Jay Foley was one of the early American surfers to come to Byron Bay in the early 1970s. He was originally from Texas. His first Australian connection was when Australian actress Dame Judith Anderson gave him a scholarship to Brooks Institute, Santa Barbara. His professors put her onto Jay and she funded him to study art at Brooks.
While studying in Santa Barbara in the late ’60s he met other Oz emigrés in the surf there as well as a group of Melbournian theatre artists. He saw George Greenough’s film of the Australian coast from Fraser Island to Yamba on his then-shaper’s barn wall. It was included in George’s film, The Innermost Limits of Pure Fun (1970). Then he realised why Richie West, Bob Cooper, George, Michael Cundith, Garth Murphy, Danny and Kathy Carleton had all gone to Australia. Plus he had fallen in love with Margot Lindsay, an Australian woman he met in Santa Barbara.
Jay sailed for two years through the South Pacific (at times with Wardie Ward), living and working in New Zealand for a year, before arriving in Melbourne. He reunited with Margot and they lived in Melbourne, sharing a house for a short time with Helen Garner, while she wrote her novel, Monkey Grip.
A place of friendship
He arrived in Mullumbimby by train from Melbourne in September 1974 with Margot. On that first day he met Dr Karel Hromek and his family while trying to find his friends Danny and Kathy Carleton, who lived out the back of Mullumbimby. They were to meet him off the train, but they didn’t show, so they walked five kilometres, stopping at a house. He asked a man named Karel Hromek if he knew Danny Carleton. Yes, Danny was his neighbour. Danny thought Jay was coming the next day. They had other people staying, so Karel and his wife Robin took Jay and Margot in. Jay and the Hromek family became life-long friends. Margot eventually went back to Melbourne.
Jay lived in a few different places in Byron Bay. Including a corner room on the top floor of the Byron Community Centre for a while. Tony Kibblewhite managed the building. Sergeant Tutt came up one evening when he saw a light on. Tutt said It was okay to be there if Tony had given Jay a key. Shortly after, Jay moved to Paterson Lane with Michael Cundith.
He did a variety of jobs. He had contacted Cundith when he first arrived and started making skateboard and fin panels as well as custom made surfboard fins. He would ride his bicycle into Byron Bay and take the train back to Mullumbimby. That’s how he found his farm at Myocum. He bought it in 1981 after working labouring jobs, surfboards by day and cooking at night at The Rocks Restaurant in what was then the Julian Rocks Motel, now Aquarius backpackers on Lawson Street, Byron Bay.
Jay was an art teacher at Trinity High School in Lismore for 20 years from 1992.
Paddle out
He died earlier this month after a short illness. His paddle out and scattering of ashes will take place on Saturday, March 29 at 5.30pm at Clarkes Beach, Byron Bay. Meet at the picnic tables near the beach entrance. Those who knew him are welcome, and to go to the bowling club after for food and refreshments.
For four decades The Echo has printed the stories some people loved, some people hated, and some pretended not to read. If you want us to keep telling the truth, the real truth, not the sugar-coated version. We’ll need your support to keep the presses rolling. 
