Since its 1970 launch, the Australian surfing publication Tracks has become the world’s most-published surf magazine. It has surpassed USA’s Surfer Magazine with well over 600 issues.
Tracks has played a pivotal role in shaping global surf culture by pioneering brands like Rip Curl, Billabong, and Quiksilver, putting them firmly on the map. Along the way, it has been owned by various publishers including Mason Stewart Publishing and Next Media. Now a proud indie, the brand has also been a breeding ground for surf industry executives and creative talent including journalists, photographers, and designers.
The Tracks launch crew in the 1970s
The publishers of Tracks are now offering investors the opportunity to buy shares in the company for the first time through a Birchal equity crowdfunding raise.
Tracks is telling potential investors to imagine the bragging rights if they were one of the first investors in Ripcurl, Quicksilver, or Billabong.
These same bragging rights are now up for grabs as Tracks Media gives surfers the opportunity to buy shares in the masthead for as little as $250 via a Birchal equity crowdfunding raise. Proceeds will be used to fund the brand’s expansion into moving pictures, reality TV ventures, develop Tracks Shacks, expand its social media presence, and hire more staff as it reinvigorates itself for its next 50 years.
Buy a piece of history and become part of its future.
Tracks Media rollout plan
Reality TV show with Quail Media
Tracks is looking to recruit three keen surfers for the “best job in the world”. Quit your job and get paid to travel around Australia reviewing the country’s best surfing spots. What’s the catch? While you don’t have to be the world’s best surfers, you must be skilled at social media and be able to capture your love of surfing as rookie video journalists, because a reality TV show will document your every move.
The brand is reinvigorating itself for a 2024 audience by going back to its 1970 countercultural roots to document what it’s like living every surfer’s dream.
“We’ll foot the bill for pretty much everything as you travel up and down the coast attending major surfing events and music festivals, eat and drink at the best pubs and great local restaurants and capture everything in between,” said editor-in-chief, Luke Kennedy.
Tracks editor Luke Kennedy
“The content you film will be shared across all social media platforms as well as creating travel guides of the best places to surf, stay, eat and drink. And when you’re not sleeping on the Tracks Wanderlust Bus, you’ll be staying at some of the best coastal beach shacks thanks to a new Airbnb-styled travel platform the magazine will be officially launching later the year. Called Tracks Shacks, the accommodation will be curated for surfers, by surfers.”
The Wanderlust Series is only part of the expansion of Tracks into the world of moving pictures. Tracks has partnered up with Greg Quail and his team at Perpetual Entertainment, one of Australia’s most successful production houses, and together they plan to establish a Tracks production studio to produce their own content. “We will be creating a unique 24/7 channel which will be available on all devices consisting of non-stop surf, snow, skate, music and lifestyle,” said Perpetual CEO and owner Quail. “And all for free.”
Accommodation platform: Tracks Shacks
The brand will also be launching an accommodation platform called Tracks Shacks. The new Airbnb-style platform tailored for surfers is a partnership with Australian accommodation company Alloggio.
Tracks Shacks will have access to managed homes near surfing spots estimated to be over 15,000 by 2029. It’s also estimated the number of self-managed holiday homes listed on Tracks Shacks will be north of 100,000 by 2029 – and that’s just in Australia. The platform is set to formally launch in the third quarter of 2024.
The original Tracks Shack. The first office at Whale Beach in Sydney
New travel brand coming
Tracks has also teamed up with the new travel company Exceptional Alien, co-founded by The Monkeys co-founder Justin Drape, to create an immersive experience for readers called Exceptional Tracks. Each surfer featured on the cover is invited to share their personal tips and recommendations for the location where the cover was photographed – from food and drink, enjoying nature, places to stay, spots to hang with friends, and more.
For more information on how to apply for the ‘best job in the world’, or to invest in Tracks, head to tracksmag.com.au.
Publisher Peter Strain
“Questioning societal norms is as relevant today for Gen Z youth as it was for surfers living on the fringes of society back in October 1970 when Tracks first appeared in newsagents,” said Tracks publisher, Peter Strain.
“That’s our magazine’s DNA. The Vietnam War polarised society and dropping out of society and surfing was seen as the ultimate ‘F You’ to mainstream Australia. Today, kids don’t want to listen to boomer bosses telling them how to live their lives – they want to surf, and our new moving pictures platform and the content filmed on the Tracks Wanderlust Bus will show exactly that.”
See also: Tracks’ last corporate wave: Surfers purchase iconic brand