He travelled to Indonesia in the 1960s long before it was a must-do for Australian surfers, and was one of the blokes who helped bulldoze the road into Bells Beach.

He was regarded as a world adventurer who would go to almost any lengths for his sport.

For his wife, Libby Troy, he was simply the love of her life. Libby was at home in Mudjimba with her husband when he passed away yesterday (Tuesday) morning from a blood clot in his lung.

Just the day before the couple had walked down to the beach together to look at Old Woman Island, where Peter had previously lived.

“He went to bed and said he was a bit tight in the chest and that was about it,” Libby said.

Their love story began in the late 1960s and spanned four decades.

“We were together in 1969 to 1970 and it was getting a bit serious so he did what all surfers do – pick up their boards and go travelling,” Libby said.

“Twenty years later we got back together when the time was right.”

Libby said her husband was caring, loving and passionate about his surfing.

Surfing Australia said the surfing family of the nation had lost one of its true legends.

A funeral service will be held at Drysdale Funerals, in Nambour, on October 7 at 11am.

The dress code will be colourful shirts.

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