Outdoor Council of Australia (OCA), the national peak body for the outdoor industry, is pleased to advise it has been successful in receiving funding from state and territory governments for the timely review of the Australian Adventure Activity Standard (AAAS) and Good Practice Guides (GPG).

The Aust. AAS and GPG provide a voluntary good-practice framework for safe and responsible planning and delivery of led outdoor adventure activities with dependent participants.

With participants in Australia enjoying over 508 million hours in outdoor recreation activities each year and spending over $22.5 billion, the funding to review the AAAS and the GPGs is welcome.

“There’s more than 215,00 full time roles in the outdoor industry across Australia delivering amazing recreation and education programs in the community as well as thousands more skilled volunteers,” said Graeme Janes, President of the Outdoor Council of Australia.

“A boom in global activity in outdoor recreation through the pandemic has triggered a new wave of adventure tourists looking to connect with the outdoors and Australia is a natural destination for many.

“Australia’s amazing outdoor spaces and outdoor health providers offer opportunities for healing for members of our communities.

“It’s therefore been critical for our industry to secure this funding to enable us to review and update the Standard and Guides to ensure a current framework for all.”

The formation of the Aust. AAS and GPGs was supported and funded 2016-2019 by a meeting of the state and territory sport and recreation Ministers of Australia. Prior to this, each state had maintained their own standard – so establishing one set of guidance for the entire nation was a significant step forward.

Mr Janes said that since development, new innovations and changes in practices have altered the processes and hence the Aust. AAS and GPG require updating and that the OCA is keen to expand their remit to do so.

“The ambition of the Aust. AAS was to unify the various state-based adventure activity standards into one consolidated national approach, as state borders shouldn’t matter when it comes to accessing the outdoors”, said Mr Janes.

The Aust. AAS & GPGs provide:

• Guidance so that all that participate in dependant led outdoor activities are facilitated in a safe, culturally appropriate and environmentally sensitive way;
• A framework which both participants and organisers of adventure activities could reference when seeking industry good practice; and
• A reference document to monitor and assess the safe and sustainable activities that are undertaken.

Since 2023, Outdoor Council of Australia has been seeking funding to review the framework to ensure it remains current and representative of good practice for the activities it covers. OCA welcomes the support as provided by the various State and Territories to ensure the framework is current and continues to reflect best practice.

OCA is currently building the project plan which involves significant consultation across the industry and connected stakeholders’ further information will be available in Spring 2024.