Brenden Newton has been riding waves and taking photos his whole life.
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This weekend, he's joining his childhood friends in putting both skills to use.
For ten years, Mr Newton was a professional body boarder, taking on big waves around the world and capturing them on film. After falling in love with the sport as a Wollongong teen, he formed a close group of friends who spent their mornings on the waves.
Together, they reached the top of their sport, and spent a decade visiting every corner of the world making videos, documentaries and magazine content.
Now, twenty years on, the men's lives have taken them on different paths, pursuing careers that lead some away from their home turf.
Despite the time that has stretched out between them, they still share a love of the ocean and the sport that brought them all together.
"We all grew up body boarding here," Mr Newton said.
This weekend, the group are finally coming home, and bringing together their creative skills for a cause.
On Saturday, Mr Newton and his childhood friends are holding The Grey Space exhibition, bringing music, art and film together to raise money for those devastated by flooding in Lismore.
"It'll be the first time we're all in a room probably for fifteen years," he said.
"We've all got partners and jobs, and all these other complexities to life. It's going to be a really vulnerable moment. It's going to beautiful."
Mr Newton is also hosting a live recording of his podcast, the Grey Space, on the night, which openly explores mental health struggles. Many of his body boarding friends have joined him behind the microphone to discuss their own traumas.
"I've had particular struggle with OCD, some of my friends have struggled with addiction and things like that," Mr Newton said.
"Body boarders have this certain humility about them, they all have such unique stories," he said.
Tickets to the fundraising event are available here.
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