Swell gig sees Luke Munro catch a lucky break as surf and beaches reporter for 7 Gold Coast News

IT’S the kind of break most surfers would froth over but Luke Munro admits he initially knocked the chance to become 7 Gold Coast News surf reporter.

Luke Munro will present surf and beach reports for 7 Gold Coast News. Picture: Mike Batterham

IT’S the kind of break most surfers would froth over but Luke Munro admits he initially knocked it back.

A former professional surfer who has worked as a bookmaker since he retired from the tour in 2010, Munro will present surf and beach reports for 7 Gold Coast News when it debuts next week.

“(7 News South East Queensland director) Neil Warren called and asked if I’d be interested and I said no mate, no, that’s not for me,” Munro said.

Channel 7 Gold Coast News surf and beach reporter Luke Munro. Picture: Mike Batterham.

“I never thought I’d be any good but I had a crack at it and the more I started thinking about it, the more I thought about the kind of information I could give people.

“If I have a surf I want to make sure it’s the best possible time of the day so I’ve become obsessed with forecasts and looking at swell maps and weather maps.

“Before I go to bed, the last thing I do is scan a weather map for the next six days.”

A young Luke Munro in action at Duranbah in 2006. Picture: Terry Kavanagh.

7 Gold Coast News will air seven days a week at 5.30pm from Monday, with Rod Young in the presenter’s chair weekdays and Amanda Abate reading weekend bulletins.

Munro, who joins boating and fishing expert Paul Burt and weather presenter Liz Cantor, will

file his surf and beach reports Thursdays to Saturdays.

Luke Munro signs an autograph for a young fan at the 2006 Quicksilver Pro preview in Surfers Paradise. Picture: Geoff McLachlan.

Munro, 32, his wife, childhood sweetheart April, and their children, daughter Scout, 4, and son Marlin, 2, live at Currumbin in the same street Munro has called home since he was four years old.

“When I was surfing for a job I’d wake up and just go and find the best wave of the day but now it’s about windows of opportunity, especially with kids,” he said.

Munro enjoyed a break from his board after quitting the tour — “I only surfed about once a month for six years,” he said — but has rekindled his love for the sport in the past 12 months.

Luke and April Munro and Elsa Pataky and her husband, Thor: Ragnarok star Chris Hemsworth, on holiday together on Whitehaven Beach. The picture, posted by April on Instagram, was captioned: Picnics and swims with not a soul in sight. Yes, it is the whitest, softest sand I have ever felt �� A very rare moment for us with no kids! Thank you #oohaymanisland for the best kids club! #seeaustralia.

He takes up his new role at Seven well rested after a family holiday to Uluru, the Kimberley and Hayman Island with his good mate, Tourism Australia ambassador and Thor: Ragnarok star Chris Hemsworth, his wife Elsa Pataky and their three kids.

“He’s a pest,” Munro said, laughing.

“We met through a friend when I was on the pro junior circuit about 12 or 13 years ago.

“Every time I’d go to LA for an event, I’d stop in and visit.

“He’s a champion bloke. Our kids are the same age.”

Luke Munro in action in 2008 at the ASP World Tour Billabong Pro at Jeffreys Bay, South Africa. Picture: Supplied, ASP.

So how does the God of Thunder rate as a surfer?

“He’s an awesome surfer,” Munro said.

And how about Munro? How does he go these days?

“About 7.5 out of 10 on a good day,” he said.

7 Gold Coast News premieres on Monday at 5.30pm.