The Edge Skatepark in Fremantle circa 1989-91

What was a lumber warehouse in Fremantle became a world class skatepark opening early 1989. Visited by many visiting professional skaters including Tony Hawk, Mark Gonzales and Dave Crabb. 

Although initially daunted by the size and amount of vert on the half pipe, I became a regular; skating with the crew and with the pros.

Here's me doing a stalled axel pivet on the Edge vert 1/2 pipe	the steel surface was noisey especially when I did a layback slide to fakie	Another day calls for a rock and roll slide

photos by Gavin Naglan and Franco Francia/ camera courtesy of mum

There were competitions, all night skates, bands and hip hop nights. I worked at the Edge for a while doing odd jobs, cleaning and compiling material for an Edge Zine.

In the end they went with a computer printed Zine by someone else, but the idea stayed with me and a few years later I compiled an Earwig Zine. Being on the dole I could only afford to photocopy up 3 or 4 copies

and it remained otherwise uncirculated. This zine was the first publishing of Episode 3 of Earwigo comics though. Here is Earwigo comic number 2 that is set at the Edge Skatepark;

It was all a bit half-baked in those days; usually running out of money because we had bought cigarettes (what kind of atheltes smoke?) and drink. Not much employment or interest from the chicks,

so I expressed our frustrated efforts in the stories of Episode 1 and 2 of Earwig Comics. In Episode 3 I decided there would be no stopping us, so we left the world behind to pursue our skating goals.

Here's me doing a slide and another axel pivet variation on the Edge mini 1/2 pipe - photo by Andrew Cunningham

-Michael Rule

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