LEIGH SALES, PRESENTER: A familiar and celebrated Australian summer scene is a beach full of surfboard riders in search of the perfect wave.

Surfing only became popular in the 1960s and it was mostly something men did.

But Phyllis O'Donnell was an early pioneer for women on the waves. She won the first-ever women's world surfing title in 1964.

Peter McCutcheon tracked her down.

(Footage of Phyllis O'Donnell and friend walking to beach)

PHYLLIS O'DONNELL, 1964 WORLD SURFING CHAMPION: It is a bit windy.

FRIEND: There's a few out surfing.

PHYLLIS O'DONNELL: Over there.

PETER MCCUTCHEON, REPORTER: In her twilight years on the New South Wales north coast, Phyllis O'Donnell is still drawn to the sea.

PHYLLIS O'DONNELL: Sit down. Enjoy the view.

FRIEND: Very, very nice.

PETER MCCUTCHEON: As the first-ever woman world surfing champion back in 1964, Phyllis O'Donnell is in awe at how far the sport has come.

PHYLLIS O'DONNELL: It was a male-dominated area in my time. Different to today, because the girls get equal pay to what the men are now, which is very good for the women.

PETER MCCUTCHEON: The surfing craze took off in Australia in the early 1960s. Despite its overwhelmingly male culture, Phyllis O'Donnell felt the urge to take part.

(To Phyllis O'Donnell) Why did you first take up surfing?

PHYLLIS O'DONNELL: I haven't got a clue, Peter. (Laughs)

PETER MCCUTCHEON: You can't recall the first time you got on a board?

PHYLLIS O'DONNELL: Oh, I recall when I first got on a board. It was at Harbord. And I couldn't even stand up, let alone paddle.

(Excerpt from the film 'Gidget Goes Hawaiian', Columbia Pictures, 1961)

DEBORAH WALLEY, ACTOR (as Frances 'Gidget' Lawrence): Tell me again: you missed me all winter like crazy.

JAMES DARREN, ACTOR (as 'Moondoggie'): I'll tell you again: I missed you the whole winter like crazy.

(Excerpt ends)

PETER MCCUTCHEON: In popular culture, there were the 'Gidget' movies at the time that featured a woman surfer. But were there that many women surfers in Australia?

PHYLLIS O'DONNELL: Not many: certainly not in the '60s. In the '70s: yes, but not in the '60s.

PETER MCCUTCHEON: You have described yourself as an "aggressive surfer".

PHYLLIS O'DONNELL: I certainly was.

PETER MCCUTCHEON: What did you mean about that?

PHYLLIS O'DONNELL: Well, (laughs) I was surfing with all these guys. There were guys everywhere. So to surf with so many blokes, you had to be an aggressive surfer.

If a guy dropped in front of you, I would get him by the wet suit and push him in the rocks.

PETER MCCUTCHEON: Really?

PHYLLIS O'DONNELL: Yeah, because you're not supposed to drop in, in front of a surfer.

PETER MCCUTCHEON: When Phyllis O'Donnell was 27 and had only been surfing for three years, she competed in the first-ever world titles for men and women.

(To Phyllis O'Donnell) If I can take you to the first-ever world women's surfing titles in Manly in 1964: you were an outsider, weren't you?

PHYLLIS O'DONNELL: Oh, definitely - although I was fairly high up on the pecking order.

PETER MCCUTCHEON: The hot favourite for the women's title was Linda Benson, who was the surfing body double for the star of the Gidget movies.

PHYLLIS O'DONNELL: They thought that Linda would win the women's and one of the Americans would win the men's.

But they started playing this real jazzy music and I completely relaxed. And I started swinging along to the jazzy music, relaxed, forgot I was surfing in the first world surfing event: ended up winning the event.

PETER MCCUTCHEON: What was the prize money in 1964?

PHYLLIS O'DONNELL: No money. No money, but beautiful trophies. Two big beautiful trophies and Craven A cigarettes.

PETER MCCUTCHEON: A packet of cigarettes?

PHYLLIS O'DONNELL: Yeah.

PETER MCCUTCHEON: So have you looked back at some of that old footage of the early '60s?

PHYLLIS O'DONNELL: Oh, I've got photos that I keep. Yes.

PETER MCCUTCHEON: What do you think when you look back at some of those old photos?

PHYLLIS O'DONNELL: I can't believe I did it. (Laughs)

PETER MCCUTCHEON: You can't believe it?

PHYLLIS O'DONNELL: No. Apparently I did, but I can't believe I did.