AAAS: Strengthening the Future of Outdoor Safety

This week, the Board of the Outdoor Council of Australia (OCA) approved an important new framework that will guide how the Australian Adventure Activity Standard (AAAS) evolves into the future.

As outdoor activities continue to diversify and new practices emerge, industry has increasingly looked to the AAAS for guidance. The challenge has been how to respond to this growth without diluting the integrity, consistency and sustainability of the framework. The newly endorsed New Activity Decision-Making Framework provides that clarity.

Why a new framework was needed
The AAAS is a nationally consistent system supporting the safe and responsible delivery of led outdoor adventure activities involving dependent participants. It is built on three core elements: the AAAS Standard, the Core Good Practice Guide (Core GPG), and Activity-Specific Good Practice Guides (GPGs). Over time, Guidance Notes have also emerged to address niche or emerging issues.

Without a clear and transparent approach to adding new activities, there was a risk of “framework creep” — inconsistent decisions, duplication across documents, and increasing pressure on limited resources for review and maintenance. The framework approved by the OCA Board directly addresses this risk by establishing a structured, evidence-based pathway for future expansion.

What the framework does
At its core, the framework ensures that any proposed addition to the AAAS is assessed strategically, not reactively. It asks the right questions up front: does the activity fall within AAAS scope, does it involve dependent participants, and does it align with the principles of safety, environmental responsibility, inclusion and professionalism?

From there, proposals are assessed against clear criteria, including whether the activity has a distinct risk profile, is commonly practised across multiple jurisdictions, is insufficiently covered elsewhere, or is driven by regulatory or land-management requirements.

Importantly, not every proposal leads automatically to a new GPG. Some activities may be better addressed through an annex to an existing guide, a Guidance Note, or an update to the Core GPG.

A four-step, transparent process
The endorsed framework introduces a four-step process:

1. Eligibility – confirming the activity fits within the AAAS sectoral scope and principles.
2. Assessment – testing whether the activity genuinely warrants a new Activity-Specific GPG.
3. Alternative placement – identifying more proportionate options where full GPGs are not justified.
4. Governance – establishing a clear submission, consultation, expert review and decision pathway.

This approach protects the integrity of the AAAS while still allowing it to evolve in line with legitimate changes in practice and risk across outdoor recreation, education, adventure tourism and outdoor health.

Why this matters for industry
For providers, land managers, insurers and regulators, consistency matters. The AAAS is most effective when it is trusted as a coherent, well-governed system. By adopting this framework, OCA is reinforcing confidence that decisions about new activities are evidence-based, nationally consistent and sustainable over the long term.

It also sends a strong message to industry: innovation and emerging practices are welcome, but they must be integrated thoughtfully, with safety, quality and longevity at the forefront.

“The New Activity Decision-Making Framework is now the standard pathway for assessing proposed additions to the AAAS. As outdoor activities continue to grow and evolve, this framework ensures the AAAS remains robust, credible and fit for purpose — supporting safe participation today, while safeguarding the system for the future.” said Lori Modde, Chair of the Outdoor Council of Australia.

Industry stakeholders will continue to be engaged through consultation and expert review as proposals come forward, ensuring the AAAS remains genuinely industry-led and nationally relevant.