News

Book Launch: "Best Bush & Coastal Walks of the Central Coast" by Matt McClelland & the Wildwalks Team

Matt Clelland and the Wildwalks team are pleased to announce the release of "Best Bush & Coastal Walks of the Central Coast." This guidebook presents over 30 bush and coastal walks in the NSW Central Coastal region with detailed route maps. See www.wildwalks.com for more details.

Book Launch: "Flora and Fauna Guide to the Upper Florentine Valley"

Still Wild Still Threatened (SWST) are pleased to announce the release of the "Flora and Fauna Guide to the Upper Florentine Valley." This field guide, by Miranda Gibson and Lily Leahy, presents over 50 full-colour pages detailing the amazing plant and animal life you will find in the Upper Florentine in South West Tasmania, including plants, trees, ferns, fungi, birds, mammals and insects. The book is available for sale from bookstores around Hobart and online from www.stillwildstillthreatened.org

Crawford Report: "How about a Fair Go for Non Competitive Recreation"

"For too long, Australians have been encouraged to sit on their bums watching a few overpaid elite sportsmen on their wide-screen TVs. Whether it's the once in four years Olympics extravaganza, or the weekly fix of rugby or AFL brawling, elite and big-business sport has for too long hogged the trough of public funding, while the rest of the nation gets fatter and lazier," said David Reid, President of Bushwalking Australia.

David continued: "Bushwalking Australia welcomes the Crawford Report on the "Future of Australian Sport". For the most part, it's far reaching recommendations are spot on. The main concern is that the panel's recommendations did not suggest including active recreation within the definition of sport. This is in spite of a very clear view expressed in submissions and by witnesses that the; 'ASC definition of sport is too narrow in focus and is, in fact, designed to exclude certain activities simply because they are not physical or competitive in nature.'
A second concern is that the report fails to distinguish activities that are capable of being self-funding by virtue of spectator appeal, or who are able to recover costs of organization and infrastructure through membership or the turn-stile. In that regard, we have sympathy for sports like canoeing that only receive funding under the present system because they also happen to be Olympic sports"
We suggest that the following principles should apply to the allocation of sport funding:

• That the ASC definition of sport should be expanded to include non-competitive recreation
• Funding should be provided for the primary purpose of creating a healthier and fitter population. The development of elites should be a secondary consideration.
• Talent identification should be primarily done by providing the broadest possible opportunities for participation and experience. It should be a bottom up process to encourage people to develop their talent to the maximum level possible. It should not be a top-down process to exclude all those unable to reach the elite level.
• Sports without the capacity to generate funds internally though spectators, advertising, broadcast rights, membership or by charging for access to closed venues should be given extra consideration.

Read BAI's Submission to the Federal Independent Review of Sport

Further enquiries: media@bushwalkingaustralia.org or telephone: 0427 369 426

Bushwalkers elect New National President

Bushwalking Australia, the organisation representing the interests of all recreational walkers at a national level, recently held its AGM and elected high profile Victorian bushwalking identity David Reid as its new President.

Following his election David stated that, "Bushwalking Australia, in partnership with the six bushwalking bodies representing all States and Territories, would continue to promote recreational walking as an important activity that enhances health and well being and through its Australia wide network of community based clubs, facilitates participation at the local level.

"Australia offers some of the best recreational walking experiences in the world and has the potential to attract overseas tourists with the obvious associated economic benefits.

"Bushwalking Australia will in the near future intensify its campaign to get all levels of Government to recognise the social utility of recreational walking and to commit to ensuring access to public land for walkers and investment in walking infrastructure for the future. Members of the public can help by joining their local bushwalking club."

Further enquiries: media@bushwalkingaustralia.org or telephone: 0427 369 426