QORF eNews July 2016
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Visioning the Outdoors 2016
Tibrogargan Sunrise by Lachlan Gardiner
2016 has been a busy year so far and there is lots more to come. Important things to note are: the Queensland Outdoor Recreation Awards - nominations are OPEN; the forthcoming Outdoor Recreation Forums and the QORF Symposium "Outdoors Queensland - Strengthening Connections".
EO's Report
Dom Courtney, Executive Officer
“We are all visitors to this time, this place. We are all just passing through. Our purpose here is to observe, to learn, to grow, to love… and then return home.”
Ancient Australian Proverb
My wife and I have recently returned home to Brisbane after passing through parts of NSW, South Australia, the Northern Territory and Western Queensland on a three week road trip to Kings Canyon in Watarrka National Park and to Uluru/Kata Tjuta. This trip was an opportunity to observe people and places; to learn about ourselves and the red centre of this land; to grow our understanding of the past and perhaps the future; to love our people and country in all its various forms, and to return home changed in a few ways.
I want to thank Mark Squires and Hubertien Wichers for managing the QORF office while I was off on my big adventure for this year.
There is plenty ahead for the remainder of 2016, with Outdoor Recreation Forums to be held in Rockhampton (Tuesday 16th August), Cairns (Wednesday 17th August) and Toowoomba (date to be confirmed), the Queensland Outdoor Recreation Awards (nominations now open) and the QORF Symposium (both on Friday 28th October), and much more.
We are examining ways to achieve our mission of raising the profile, developing capacity and increasing opportunities for Queensland’s outdoor sector. A part of this will be a series of forums in November that we will run in conjunction with Queensland Tourism Industry Council to look at the overlap between tourism and the outdoors. We see outdoor activities appearing in virtually every tourism campaign for Queensland, so it makes sense to delve deeper into these opportunities.
As always, please contact us if we can be of assistance.
Yours in the outdoors (even when the tent is leaking during a downpour out in the desert…), Dom
DATE CLAIMER: Fri. October 28
Outdoor Recreation Symposium
The theme is "Outdoors Queensland - Strengthening Connections"
Set aside Friday 28 October for the bi-annual QORF-hosted Outdoor Recreation Symposium to be held in conjunction with the annual Outdoor Recreation Awards. More detail to follow soon.
Share Volunteer Stories
Do you have some great volunteer stories you'd like to share? Volunteers are often the lifeblood of many outdoor clubs and activities - let us help celebrate the best with you!
And if you need volunteers to help out with your next event or project? Simply send Mark an email and we'll promote the opportunity for you.
Your opportunity to acknowledge your team, your boss, your colleagues ... NOMINATE today! The annual Outdoor Recreation Awards are now OPEN for nominations. The Awards have been updated so please read the Awards Criteria page carefully before selecting the appropriate award for your nominee.
QORF Life Members
Life Membership is the highest honour QORF can bestow, and Life Members are held in the highest esteem.
There have been five Life Members in our 20 year history. This month we feature Brian Kross who has been involved with Adventist's Outdoors for almost 50 years.
State Development Program
The Treasurer recently announced that the State Development Program 2017-19 will allow for significant opportunities for Queenslanders to get involved in sport and recreation.
Applications for the program close on 15th August, so all interested organisations must act swiftly.
Organisations who are funded under the current program should automatically be eligible to apply under the 2017-2019 program, but will need to apply.
Ride Ready
Quad bikes are the biggest killer on Australian farms, claiming 230 lives in the last 15 years. In Queensland more than 70 people have lost their lives and thousands more injured while using quad bikes.
The Ride Ready program from Worksafe QLD aims to reduce the rate of quad bike deaths and injuries and is part of the Statewide plan for improving quad bike safety in Queensland 2016 – 2019.
QLD Sport, Exercise & Recreation Survey
The Survey is the first real snapshot of the levels of physical activity undertaken by Queensland adults. The aim of the survey was to collect robust data at a regional level, and ensure policy, program development and planning for sport and recreation participation align with the needs of Queenslanders.
Digital Age Communications
Businesses in the outdoor sector have many added responsibilities and challenges compared to other industries with lower entry level requirements. One thing, however, remains the same as any other industry: the importance of effectively communicating to your customers.
Outdoor Recreation Forums
The annual QORF hosted Outdoor Recreation Forums (ORF) for 2016 are in Rockhampton on August 16, followed by Cairns on August 17. Information on Toowooba and the South East will be coming soon. The ORFs are a good way to keep up with the latest news from QORF and the wider outdoor recreation community in your area.
Outdoor-tober
October might seem like a long way off but Outdoor-tober will be here before you know it! What are your plans? What new events or activities will you be trying this year? Can we help Seed Fund this NEW event or activity?
Social Media
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 for us all to keep in touch and improve our effectiveness.
Use a QORF hashtag (#QORF) with your Instagram photos
and they will be displayed on our homepage
Seniors Week starts on August 13, the Outdoor Recreation Forums in Rockhampton & Cairns on August 16, 17, the Lake Manchester Trail Runs on the 21st and the Cape Pallenda Trail Run on the 28th.
New on the QORF Website
The QORF website is constantly being updated. Recent additions include:
Quad Biking, tips and resources for quad riders; Adventure Therapy links and info; and Women & Girls, resources and stories about women in the outdoors.
Have you checked out We're The Superhumans, the great new Rio Paralympics 2016 Trailer.
Want to share your stories, resources and more with us ... simply go to the (I WANT TO...) SUBMIT page and follow the prompts!
Apps for Outdoors
Newly added: Heads Up, the old guess who I am game now on your phone; Sun Surveyor, your personal guide to the sun and moon; and Camping Games, fun games for sitting around a campfire.
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 - send Mark an email and we'll see how we can help!
Member Opportunities
If you have jobs to fill, gear to sell, links 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: Bushrangers MTB Sunshine Coast and Green Frog Adventures.
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.
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