Steve Zoeller, local surfing legend, beloved father and one of the Northern Beaches’ true craftsmen, passed away last weekend on 14 February 2026, aged 75.
Steve was described as “a soulful man who heavily influenced not just surfboard design, but surfing itself. A master board maker and quiet innovator, his legacy is permanently etched into Australian surf history and the story of Mona Vale.”
In 1981, in Mona Vale, Steve became one of the fathers of the Thruster alongside Simon Anderson. The revolutionary three-fin design changed the trajectory of surfing worldwide. The Thruster gave surfers more drive, more speed and the ability to push harder through turns in everything from small beachies to serious swell. It accelerated progression across the sport and remains one of the most important design breakthroughs in surfing’s history.
Steve was also the owner of Energy Surfboards, established in 1976. From his factories in Brookvale, and later Mona Vale, he handcrafted thousands upon thousands of boards for locals.
And if you grew up here, you remember them: the electric neons, the fluorescent 80s spray jobs, the bold graphics that lit up the lineup. They were boards from a simpler time, a golden stretch of Northern Beaches surf history that still lives vividly in memory for so many.
Today, the original Thruster is a collector’s item. In recent years Steve and Simon produced replica boards for charity auctions, with some fetching over $6,000 due to their rarity and deep cultural significance within the surfing community.
Steve is survived by his three loving children, their spouses, seven grandchildren and extended family.
The family warmly invites Steve’s friends, colleagues and the wider surfing community to join a paddle out in his honour at Mona Vale Basin at midday this Sunday 22 February, followed by a gathering to celebrate his life at The Mona Vale Hotel at 2pm.
