Wayne "Rabbit" Bartholomew AM (born; 30 November 1954) is an Australian world champion surfer, surf sports innovator, community advocate and politician.

Early on, Wayne showed a natural talent for surfing which became his daily activity of choice during his later school years, along with any competitive pursuit he could partake in including soccer.

Whilst it is often reported that he was given the nickname 'Rabbit' when he was young because of his speed as a soccer player,[4][5] and his prominent front teeth,[6] it was actually due to his demonstrated hopping style he adopted when famously attempting to play two pinball machines simultaneously at Gill's Cafe, a favourite beachside haunt in his youth years.

[7] As a teenager, Wayne would often surf before, after and occasionally during school hours, perfecting his wave knowledge and tube riding skills on the famed Coolangatta point breaks of Kirra, Greenmount and Snapper Rocks.

"[7] Wayne began surfing at a competition level as a junior in the early 1970s, where he quickly made a name for himself as a fierce competitor and stylish proponent.

[10] Spanning a decade, Bartholomew competed on the world professional surfing tour until 1987, ranking in the top five surfers for seven consecutive years.

[9] In his professional surfing years, he was widely considered one of the greatest surfers of the period — famed for his bold attitude, flamboyant style, fearless competitive drive and tactical insight.

The Academy operated until 1992 with Wayne personally providing expert instruction, training and advice to many children and aspiring surfers in Australia.

The team competed in the 1992 ISA biannual World Surfing Championships in Lacanau, France, taking the gold medal for Australia.

[17] From 1996 until 1999 Wayne also oversaw the running of the Billabong Pro on the Gold Coast, a premier ASP world surfing tour event and season opener featuring the best surfers in the world competing at the iconic Gold Coast surf breaks of Burleigh Point and Kirra Point.

As the official Contest Director, he was responsible for each event in its entirety — from the lead up and set up to the conclusion — ensuring maximum operational efficiency whilst providing a state-of-the-art experience for competitors and spectators alike.

The move was hailed as a pioneering moment in professional surfing history with the event utilising its flexibility to maximise wave quality and provide the best possible conditions for surfers and spectators.

From the late 1980s onwards Wayne has contributed both in a volunteer and a working capacity to various companies, organisations and global initiatives, applying his experience and practical abilities with great success.

He is currently a Global Ambassador for Gold Coast-based retail company The Surfboard Warehouse,[19] joining prestigious names such as Hollywood actor Jason Momoa and two-time ASP World Longboard Surfing Champion Beau Young.

[28] In 2016 Wayne was appointed the Official Patron of the newly established Gold Coast World Surfing Reserve which covers the southern coastal shores of the Gold Coast and encompasses the famous surf breaks of Snapper Rocks, Rainbow Bay, Greenmount, Kirra, Currumbin Alley and Burleigh Heads.