As waterfront property values clearly show, people are attracted to littoral zones. For generations, access to land on the edge of a lake or sea has been highly prized.

If you are “littorally” walking, you may literally be walking along the beach, on the edge between water and land.

The edges of things are important. The interface between different parts of the landscape can be where rapid change occurs and where people can have wonderful experiences in the outdoors. However, edges often need to be protected due to their high inherent value.

We talk about the “thin edge of the wedge”, which might be a feeling that something minor may bring larger long-term consequences. When we suspect something is the thin edge of the wedge, it is important that we take it further. QORF makes submissions on behalf of the outdoor sector to various government consultations, but we need the voices of the sector to support our calls for change.

We also talk about “getting an edge”, whether that be over your competition or over an obstacle that hinders peak performance. I have been speaking at Sport and Recreation Conferences “plan, prepare, perform” through February, which will continue into March. These free conferences offer attendees opportunities to consider trends in recreation and sport, and what tools are available to assist.

This year, the QORF AGM will be held on Thursday 9th March. Thanks to those who nominated for management committee positions for the coming year. Immediately before the AGM, we will be hosting an Outdoor Recreation Forum at Sports House Milton – make sure you RSVP for both the forum and the AGM.

On Saturday 11th March, our Nature Play QLD team is hosting the “Just For The FUN Of It” Nature Play Symposium at the Gold Coast. Some tickets are still available, so get in quickly…

Please contact us if we can help to give you the edge.
Yours in the outdoors, Dom

Dom Courtney, Executive Officer

The QORF Annual General Meeting

Thursday March 9th, 2017 – 7:00 PM.
Supper will be served
Venue: Sports House, 
150 Caxton St, Milton QLD
Please Note: The AGM will follow a Sector Forum and be followed by a General Meeting and supper.  RSVP

Visioning the Outdoors

Visioning the Outdoors Film & Photo Competition 2017 has a new section:
Instagram. And it is so easy!

1. Follow qorf on Instagram
2. Load your 'outdoor activity images'
3. Tag @qorf, #visioningtheoutdoors
4. Tell your friends to like your entry
5. Set your Instagram profile to public
6. Highest number of LIKES wins!

Just For The Fun Of It!

Nature Play Symposium 2017
Saturday March 11
Explore the degree of fun and freedom in our children’s lives & the importance of developing an intrinsic love for outdoor play, for a well-balanced, healthy outdoor childhood.  READ MORE

Rosco's Closes Down!
After 47 years of designing, building and selling canoes and kayaks, Rosco Canoes & Kayaks calls it a day and closes ...  read more

Healthy land & water
New website for Healthy land & water formed from Healthy Waters and SEQ Catchments to improve the sustainable use of land and waterways in South-East Queensland ... read more

How Heatwave Conditions impact your Obligations as an Employer

2016 was the hottest year on record and January/February has seen regional centres with temps in the high 40’s. Now is an ideal time to look at employer obligations to staff engaged in physically challenging activities in the outdoors ... read more
Courtesy HMT Consulting

Fair Work Commission Reshapes Penalty Rates Regime

On the 23 February, the Fair Work Commission handed down its decision relating to Penalty Rates in six awards in the Hospitality & Retail sectors … “Do we want & need all services delivered on a 24/7 basis?” AND “At what price?"  ... read more
Courtesy HMT Consulting

Have your say!

Canoe and kayak launching pontoon, Raby Esplanade Park

The pontoon will be located near the entrance to the most western canal in Raby Bay, an important addition to the city’s recreational amenity ... read more

Bicycle Network Survey

At Bicycle Network, we would love to hear your thoughts on our membership, what we do day in and day out and the improvements we can make ... read more

Outdoor Education?

How Outdoor Education Can Prepare Students For the Future.
... various benefits, from cultivating the relevant emotional intelligence needed for effective leadership, to developing the confidence and competence needed to cope in stressful situations read more

New Minister

Mick de Brenni, Member for Springwood, Minister for Housing & Public Works and keen mountain biker has been appointed as the new Minister of Sport ... and Recreation.

Coming Events

Events coming up in the next month or so - Parks Week from the 4th-12th, the QORF AGM is on March 9, the Noosa Festival of Surfing starts on the 4th, the Nature Play Symposium is on the 11th, the Sea School is holding a Creative Approaches to Group Work seminar 21st-23rd and the Sports CONNECT Queensland Network Forum is on the 28th.

The Rewilding Project is holding the first in series of workshops on March 18: Navigation & Trekking

Create a Nature Play Space Workshop

This one-day workshop will provide you with the tools to undertake the process of transforming your outdoor space to a nature play space ... read more

AABAT Bush Adventure Therapy Forum

Where individuals who work in the outdoors with many & varied groups convene to share ideas, insights, research and support ... read more

What's On

The online calendar of What's On Activities, Events, Training & Workshops

If you have an event, public training opportunity, open day, adventure race, workshop or conference coming up in 2016, submit the details and we will help promote it.

Jobs 

Several new jobs are listed on our Jobs Available page in the Industry / Jobs & Careers section

Looking for a job and want to let people know - promote yourself on Jobs Wanted

New on the Website

New Apps for Outdoors: iFungi and Essential Anatomy, a new Activity & Education Providers app page (Scouts Oz is the first!), new QORF 
Submissions on behalf of the QLD outdoor community.

If you have any suggestions for new or improved content please email industry@qorf.org.au.

Want to share your stories, resources and more with our audience ... simply go to the (I WANT TO...) SUBMIT page and follow the prompts!.

Connect With Us

With the ever increasing importance 
of social media as a marketing tool and way of keeping in touch, QORF is developing a solid social media presence. We encourage you to like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, subscribe to us on YouTube, follow us on Instagram and follow us on LinkedIn.

LIKE, FOLLOW and SUBSCRIBE to us and we will reciprocate!! A good way to keep in touch and be more effective.

Member Opportunities

If you have jobs to fill, gear to sell, links & eNewsletters to share, events to promote or information to pass on, send us the details and we'll put it online.

New Members

Welcome aboard to new QORF Green Circle Members: Welcome aboard to new QORF Green Circle Members: Ipswich City Council, Australian Catholic University and Ben Rothwell

Go to the Membership section to become a QORF Green Circle Member today. New members will be acknowledged here, on the QORF home page and on Facebook.