Gold Coast surfing great Tommy Peterson remembered after death

The Australian surfing community is mourning the death of a giant of the sport, who had a close connection with Kelly Slater.

Tommy Peterson.

One of the greats of Australian surfing has died on the Gold Coast.

Tommy Peterson, brother of surfing legend Michael ‘MP’ Peterson and a talented surfer and board shaper in his own right, passed away just days after celebrating his 71st birthday.

Fellow Coolangatta surfing identity, former world champion Peter ‘PT’ Townend, revealed the tragic news on Facebook.

“Sad day in Coolangatta!” he wrote.

“RIP Tommy Peterson. One of our town’s true characters. Great surfer and shaper/designer of surfboards.”

Peterson and his older brother grew up surfing the famous southern Gold Coast point breaks and joined Kirra Surfriders as “grommets”.

Tommy Peterson.

While Michael went on to become one of Australia’s greatest ever competitive surfers, Tommy carved a name for himself as a top surfboard shaper who made boards for the likes of 11-time world champion Kelly Slater and fellow American surfing great Tom Curren.

He was a former Gold Coast Surfing Association president, a life member of Surfing Queensland and manager for multiple state surfing teams.

Tommy Peterson has been remembered as a Gold Coast surfing icon.

“He was always a vocal supporter of Queensland competitors when representing the Sunshine State at Nationals,” Surfing Queensland said in his life membership tribute.

“Much like his sibling, Tommy was manually gifted and was known to do most of the talking for his often quiet and reserved famous brother. Peterson had a visionary approach of thinking and in parts many of his ideas were implemented in that era.”

Tommy Peterson with his mum Joan.

In surfing journalist Sean Doherty’s 2004 book “MP: the life of Michael Peterson”, Tommy recalled his brother first meeting Slater in the mid 1990s and presenting him with a replica surfboard.

When Slater asked what Michael did to get fit, Tommy joked: “Run from the coppers”.

Slater has remained close friends with the Peterson family over the years.

Tommy once credited their single mum Joan, who peeled prawns and worked in kitchens to support the family including daughter Dot, for his and Michael’s surfing success.

“She’s been a really big help to both of us,” he said in a 1975 interview.

“She’s really a top lady. A fairy godmother … but we got more than three wishes.”

Michael Peterson died in 2012 aged 59.