Outdoor Industry Connect & Share Forums

Outdoors NSW & ACT

A weekly opportunity to connect on important topics and content specific to the Outdoor Industry in Australia

  1. 3d ago

    Free Legal Help For Not-For-Profits

    Send us Fan Mail If you run a not-for-profit or community organisation, legal uncertainty can quietly drain time, money, and energy, until it suddenly becomes a crisis. We sit down with Kaela Hughes from Justice Connect to map out a clearer path: where to find plain-English legal resources, what kinds of issues their Not-for-Profit Law program can help with, and how the free advice and pro bono referral process actually works for eligible groups, including many regional and community-based services.  We also get practical about what boards, committees, and managers can do right now to reduce risk: tightening governance, modernizing an old constitution, running compliant meetings, and keeping employment and volunteer arrangements on solid ground. Kayla breaks down the difference between self-serve legal information, specialist legal advice, webinars, and tailored training, including the reality of timeframes and why detailed intake information helps get your matter triaged faster.  Then we shift to outdoor industry updates across NSW and the ACT, with timely reminders on standards reviews and training changes, plus a marketing segment you can use immediately. AI is reshaping travel planning and discovery, which means your captions, on-screen text, spoken words in video, location tags, and metadata now act like SEO signals. We close with a surprisingly important advocacy tip for Census Night: the exact wording of your job title can determine whether the outdoor workforce gets counted accurately in national data.  Subscribe for more outdoor industry insights, share this with someone running a community group, and leave a review so more not-for-profits can find the legal and governance help they need. Support the show To stay connected to Outdoors NSW & ACT, Subscribe to our podcasts, or our YouTube Channel Our members get access to a whole range of additional information and support - you can join here and start receiving the benefits today.

  2. Jul 24

    A Hawkweed Warning For Outdoor Operators

    Send us Fan Mail One small choice outdoors can ripple into something massive: a moment of inattention around water, or a few seeds stuck in a boot tread, can change lives and landscapes. We start with World Drowning Prevention Day and the sobering reality that drowning stats are still trending the wrong way, then talk about what it means for outdoor educators, guides, and operators who work around water every week. We also share what we learned from coming together as an industry at the outdoor learning conference, masterclass, and awards night, including the strongest themes from your feedback: keep the networking, make sessions more hands-on, sharpen the focus, and prioritize face-to-face connection. From there we flag time-sensitive items that shape the future of outdoor work, including open consultation on AAAS proposed changes, final industry engagement on VET outdoor leadership qualifications, and practical safety updates like SafeWork Australia’s lithium-ion battery toolkit. Then we hand over to Emma from National Parks and Wildlife NSW for a clear, practical briefing on invasive weeds, with hawkweed as the standout threat. You’ll learn why hawkweed can create damaging monocultures, how to recognize key features, and how outdoor businesses can reduce biosecurity risk through Clean Arrive Clean Leave hygiene, role modeling with clients, and fast reporting with accurate photos and location details. If you care about water safety, biodiversity, and the credibility of the outdoor industry in NSW and the ACT, hit subscribe, share this with a colleague, and leave a review that helps the right people find it. Support the show To stay connected to Outdoors NSW & ACT, Subscribe to our podcasts, or our YouTube Channel Our members get access to a whole range of additional information and support - you can join here and start receiving the benefits today.

    A Hawkweed Warning For Outdoor Operators

  3. Jul 10

    How Charities Keep Support When Optimism Drops

    Send us Fan Mail Donor loyalty is changing fast, and the outdoor industry can learn a lot from it. We open with community and sector updates across Outdoors NSW ACT, including NAIDOC Week reflections, upcoming sessions with Gadhungal Marring, and key reminders for anyone tracking professional standards and events. We also walk through what’s live right now for the industry: the AAAS review draft documents and webinar schedule, a hiring notice with Bushwalking NSW, the next draft release of the Outdoor Recreation and Leadership Training Package, and a last call window for the Pinnacle Leadership Program. If you work in outdoor education, outdoor recreation, or nature-based tourism, these deadlines and opportunities shape what capability looks like over the next year. Then we dig into the headline research: McCrindle’s not-for-profit insights on public sentiment, donor behaviour, and volunteerism. Optimism is declining, yet giving remains steady, and the reasons matter. We talk cause-over-brand decision-making, generational differences (especially Gen Z donors), the TEM equation of time, energy, and money, and why donors increasingly want systemic solutions plus clear proof their support is working. The most forward-looking shift is how AI and digital research are influencing donation choices. We unpack “portfolio giving,” impact comparisons, trust signals like transparency and authenticity, and why leaders can’t hide behind a logo anymore. If you want better donor retention, stronger community support, and messaging that earns trust, you’ll leave with a practical checklist of what to communicate and how. Subscribe for more industry insights, share this with someone leading comms or fundraising, and leave a review if it helped. What’s one change you could make this month to show impact more clearly? Support the show To stay connected to Outdoors NSW & ACT, Subscribe to our podcasts, or our YouTube Channel Our members get access to a whole range of additional information and support - you can join here and start receiving the benefits today.

    How Charities Keep Support When Optimism Drops

  4. Jul 3

    Stop Selling Tickets And Start Selling Trust

    Send us Fan Mail Travel is still happening, but the way people choose outdoor experiences is shifting under our feet. We’re seeing it in Canberra, across NSW, and in every conversation with operators: visitors are more selective, more anxious about wasting money, and far less patient with clunky booking paths. We call it a value of living crisis, not just a cost of living crisis, and it forces all of us in outdoor tourism and outdoor education to get sharper about what we offer and how we explain it. We break down what current tourism research signals about today’s visitor, why overnight stays matter so much to the visitor economy, and how destinations can win when operators collaborate instead of competing in isolation. Then we get practical: mapping the visitor journey, finding friction points by booking your own product, and strengthening “bookability” as search moves toward the no click revolution where AI can answer weekend plans without sending people to your website. We also share what we’ve learned from years of tourism awards judging, including how to prove impact with evidence, tell a story with real passion, and use recognition or award programs as a genuine professional development process. Finally, we walk through the AAAS review: where to download the draft standards and good practice guides, how to use the feedback portal, key consultation dates, and what to expect from the upcoming AAAS guidance hub. Subscribe so you don’t miss the next Connect and Share, and if this helped, share it with a colleague and leave a review so more outdoor professionals can find it. Support the show To stay connected to Outdoors NSW & ACT, Subscribe to our podcasts, or our YouTube Channel Our members get access to a whole range of additional information and support - you can join here and start receiving the benefits today.

    Stop Selling Tickets And Start Selling Trust

  5. Jun 26

    What The New South Wales Budget Means For Outdoor Recreation And Nature Tourism

    Send us Fan Mail A budget can look like a win or a loss depending on where you stand, but outdoor operators feel the impact where it counts: access, participation, safety expectations, and whether people actually show up. We walk through the latest NSW budget with an outdoor industry lens, including what’s happening across sport and recreation, destination marketing, national parks investment, education infrastructure, and the stubborn gap in preventive health funding. Along the way, we share the clear policy positions we’re pushing so outdoor recreation gets treated as essential active lifestyle infrastructure. Then we shift into fresh Tourism Research Australia insights from the Annual Benchmark Report on Australia’s visitor economy. Domestic travel still does the heavy lifting, regional “outdoor and nature” leads, and there’s a massive opportunity to extend length of stay by packaging better local experiences. We also look at international visitor trends and what regional New South Wales can do to communicate its offering more effectively, especially as key source markets shift. Finally, we get practical with a camp pricing review and a pricing strategy framework built for real businesses. Instead of copying competitor rates, we lay out what should drive sustainable pricing: your value proposition, overheads, development pipeline, customer experience systems, and risk management investment. If you run camps, outdoor education programs, or adventure tourism experiences, you’ll leave with clearer next steps and better language for explaining your value. Subscribe, share this with someone in the outdoor industry, and leave a review to help more operators find the conversation. Support the show To stay connected to Outdoors NSW & ACT, Subscribe to our podcasts, or our YouTube Channel Our members get access to a whole range of additional information and support - you can join here and start receiving the benefits today.

    What The New South Wales Budget Means For Outdoor Recreation And Nature Tourism

  6. Jun 19

    If One Assumption Flips Would Your Business Win

    Send us Fan Mail Something big shifted on July 1, and if you run an outdoor business you can’t afford to “sort it out later.” We walk through the real-world updates we’re seeing across New South Wales and the ACT, starting with what it takes to keep showing up for your community even when you’re on the road, dealing with tech hiccups, and juggling a busy season. We share highlights from the Venture Outdoors Co season launch and the simple idea we love: meet the mountain on its terms. From there we jump into practical opportunities and deadlines, including the NSW Tourism Awards nomination window and why the submission process can sharpen your tourism offering, marketing, and operations through structured reflection and judges’ feedback. We also point you to the 30 by 30 Nature Economics report, a must-read for anyone who depends on healthy parks, waterways, and landscapes to deliver outdoor recreation and outdoor education experiences. Then we get into the compliance checklist that matters for employers and employees: minimum wage increases, payday super, software changes after the small business clearing house ends, paid parental leave updates, ASIC fee rises, the permanent $20,000 instant asset write-off, and the new SMS sender ID register requirement. We round out with what’s coming up across the calendar, including a Canberra member meetup, the Pinnacle Leadership Program, a small business masterclass covering AI, automation, cybersecurity, and marketing, plus the industry awards and outdoor learning conference in Jervis Bay. If this helped you get clear on next steps, subscribe, share it with a colleague, and leave a review so more outdoor leaders can find the updates when they need them. Support the show To stay connected to Outdoors NSW & ACT, Subscribe to our podcasts, or our YouTube Channel Our members get access to a whole range of additional information and support - you can join here and start receiving the benefits today.

    If One Assumption Flips Would Your Business Win

  7. Jun 15

    The Trail Bike Economy Is Bigger Than You Think

    Send us Fan Mail If you work in the outdoor industry in New South Wales or the ACT, the next few months are packed with decisions that shape your people, your compliance, and your impact. We start on the ground at the Blue Mountains Local Active Partnership launch, where the challenge is bigger than any single program: inactivity is rising alongside chronic disease, and many communities face real barriers to “traditional” fitness. Outdoor recreation is a powerful alternative, especially when we design for inclusion and belonging instead of assuming everyone wants competitive sport. We then shift into a practical, business-owner view of what’s changing and what’s coming. Think wage and award updates, payday super requirements, the end of the ATO small business super clearinghouse, fee increases you’ll feel in your budget, and new rules like SMS Sender ID registration for branded texts. We also flag reforms on the horizon, from non-compete clause changes to the evolving e-bike and micro-mobility landscape, plus emerging WHS focus areas like psychosocial hazards and fatigue. The back half goes deep on trail bike riding research, based on refreshed survey analysis and the local council toolkit work. We talk demographics, the mental health and physical health drivers behind why people ride, and the economic contribution to regional towns, including how rider trips translate into local spending. We also name the friction points clearly: affordability, registration settings, locked gates, land policy shifts, perception, and limited junior-friendly access, then walk through policy options that could actually move the needle. If this helps, subscribe so you don’t miss the weekly updates, share it with someone running an outdoor business, and leave a review with the one policy or access change you want to see next. Support the show To stay connected to Outdoors NSW & ACT, Subscribe to our podcasts, or our YouTube Channel Our members get access to a whole range of additional information and support - you can join here and start receiving the benefits today.

    The Trail Bike Economy Is Bigger Than You Think

  8. Jun 8

    We Rethink Outdoor Leadership For A Changing Generation

    Send us Fan Mail The outdoor industry doesn’t stand still, and neither can we. We’re coming to you live from the Outdoors NSW and ACT Connect and Share Forum with a fast-moving mix of field-tested leadership ideas, workforce updates, and practical dates you can put straight into your calendar. We start with what’s happening on the ground, including the launch of a local government toolkit for trail bike riding and why it matters for councils, land managers, and the visitor economy. From there, we zoom out to the bigger leadership challenge we’re all seeing: shifting demographics, highly digital young people, and growing pressure on resilience and mental health. I break down the five Cs of outdoor leadership (connection, coaching, challenge, celebration, and change) and why the “coach” mindset is becoming essential across outdoor education, adventure tourism, and recreation. Then we get into the operational essentials: the national minimum wage rises by 4.75% from July 1, and employers need to adjust payroll accordingly. We also share progress on the AAAS review and the Knowledge Skills Experience Framework, plus an update on the VET review timeline that points to endorsement in 2027. Finally, we run through key events and opportunities including Outdoor Office Day, member meetups, leadership training, our masterclass and industry awards, and the outdoor learning conference featuring Maggie Dent, before closing with a useful snapshot from Macrindle Research on psychological safety, structural support, training and development, and flexibility. Subscribe so you don’t miss the weekly pulse of the outdoor sector, and if this helped, share it with a colleague and leave a quick review. Support the show To stay connected to Outdoors NSW & ACT, Subscribe to our podcasts, or our YouTube Channel Our members get access to a whole range of additional information and support - you can join here and start receiving the benefits today.

    We Rethink Outdoor Leadership For A Changing Generation
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A weekly opportunity to connect on important topics and content specific to the Outdoor Industry in Australia

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