Rip Curl warehouse leaving Torquay

A FORMER long-time employee at Rip Curl’s Torquay warehouse has said it will be a shame when the famous surf brand relocates its warehousing to western Melbourne.

Announced on Thursday last week, the change will see 19 permanent jobs moved from the warehouses in Baines Crescent and Letham Lane into the group facility in Truganina in May.

A spokesperson from parent company KMD Brands said Rip Curl warehousing would move first, with about half of the 19 positions to move in May and Ozmosis’s warehousing to move most likely in February 2026.

Nathan Swan, who worked in the Rip Curl warehouse between 2001 and 2021, said the warehouse facility was much smaller in both size and staffing when he first started working there.

“There would have probably been eight casuals and a handful of full timers; that would have been about it,” he said.

“Most of the crew were locals, young up-and-coming surfers, young crew at university and a few older guys who had been around town a long time.”

He said the pace of work could vary wildly from no work at all to 5am starts and 10.30pm finishes depending on the time of year, especially ahead of the winter and summer seasons.

“The crew were always fun to work with, I loved working there,” Mr Swan said.

“It was a huge place to employ local people and even local people’s kids on school holidays, and it’s a shame they’re not going to have that any more.”

The KMD Brands spokesperson said all permanent warehouse staff had been offered permanent jobs at Truganina, or the option to take redundancy.

“They’ve also been offered to trial their role at Truganina, with the ability to take redundancy if they do not wish to continue after the trial.”

“This decision was not made lightly and KMD Brands acknowledges the commitment and dedication of our long-standing warehouse crew.

“Rip Curl’s home remains in Torquay with no impact to head office or store crew.”

Rip Curl was founded in Torquay in 1969 by Brian Singer and Doug ‘Claw’ Warbrick.

KMD Brands, which also owns Kathmandu and Oboz, acquired Rip Curl from Mr Singer and Mr Warbrick in October 2019.