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30/12/2004: "Tanya Binning ............. 1960's surfgirl pin-up."
Known for stunning tiny bikini and beautiful smile, Tanya Carol Binning quickened the heart-beat of thousands of male surfers in the 1960's while appearing in magazines and surf movies. Her home beach was Harbord, just north of Manly in Sydney's northern beach zone.
Tanya had fame at an early age when the Italian documentary film crew shooting Mondo Cane (World Cainine or "Dog's World" an international blockbuster) spotted the 14 year-old at Manly Beach and asked her to domonstrate first aid, i.e. "the kiss of life"as used by surf lifesavers.
The resulting publicity focused on the blonde good looks of this Australian teenager. Giant New York City billboards featured her in a tiny bikini. Promotional tours followed in Australian and New Zealand.
By age 19 she was in London auditioning for feature movies but only bit-parts eventuated, most noteable being with director Roman Polanski in Repulsion, (also featuring a similar-aged Catherine Denuerve the icon of France. There is a striking similarity of looks with both women today. Tanya lives at Ballina close to the surfing community of Byron Bay. NSW.
