Imagine a skate park so legendary, it's not just concrete and asphalt, but a living, breathing piece of history. That's Albany's 'The Snake Run,' and it's celebrating its 50th birthday! But what makes this seemingly simple skate park so special? It's not just old; it's a testament to community spirit and a crucial link in the global evolution of skateboarding.
Located in a coastal community in Western Australia's south, The Snake Run isn't just the oldest skate park in Australia; it's the second-oldest surviving skate park in the world! That's right, this humble spot played a pivotal role in shaping the sport we know and love today. And here's the incredible part: its creation wasn't driven by some big corporation, but by the passion and determination of local kids and teenagers.
Think about it: these young skaters, fueled by their love for the sport, spearheaded a massive fundraising effort. Graham Macaulay, who was just starting high school at the time, remembers the explosion of skateboarding in the mid-70s. "Around about 74/75, it was just the start of a full-blown skateboard phase," he recalls. "Plenty of kids skateboarding around the roads and footpaths and driveways, but all those skateboarding areas had issues." But here's where it gets controversial... should kids be allowed to skate everywhere, or should there be designated areas? What do you think?
Driven by a need for a safe and dedicated space, Graham, with the support of his father, Jim Macaulay, and Albany Mayor Harold Smith, rallied the community. The young skaters themselves became fundraising dynamos, selling raffle tickets to win a brand-new color television! "To incentivise some of the kids to go out and sell these raffle tickets, the two or three kids that could sell the most tickets were given a skateboard," Graham explains. Imagine the dedication! They went door-to-door, even venturing into hotels (underage, no less!) to sell those tickets.
Graham's brother, Steve Macaulay, also remembers the group selling fairy floss and drinks at community events. And on one memorable occasion, they earned $300 from the council for a very unusual task: inflating 1,000 helium balloons for the opening of the Brig Amity! In total, this incredible community effort raised $3,000 – a significant sum at the time – to build the skate park in an old gravel quarry in the Albany suburb of Mount Clarence.
And this is the part most people miss... the design wasn't arbitrary. Many of the skaters were also surfers, and that deeply influenced the park's signature winding, downhill track. "They tried to set it up to look more like a surf break," Steve Macaulay explains. "The whole shape of it is inspired by a wave so that you could ride the wave either way, left or right." This surfing influence gives The Snake Run a unique character that sets it apart from more modern, ramp-and-bowl-focused skate parks.
The grand opening in February 1976 was a massive event. "On the day, there was just a countless number of people here, and from there on, probably for the next two or three years, you couldn't move on the track," Graham recounts. "It was so popular, it was just the place to be." The Snake Run became a central hub for the community, a place where friendships were forged and skills were honed.
Graham fondly remembers spending every spare moment at the park. "During phys ed [class], we would come down and have skateboarding as an option," he says. "Lunch times, after school, before school, weekends were just packed. We were just living this dream … we were all starting to learn to surf, and we had this skateboarding, surfing lifestyle, and it was just amazing to grow up here in the 70s and have this as a way of life." The skate park provided a dedicated space, allowing the local skateboarding scene to flourish.
As Graham notes, "Originally, it was just go down and hang on and try and steer your way through, but then the kids got better at skating … someone always seemed to be able to break some new ground." In 1979, The Snake Run even hosted Australia's first National Skating Championship, solidifying its place in skateboarding history.
Kus Rolf, now president and co-founder of the Albany Skateboard Society, remembers his first experience at The Snake Run in 1998. Traveling from Perth, he thought he was a pretty good skater… until he encountered the unique challenges of this historic park. "We thought we could skate pretty good, and then we got to this place and realised that it was way gnarlier than we had ever imagined, and way rougher," he admits. He highlights the park's unique design, shaped by the natural landscape of the old quarry, as a key factor in its enduring appeal. "That's what makes this place so unique — it's a different shape … this is really lumpy and organic and fast and steep," he explains.
The Albany Snake Run even inspired the design of early skate parks in the United States! However, as skateboarding evolved, park designs shifted towards ramps and bowls in the 80s. Despite this, The Snake Run remains a vital piece of skateboarding history.
For Graham Macaulay, being a part of The Snake Run's story is a source of immense pride. "We've been part of the journey, a stepping stone for a lot of other parks around the place," he says. "It seems to have morphed into a different type of skating nowadays, but who's to say it won't come back to this being the main type of skating in another 10/15/20 years?" Could we see a resurgence of these organic, wave-inspired skate parks? It's a fascinating thought. What's your take on the evolution of skate park design? Do you prefer the smooth, predictable surfaces of modern parks, or the raw, challenging terrain of a place like The Snake Run? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
