The end of August marks 12 months of Oz Fish and Game. This article contains a summary of what has occurred during the month and a discussion of how things are changing. But first, I’ll start with a quick recap of our first 12 months…

12 months of Oz Fish and Game

The end of August marks 12 months of Oz Fish and Game, and what a strange and wonderful 12 months it has been. Initially, the concept was to create a more advanced (and user-friendly) classifieds website than what was currently available. While this goal was achieved, it was met with a constant battle to convert users from the ‘big 3’ firearms websites over to this free platform.

In an attempt to separate myself from the competition, I ventured into other areas of the hunting and fishing industries, which I have since become passionate about – producing educational content and advocating for legislative improvements. Much to my surprise, these two areas have drawn a large viewership to the website. This is why, moving forward, the majority of my efforts will be focused on this area, with the classifieds section becoming a secondary support function. Not only will this content form part of my obligations to my approved hunting organisation, but it will also allow me to provide further support to a community that is often neglected by the larger clubs and peak body organisations.

Monthly update

With our 12-month recap out of the way, here’s a quick summary of what we’ve been up to in August 2022.

NSW Game Hunting Licence Code of Practice

Last month, the NSW DPI put out a call for community submissions regarding an overhaul of the NSW Game hunting licence code of practice. According to the public statement, the basis of the proposed changes was to ensure that the code satisfied the ‘current regulatory environment’, and ‘modern drafting standards’.

One of the notable changes is that the code of practice is now a standalone code, which can be approved separately by the Minister for Agriculture. This could be both a blessing and a curse, as changes could theoretically be made based upon the individual’s perception of hunting, in conjunction with lobbying from pro (or anti) hunting organisations. This should be taken as yet another reason for our community to remain proactive in our efforts to engage and promote ethical hunting practices. Although, we should always be engaging in this behaviour anyway…

In summary, a number of hours were spent reviewing the previous code along with the proposed changes, with a final decision being made to accept the proposal on an ‘as is’ basis.

Back to work

Over the past 12 months, I have been running Oz Fish and Game in a full-time voluntary role, with the limited proceeds being recycled back into the club and the website. Unfortunately, I did not gain the level of industry support that I was hoping for, and this approach has now been determined to be financially unsustainable. As a result, I have made a decision to return to full-time work. I will still continue to produce written and video content for the website – as free time permits, however, I will now be seeking volunteers to assist me in providing further support to our industry. This leads me to my plans for further expansion…

Plans for further expansion

As mentioned above, all profits generated from Oz Fish and Game are being used to improve the club and the services that I provide. Ideally, I would like to further increase my revenue stream and eventually, hire members from the community to perform club functions on a full-time basis. In order to get to this point, I need your help.

I am currently seeking volunteers to fulfill the following roles, on an infrequent basis:

• Content creators and writers. My primary focus is on the provision of education and news content to my club members and the general public – but I cannot do this alone. If you are an experienced content creator with a passion for the outdoors, please reach out, and let me know which topics you are able to cover.
• Graphic designers – One of my main barriers to growth is financial constraints. That’s why I’m after someone who can produce high-quality images and logos for our club. These images will be used to create club merchandise and promotional materials, which will be sold to create positive cash flow. My initial plan is to use these funds to lease land for a shooting range facility, with additional funds put towards upgrades on the website. If you are an experienced graphic designer and would like to help, please get in touch with any ideas or examples of past work.

As a trade-off for your assistance in either role, I am more than happy to promote your brand, advertise your merch, and support any other industry-related endeavours that you are part of. All interest can be sent to the the ‘Oz Fish and Game’ Facebook page, or emailed to [email protected]

I look forward to hearing from you!

Final thoughts

As outdoorsmen (or women), we need to make an active effort to improve community relations and safeguard our lifestyle. This should be done irrespective of changes made to Government policy and legislation. How this is done, is completely up to the individual. However, if you are a member of a club, it’s your responsibility to make sure they are contributing more than just a ‘genuine reason’ for firearms ownership in the ongoing battle to maintain our way of life.

These articles should (hopefully) demonstrate what a club is able to do with the support of just 10 members. Just imagine what we could do with the resources of 100, or 1000…

If you would like to find out, head over to the ‘join our club’ page, and sign up today!