Our Story Since 1982

It all began in the late 1970s on Sydney’s Northern Beaches. John Axford walked into his local sports store in Avalon Beach to buy footy boots, and days later he’d bought the shop. Avalon Sports quickly became more than a store it was a community hub, selling everything from football boots and fishing tackle to BMX bikes and skateboards. John’s rule was simple: “If we didn’t have it, we’d get it.”

In 1982, John and his wife Jill launched Land & Sea Sports to distribute Australian-made Sea Hornet spearguns and scuba gear. From a small local store, they shifted into wholesale, building global supply chains and partnerships with manufacturers in Taiwan, France, Italy, and beyond. Innovations soon followed — from the world’s first unbreakable slick-bottom bodyboard to iconic fins, regulators, and masks that remain in use today.

By the 1990s, Land & Sea was thriving. The company expanded into performance apparel with Adrenalin Wetsuits and Rashies, while also bringing in new brands across surf, skate, dive, and outdoor markets. Partnerships with local icons like Undersee and legendary products like Surfoplane cemented their place in Australia’s water sports culture.

In 2013, the company became Home Grown Brands Australia (HGBA) — a name that reflected its true spirit: 100% Australian-owned, beach-born, and driven by innovation. Today, with over 4,000 products across trusted brands like Land & Sea Sports, Redback, Adrenalin, Undersee, Palm Beach, Boss, and Surfoplane, HGBA remains dedicated to designing original, purpose-built gear for surf, dive, skate, and outdoor adventure.

From a small shop in Avalon to shelves nationwide, Home Grown Brands is a living legacy — still innovating, still Australian, and still rooted in the water.

 
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