-consumer surf customer.
- Rip Curl: Global Australian-founded surf brand with company-owned retail stores and a strong wetsuit franchise; comparable because it both competes with Star Surf's wetsuit assortment and operates a D2C channel that can undercut independent retailers on the same premium product.
- Quiksilver: Global surf brand with Australian retail and D2C; comparable as both a stocked brand at Star Surf and a competing surf specialty retailer with materially greater scale and marketing reach.
Others
- Pyzel Surfboards: Performance surfboard brand by Australian shaper John Pyzel, carried at Star Surf (Ghost, Red Tiger, Dark Arts Carbon lines); comparable as a key supplier/brand whose D2C and brand-owned pricing set the wholesale margin terms Star Surf operates under.
- Channel Islands Surfboards: Iconic US performance surfboard brand carried at Star Surf; comparable as a high-end supplier whose limited allocation and D2C sales directly affect Star Surf's ability to serve advanced/professional surfers in WA.
- Firewire Surfboards: Global premium surfboard brand built around composite constructions; comparable as a key supplier brand for which Star Surf claims the WA's largest range, and whose D2C and global dealer network compete for the same high-performance surfer.
- JS Industries: Australian premium surfboard brand and shaper, for whom Star Surf claims WA's largest range; comparable as a key supplier whose brand pull drives Star Surf's surfboard traffic and whose own D2C site represents a structural risk to wholesale margins.
- Slater Designs: Surfboard line designed by Kelly Slater and Daniel Thomson (Ibolic and Volcanic constructions), stocked at Star Surf; comparable as a key premium supplier brand whose direct-to-consumer channel competes with Star Surf on the same SKUs.
Direct peers
- Surf Dive 'n' Ski: Australian multi-store surf and skate retail chain carrying overlapping premium surfboard, wetsuit, and apparel brands (Quiksilver, Billabong, Roxy, Patagonia, Vissla). Comparable as a multi-brand surf specialty retailer serving the Australian consumer, though operating as a chain rather than a single flagship store.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Star Surf + Skate social profiles
Digital presenceStar Surf + Skate financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Star Surf + Skate leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Star Surf + Skate funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Star Surf + Skate M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Star Surf + Skate
What does Star Surf + Skate do?
Star Surf + Skate is a Western Australian surf retailer that operates a physical showroom in Mandurah and the starsurf.com.au e-commerce store, selling over 500 surfboards, one of Australia's largest ranges of wetsuits (209 products), surf hardware (fins, traction, leashes, covers), bodyboards, surfskates, and surf apparel from premium brands such as JS Industries, Firewire, Channel Islands, Slater Designs, Pyzel, O'Neill, and Patagonia. The business also runs Mandurah Surf Lessons for all skill levels and produces the Wooly TV YouTube channel of surfboard reviews and product education.
Is Star Surf + Skate a public or private company?
Star Surf + Skate is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Star Surf + Skate founded?
Star Surf + Skate was founded in 1980. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Star Surf + Skate based?
Star Surf + Skate is headquartered in Mandurah, Australia, in the Oceania region.
How does Star Surf + Skate make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Surfboard Sales are the primary driver. The others are wetsuit Sales, apparel and Accessories Sales, surf Lessons and surf Hardware Sales.
Who are Star Surf + Skate's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Billabong, Patagonia, Rip Curl and Quiksilver. Others are Pyzel Surfboards, Channel Islands Surfboards, Firewire Surfboards, JS Industries and Slater Designs. Surf Dive 'n' Ski is listed as a direct peer.
Does Star Surf + Skate have an API?
No public API is recorded for Star Surf + Skate.
What industry is Star Surf + Skate in?
Star Surf + Skate's product category is Surf and Skate Retail. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRAMAIAE, Surf & Beach Sports Retail (Surfboards, Bodyboards, Skimboards), with a secondary code of CRAMABAI, Water Sports & Marine Recreation Retail (Paddle/Surf/Dive/Boat Accessories). Its NAICS code is 4599.