Land & Sea Sports

The Beginnings: Land & Sea Sports

Land & Sea Sports began as a small retail shop in Avalon Beach, Sydney. On April 1, 1982, the business took on distribution of Australian-made Sea Hornet spearfishing and scuba equipment. From there, it quickly became clear that the range needed to be supported with other essential gear, including masks, snorkels, fins, and wetsuits.

To help build out the range, Land & Sea Sports teamed up with local wetsuit manufacturer Sports Suits Australia, along with a select range of snorkelling equipment.

During a sales trip to Melbourne, John Axford was approached by Keith Perry with an unexpected opportunity to take over the business Perry and Skinner. Although John did not have the cash to buy another business outright, Keith trusted him enough to offer the stock and vehicle upfront, with payment to come later. This became a major turning point for the business.

That opportunity gave Land & Sea Sports access to a number of important brands and factories across Europe, the USA, and Taiwan. These partnerships helped the company develop stronger, better-performing products designed specifically to handle tough Australian conditions, especially on the Great Barrier Reef.

With improved manufacturing, better raw materials, and smarter product design, Land & Sea Sports grew into one of Australia’s most recognised snorkelling brands.

What Land & Sea Sports Is Known For

The range of black silicone masks offered at realistic prices stands out in the market. Land & Sea Sports also developed the polychromatic lens, a technology later copied by other major international brands, often at much higher price points. While the brand has developed high-performance masks, snorkels, and fins, it has also remained committed to offering quality gear for families and holidaymakers shopping on a budget.

Its range of handspears has built a strong reputation for reliability. The cluster system uses a special swaging method so the spear point will not dislodge even if solder or epoxy fails. The javelin tapped handspear is especially popular for its accuracy, thanks to its shape and weighting. Land & Sea Sports aluminium handspears are internally threaded, made from heavier gauge anodised aluminium, and are available in two-piece and three-piece travel spear options. Fibreglass handspears are also designed to be stronger, heavier, and capable of excellent penetration.

All knives in the range use 420 stainless steel, chosen for its balance of strength, edge retention, and corrosion resistance when properly maintained.

Pool and ocean swimming are also an important part of the Land & Sea Sports range, with training goggles, fins, swim aids, ponchos, training swimwear, and sun-protective ladies’ swimwear forming a key part of the offering.

Customer demand also led to the development of a range of personal flotation devices designed specifically for Australian watersports. These buoyancy vests are purpose-built, high quality, and manufactured to meet Australian standards.

The brand’s dry bags, backpacks, and carry bags have become well known for durability, with products built in a factory that also manufactures dry bags for military use.

Footwear, including protective aqua shoes, has also become a popular part of the range for watersports enthusiasts.

As demand for sun protection grew, Land & Sea Sports expanded into beach shelters such as cabanas, pop-up tents, and a wide range of beach umbrellas, along with fun outdoor products including beach cricket and other beach games.