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A N N U A LR E P O R T

Field & Game Australia 2017-18

Field & Game Australia Annual Report 2017-18

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Con tent s

GUIDE TO THE ANNUAL REPORT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

ABOUT FIELD & GAME AUSTRALIA . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

BOARD AND STAFF . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4

CHAIRMAN’S YEAR IN REVIEW . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

FROM THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

2017–18 FINANCIAL REPORT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

MEMBERSHIP REPORT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

2017 BRANCH AND MEMBER AWARDS . . . . . . . . . . 14

WETLANDS ENVIRONMENTAL TASKFORCE . . . . . 15

HUNTING AND GAME MANAGEMENT . . . . . . . . . . . 17Waterfowl Count Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

Pest and Vermin Report Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

SIMULATED FIELD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20Updating the Rulebook . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20

2017 National Carnival . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

Clay Target Participation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23

MILESTONE: 60 YEARS OF FGA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24

Con tact Us

IN PERSON 65 Anzac Avenue, Seymour, Victoria

BY POST PO Box 464, Seymour 3661

EMAIL membership@fieldandgame .com .au

PHONE (03) 5799 0960

WEB www .fieldandgame .com .au

TWITTER @fieldandgame

FACEBOOK Field and Game Australia


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Guide to t he Ann u al Repor t

This is the annual report of Field & Game Australia (FGA) Inc . (ABN 79 042 436 123) for the financial year ending June 30, 2018 . The report provides information from the Board, branches and stakeholders of FGA about the Association’s operations and performance and is presented at the Association’s Annual General Meeting (AGM) . FGA cannot be held liable for any printing errors in this document .

A C K N O W L E D G E M E N T SCONTRIBUTORS: Rachel Berry; David Hawker, AO; Peter Hawker; Richard Light; Darren Linton; Bill Paterson; Lauri Rowe; Daryl Snowdon .

PRINTED BY: Willprint, Shepparton .

F E E D B A C KWe welcome your comments regarding this report . Telephone (03) 5799 0960 with your feedback, or email rachel .berry@fieldandgame .com .au .


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About Fiel d & Game Au stral i a

O U R M I S S I O N

To be the most effective organisation in the promotion of hunting, recreational shooting, and habitat conservation.

W H O W E A R EFGA was established in 1958 by hunters who were concerned at the loss of wetland habitat for the game birds they loved to observe and hunt . FGA is now the nation’s most progressive firearm hunting, and conservation organisation with six decades of service to the Association’s membership, including hunters, target shooters and conservationists .

As we reach the incredible milestone of 60 years, FGA represents over 18,000 voluntary members united by interests in target sports, hunting, and the desire to see Australia’s wetlands preserved for future generations .

O U R P A T R O N SPROFESSOR GRAHAME WEBB, BSC (HONS), PHD .

THE HONOURABLE DAVID HAWKER, AO .

MR MAX DOWNES, BSC, PGD .

O U R V A L U E SThe purpose for which the Association is formed is to:

� Specifically sustain, enhance, and nurture responsible activities of members .

� Encourage, promote and practice the active conservation of game and habitat, and to undertake education and training of members to achieve that goal .

� Cooperate with government agencies and landholders in the promotion of game hunting in an orderly and accepted manner, and to respect the privilege of gun ownership .

� Promote public understanding and acceptance of our activities and to cooperate with other bodies which may have similar objectives .

� Unite field sportsmen in the respect of game and habitat, to promote good sportsmanship through supervised shooting ranges and target shooting, and, where appropriate, to conduct local, state and national events to encourage the sport and stimulate participants to excel in their chosen pastime .

L I F E M E M B E R SDr Hugh Martin, MBE (Dec)

Ron Bryant (Dec)

Doug Hemingway, MBE (Dec)

Des Thomas, OAM (Dec)

Phil Brown, OAM

John Foster (Dec)

Rex Cambrey

Allan Graham

Ruby Cato (Dec)

Geoff Proudfoot

Gary Howard

Albert Chamberlain (Dec)

Graham Eames

Ian McLachlan

Ron Danby

Rick Foster

Russ Bate, OAM


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Board a nd S t af f

B O A R D O F M A N A G E M E N TFGA would like to sincerely thank John Caven and Robert Treble for their service on the FGA Board .

John stepped down at the end of his 3-year term (2017 AGM) and Robert was unable to continue in his role as Board member and Chairman due to a conflict of interest, reluctantly resigning just prior to the 2017 AGM .

N A T I O N A L O F F I C EThe National Office team has farewelled David McNabb and welcomed Richard Light into the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) role . FGA would like to thank David for his contribution to the Association and National Office during his time with us .

We have also welcomed Administration Trainee Jodie McIntosh to assist in the day-to-day tasks in the National Office .

Board MemberMeetings

TermHeld Attended

John Caven 3 1 Ended 2017 AGM

Mark Daley 7 6 Ending 2018 AGM

Glenn Falla 5 4 Co-opted for 1 year

Jim Godden 7 4 Year 1 of 3

Peter Hawker 7 7 Ending 2018 AGM

Angela Kloppenborg 7 7 Year 2 of 3

Scott Mitchell 7 6 Year 1 of 3

Bill Paterson 7 5 Year 2 of 3

Rob Treble 2 2 Resigned 2017 AGM

FGA Board, Right (L-R, top to bottom): Bill Paterson (Chairman); Peter Hawker (Vice Chair); Angela Kloppenborg; Jim Godden; Scott Mitchell; Mark Daley; Glenn Falla.

FGA Staff, Below (L-R): Richard Light, CEO; Daryl Snowdon, Development Manager; Lauri Rowe, Membership Officer; Jodie McIntosh, Administration Trainee; Rachel Berry, Communications Officer.


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C ha irm a n’s Year i n Revi ew

The year since the last annual report has seen some significant changes for FGA, not the least of which was Rob Treble having to resign as Chairman and Board member and my stepping back into that role . Once we were embroiled in a situation which could lead to a possible action for damages against the Department of Defence over per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substance (PFAS) contamination, Rob had no option but to resign . We were very sorry to lose him and to see his time as Chairman cut short .

One of the first tasks I faced was the selection and appointment of a new CEO as a result of David McNabb leaving the organisation . I would like to thank David for his service over the past 3 years and also thank Board member Glenn Falla who stepped up to the plate and covered the role as acting General Manager .

Our new CEO Richard Light comes to us from the oil industry, with over 20 years’ international experience culminating with his role as Vice President for Health and Safety for Schlumberger North America . Richard was a committee member and shoot marshall for the Gulf Coast Society of Petroleum Engineers Sporting Clays shoot, which attracted 750 shooters, and has competed (successfully) at World Skeet Championships . Richard has hunted extensively around the world, has a strong background in environmental management and was his company’s lead advocate and responsible executive for environmental regulatory compliance . FGA needs

strong and skilled advocates to protect and develop hunting, to secure our shooting grounds, deliver great clay target competitions and ensure that we are absolutely on top of environmental issues such as PFAS . Richard brings a broad set of skills and experience to FGA in the areas which are critical to our ongoing success .

After the irresponsible behaviour of a few duck hunters last year we knew that the Government intended to make changes to address the issues of exceeding bag limits, shooting non-game species, and not retrieving birds . FGA put a great deal of effort into getting the ‘hunting with respect’ message out to all hunters, and we believe this effort was rewarded by the strong compliance by hunters with some tough new regulations .

We have revised our rules for Australian Simulated Field clay target competitions (Version 2 .3, effective

July 1, 2018), and these are available from your Branch as a printed booklet and on our website . There have been many adjustments, improvements and clarifications . A major change has been the removal of the requirement for Veteran and Open competitors to shoot from a ready position of ‘gun down’ . From now onwards, you will not have to have a line on your jacket and will be able to shoot, if you wish, with the gun already mounted when you call for the target .

Subtle changes were made last year to the way we ran our National Carnival, aimed at avoiding late finishes and allowing more competitors . This was very successful, and these changes are now being further improved on for our 2018 National Carnival to be held at Bairnsdale . We are


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now able to remove the cap on the number of competitors and ensure that they are able to finish in time to get into the local town to rest and refresh, and have dinner with their friends . The facilities at Bairnsdale have recently been greatly improved, thanks to the Shooting Sports Facilities Program (SSFP) grants from the State government, and Bairnsdale have arranged for extensions to their grounds to handle the increased layouts . It promises to be another great Carnival .

It has been gratifying to see the benefits to our organisation from the SSFP grants, both at branch level and nationally . Clubhouses we can now be proud of, toilet blocks that are no longer ‘outhouses’ and new trap machines which are not constantly breaking down – with spares to back them up if they do . Nationally, we have a very successful electronic scoring system, and cataloguing and preservation for our Australian National Hunting Archive (ANHA) . FGA were very successful in obtaining grants because of the high quality of our applications, and I thank our skilled staff who assisted in the preparation of many of these .

The Wetlands Environmental Taskforce (WET) Trust continues its extensive work programme; our Connewarre property at Geelong is now hosting school groups in partnership with Bug Blitz, thousands of school children continue to visit the Heart Morass property each year and thousands of trees have been planted . It was interesting to see a report from Deakin University that shows wetlands are highly prized due to their carbon storage qualities which is 20 to 40 times higher than forests . The facts and figures are potentially revolutionary, with great benefits to wetland habitats, including a possible revenue stream for the future . Selling carbon offsets may even lead to securing more wetlands .

Keys to the WET Trust Heart Morass property were again made available to members who wished to donate to the WET Trust and hunt there this season . The PFAS contamination of Heart Morass from the neighbouring Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) base remains a major issue for us, and we have been in constant communication with the Department of Defence and Victoria’s Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) . There is no simple or quick fix to this problem . It is a very sore point for us that contamination continues to run off the RAAF base onto our property, as the EPA is unable to make any order against a Commonwealth body . Extensive scientific studies into the effects of PFAS and associated chemicals on the human body continue, with no evidence of harm being found .

Hunters’ licence fees paid for our State Game Reserves (SGRs) . It was disappointing to see in the 2016 audit of Victoria’s unique SGRs that 46 of them cannot be accessed due to ambiguous or undefined access points or leased easements, 116 SGRs do not have two-wheeled drive access and there is no vehicle access to 80 sites . Importantly, SGRs are not managed by the Game Management Authority (GMA), but rather by Parks Victoria . We believe that management of SGRs should be under the control of the GMA, whose objectives should be more in line with those of the Victorian Fisheries Authority who promote, optimise and develop recreational fishing .

With a State election looming, we have been putting a log of such issues to politicians of all parties in an effort to further improve hunting opportunities for our members.

Once again I would like to recognise and thank the many people who have made possible our continued success: the many members who have volunteered their time and skills to assist us with our activities, our hard working professional staff, and Board members .

B I L L P A T E R S O NChairman


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From t he C hief Exe cu tive

I joined FGA on January 7, 2018 and have quickly come up to speed with the activities of the Association .

I have been lucky to inherit a strong team whose help has been critical in bringing me up to speed as quickly as possible . I would like to thank the staff and the Board for assisting me in my transition .

After completing a Mechanical Engineering Degree and Postgraduate Diploma in Management at Swinburne University, my professional career has been spent in the international oilfield services arena, where I started as a well-logging engineer in Papua New Guinea . I progressed through various operational and managerial positions, culminating in my role as the Vice President of Health Safety and Environment for North America for the world’s largest oilfield services company .

Any time not spent working or with family was spent pursuing my hobbies of hunting and clay target shooting . I have been lucky to have hunted extensively in Australia, Europe, North America and South America, and competed in clay target competitions globally .

The opportunity to be the CEO at FGA was one that combined my business skills and passion and was an opportunity that I couldn’t pass up . The role has lived up to my expectations and I

still feel lucky that I get to represent our members and work to ensure the continuity of our passions and pastimes .

The announcement of the 2018 Victorian Duck Season bought with it a series of new regulations and increased scrutiny on hunters . The new regulations around recovery of birds and harvesting of meat along with the 9 .00 am start time were a result of incidents in 2017 and were greeted by hunters and our members with strong emotions and mixed feelings .

While we had been present at meetings with government departments and politicians, the resulting change in regulations were not what we expected or had agreed to . Subsequently, we had to work with the regulators to modify the regulations into something that made sense and could actually be followed .

Our branches ran a series of Duck Fever nights throughout Victoria that were well attended and we had good discussions about the new regulations and the behaviour of hunters . The subsequent Victorian duck opening and season was highly successful; with good compliance to the later opening times and recovery of birds . The universally good behaviour of hunters took the wind out of the anti’s sails and culminated with only three protected birds being displayed at the Premier’s office, three weeks after the start of the season .

PFAS contamination and the ability of the GMA as regulator to regulate hunting were used by the antis as a basis to impact the season, both of which were unsuccessful as they were proven to be non-issues . We are seeing a change in tactics from the protestors; their tactics will continue


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to evolve and we have to be ever vigilant as they attempt to use more devious and unethical methods to impact our highly-regulated, fully legal, legitimate activities .

We have been calling for the strengthening of the GMA’s role to include promotional activities and to increase enforcement activities. Ethical hunters want the small minority of poachers punished. It is their illegal activities that threaten our pastimes.

Important issues surrounding protestor activity and the absence of any enforcement actions against protestors continue to be a major issue for us . While hunters and wildlife are continually harassed by protestors, the government continues to fail to act to enforce Section 58E of the Wildlife Act 1975 (Harassment of Hunters) . We will continue to lobby on your behalf to ensure our legitimate hunting rights, protected by law are enforced .

We held a highly successful WET Trust Charity Dinner in Bendigo and I would like to thank the generous support of the members and sponsors who donated prizes and those who purchased them . We successfully raised $15,000 for WET Trust . It was the hard work of our staff, particularly Lauri and Rachel, who made this event the success it was .

Our two benchmark conservation projects continue to grow from strength to strength . Heart Morass continues to be improved under the guidance of Gary ‘Pud’ Howard and the volunteers from the Sale Branch and the Connewarre Wetland Centre is up and running; both facilities have hosted Bug Blitz programs and continue to highlight the good work done by our volunteers to ensure the improvement and protection of wetland habitats for generations to come .

Our clay target participation in Simulated Field events continues to grow . As an Association, we hold over 50 events each month and attract an average of over 50 shooters at each event . We threw over 2 .7 million targets this year . The calendar culminates with the National Carnival, hosted in 2017 by Wodonga Albury FGA, attracting 528 shooters . Once again, thanks to the staff, branch and volunteers for making the event very successful . Congratulations to our National Champions for 2017: Open – John Younger, Ladies – Brooke Tangey, Veterans – Roger Kerslake, Junior – Billy Cain, and Sub-Junior – Nicholas Brighenti .

We continue to advocate for the rights of hunters and firearm owners across all jurisdictions in Australia and have met with government ministers, politicians and bureaucrats to continue to fight for our rights . We held a successful politicians shoot at our Willowmavin property in Kilmore, attended by more than 70 politicians and staffers and sponsored by Winchester, Raytrade, and Fowles Wines . It is a great opportunity to educate law makers and decision makers about clay target shooting, hunting and firearms issues . The winning team for 2017 was the Liberal Party – congratulations .

We have been busy upgrading and improving our business systems, including transitioning to online accounting software, implementing a financial manual, updating IT hardware, successfully completing a personnel systems audit and launching a comprehensive suite of personnel policies . A major upcoming project we will be undertaking is upgrading our 18 year old membership database .

FGA celebrated its 60th Anniversary on June 28, 2018 . We were formed by concerned hunters who volunteered their time to protect the habitat and pastime we all cherish . We can be proud of the strong traditions, volunteer efforts and the results we have achieved over the past 60 years . Thank you for your continued support .

R I C H A R D L I G H TCEO


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2017– 18 Fina ncial Repor t

It is with pleasure that I present this year’s financial report on the activities of FGA and thank all FGA staff for their ongoing commitment and dedication to the organisation . I would also like to thank the many member volunteers that week-in, week-out, support the foundations of conservation, hunting and clay target shooting, the very fabric of what FGA stands for, and continue to be proud of this premier hunting organisation . The indirect monetary contribution from volunteers is the lifeblood of FGA who represent who we are today: the ‘Most Surprising Conservationists’, hunters and clay target shooters that Australia has to offer .

This year was a year of change where our CEO departed company of FGA and I thank David McNabb for his contribution over the past three years . Our Chairman Robert Treble had to stand down due to circumstances out of his control . On top of this, whilst Richard Light was settling into his role as the new CEO, the Association was facing uncertain times, politically and socially, in what seemed a relentless campaign to ban duck hunting .

Considering the year that was, I am pleased to announce we achieved an operating net profit, after depreciation, of $55,725 which includes:

� A 12% increase in membership income due to member subscriptions increasing .

� Just under 7% increase in receipts for the National Carnival .

� A decrease of 3% in operating expenses for the National Carnival .

� 60% reduction in the marketing spending, while maintaining a strong position across media, print and online messaging .

� Prior year adjustment on a bequest of $20,936 which was paid to the WET Trust for Blue Wing Shoveler research .

� State Government funding grants were used to continue implementing the online target scoring system for branches and Willowmavin capital project .

� Interest received was lower than previous year due to less money in term deposits and continued record low interest rates .

� Running-down of merchandise stock accumulated over previous years and stock write-offs have resulted in a reduction in merchandise income .

� 14% increase in costs for CEO transition period over spring and summer

� Overall employment costs increased just over 5% year on year .

� Bookkeeping and accounting have been outsourced saving just under 30% in contractor employment costs

� The new firearms insurance of $12,000 cover for firearms and associated equipment for all adult age members has meant FGA’s insurance expenditure increased by 28% .

C A S H A N D T E R M D E P O S I T S

J u n e 3 0 , 2 0 1 8

$ 8 6 7 , 9 1 5J u n e 3 0 , 2 0 1 7

$ 9 7 9 , 4 5 3


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Membership numbers are slightly up on last year and remain stable . FGA continues to invest in its staff with the CEO committed to staff training and development .

The lasting focus for the future is to continue to enhance membership benefits; the Board and CEO are committed to ongoing advocacy, lifting merchandise sales, and seeking alternative revenue sources to continue to promote all aspects of FGA whilst recognising that all volunteers make this a truly wonderful organisation .

P E T E R H AW K E R

F G A I N C O M E A N D E X P E N D I T U R E

Income 2017–18 2016–17

Revenue $1,576,594 $1,786,113

Expenditure 2017–18 2016–17

Advertising $106,159 $247,203

Depreciation/Amortisation $41,713 $30,871

Employee Wages and Benefits $486,210 $461,085

Other Expenses $877,537 $1,005,288

Profit/(Loss) for the year $55,725 $69,493

W E T T R U S T A S S E T S A N D L I A B I L I T I E S

Assets 2017–18 2016–17

Current Assets $354,604 $297,017

Non-current Assets $2,722,387 $2,745,546

Liabilities 2017–18 2016–17

Current Liabilities $10,930 $2,816

Non-current Liabilities $414,065 $418,727

Net Assets $2,651,996 $2,621,020

W E T T R U S T F I N A N C I A L R E P O R TThe WET Trust was formed in 2002 with the purpose of purchasing, restoring and maintaining wetland habitats . With ownership of the habitats comes the full access required to rehabilitate ecosystems and restore biodiversity .

The WET Trust received generous donations from bequests, the Charity Dinner and Auction, ongoing Trust for Nature Payments and the grant for the ANHA from the Victorian Labor Government which attributed to an increase in just over 60% in income .

Spending increased to $66,992 due to the grant funding becoming available to digitise the ANHA, along with investments in maintenance at the Heart Morass Wetlands complex and capital improvements in the Connewarre Wetland Centre located near Geelong .

With a net income of $30,976 for the year, the WET Trust holds strong cash position of $325,084 to continue to do this very important work for wetland conservation . The WET Trust will continue to maintain Australia’s remaining wetlands and the essential habitat that they provide for a wide variety of unique native flora and fauna .


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$0.6m

$0.9m

$1.2m

$1.5m

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

Willowmavin Purchase

Continued marketing fordefence of FGA

Loan to WET15%

Plant and Equipment12%

Land and Buildings39%

Cash and Receivables30%

Inventories1%

Prepayments3%

F G A W O R K I N G C A P I T A L 2 0 0 7 – 2 0 1 8

Sales of Products/Services $49,963

Donations $790

Interest $4,225

Membership $1,521,616

F G A I N C O M E B R E A K D O W N

2 0 1 7 – 1 8 A S S E T B R E A K D O W N


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Memb ership Repor t

A challenge faced by any Association is not just attracting new members, but retaining existing ones . Each April when the membership year ends, the National Office staff undertake recovery strategies to bring non-renewing members back to FGA .

There has been a marked improvement in the annual growth rate of new and renewing members thanks to different strategies undertaken by Membership Officer Lauri Rowe, including the introduction of text message reminders . The annual growth rate has increased from 11 .5% in 2015–16 to just over 20% in the 2017–18 membership year .

Overall membership growth has remained steady at approximately 2 .5% over the past 5 years . All figures here are taken from the FGA Membership period of April 1, 2017 to March 31, 2018 .

2017-182016-172015-162014-15

15.9%

11.9%

18.9%

20.1%

A N N U A L G R O W T H R A T E S

Other*

Student/Junior

Super Junior

Family Spouse/Junior

Pensioner

Adult76.6%

9.7%

1.7%

1.4%

1.6%

9.0%

12,500

15,000

20,000

17,500

2014-15

2015-16

2016-17

2017-18

Mar

ch

Febr

uary

Janu

ary

Dec

embe

r

Nov

embe

r

Oct

ober

Sept

embe

r

Aug

ust

July

June

May

Apr

il

M O N T H L Y M E M B E R S H I P G R O W T H

M E M B E R T Y P E S

*Memberships under ‘Other’ include Members for Life, Honorary Association Members, and Association Life Members.


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Ararat/Stawell 119

Association 8

Bairnsdale 506

Ballarat 707

Balranald 64

Barmera Moorook 180

Bar-Rook 232

Benalla 403

Bendigo 519

Broome 19

Burdekin 9

Canberra 90

Capricornia 24

Casterton 85

Clunes 203

Cobram 186

Colac 281

Coleraine 206

Cranbourne 411

Darlington 52

Deniliquin 129

Donald 146

Dorset 126

Dunolly 107

Echuca-Moama 258

Frankston 953

Furneaux 131

Geelong 908

Goulburn Workers 136

Grampians 68

Huon 145

Keith 62

Kilmore 465

Kingston SE 108

Kyabram 161

Mallacoota 29

MCC Clay Target Club 62

Melbourne 595

Metropolitan 760

Minyip 160

Moe 289

Mornington 233

Morwell 301

Mount Wycheproof 94

Natimuk 307

Northern Territory 415

Nugent 19

Orbost 95

Pine Grove 182

Port Phillip 1,085

Portland/Heywood 85

Queensland 129

Renmark Berri 59

Rushworth 81

Rutherglen 80

Sale 1,124

Seymour 740

Shepparton 542

South East 63

South Gippsland 279

Sunraysia 307

Swan Hill 161

Timboon 85

Traralgon 402

Wagga Wagga 150

Waikerie 26

Warrnambool 235

Westernport 253

Wodonga Albury 364

B R A N C H M E M B E R S H I P T O T A L S A S A T M A R C H 3 1 , 2 0 1 8

1 7 , 9 9 8 M E M B E R S


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2017 Bra nch a nd Me mbe r Awards

B L U E W I N G T R O P H Y F O R C O N S E R V A T I O NFIRST PLACE Sale FGA SECOND PLACE Geelong FGA (only two nominations received)

V E R M I N C O N T R O L AW A R DAwarded to Sale FGA for their increased efforts in removing pest animals .

M E D I A AW A R DAwarded to Geelong FGA for their community engagement and promotion of the benefits of hunting through research, game food workshops, and hunter education

M E M B E R S E R V I C E SLEN BAKER, SALE . Len has been a member of Sale FGA for 25 years, contributing to all facets of FGA during that time, including clay target programs, school shoots, nest box programs, and fox drives . Len has held committee roles at Sale and has contributed over 420 volunteer hours to Sale’s recent clubroom and amenities project .

TREVOR VINCENT, SALE . Awarded in recognition of Trevor’s ongoing contributions to the Heart Morass, travelling every week to undertake weed control; and his regular assistance with plant and machinery operation, helping with the real ‘heavy lifting’ for habitat conservation .

LIONEL LIGHT, SALE . Lionel has worked tirelessly for the past 10 years at the Heart Morass with all manner of maintenance and monitoring work, as well as capably handing all manner of equipment for the shared goal of habitat conservation and restoration .

D R H U G H M A R T I N M E D A LRAY PHILLIPS, GEELONG . Ray became involved in the early 1990s when he joined the Geelong subcommittee for the shooting ground at Murgeboluc, taking on full responsibility for running the range from 1996 to 2002 . More recently Ray lent his experience to help rebuild Geelong’s clay target shoots after 10 years without a ground .

Ray has served as President and Treasurer on separate occasions during his 16 years of service on the committee and typifies the FGA member who makes a difference: he gives selflessly of his time and expertise and participates at all levels and in each facet of FGA .

Ray has devoted countless hours of his time and knowledge as a builder to the Connewarre Wetland Centre project; while he retired from the Geelong committee earlier this year, Ray has pledged to continue to make the Connewarre Wetland Centre project a reality .


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Wet l a nd s Environme n tal Tas kforce

Last year my report concluded with the statement that:

The challenge facing all members now is how to build on our achievements of showing that it is hunters who lead the way on wetland conservation.

That challenge looms ever more prominently as uninformed opposition becomes increasingly vocal .

H E A R T M O R A S SGary Howard reports that a successful hunting season at the Heart Morass concluded with no contentious issues . Maintenance continues with boundary fence upgrades, track and drain work, and rabbit and weed control . A water-watch program in conjunction with the West Gippsland Catchment Management Authority is underway; and with assistance from the Gippsland Lakes Coordinating Committee, the Sale FGA members are planting 8,000 trees . Federation University is proposing to develop a Lakes and Wetlands centre at Sale which would involve Bug Blitz and Sale FGA .

The issue of the effect of PFAS contamination on the Heart Morass, hunting and other areas affected around Australia has been well covered in recent issues of Field & Game magazine .

Victoria’s EPA is leading an inter-agency group as part of a Federal Taskforce . As reported, research on human health impacts finds that Commonwealth Government advice remains that ‘research has not conclusively demonstrated that PFAS are related to specific illnesses, even under conditions of occupational exposure .’

Several related meetings have been held with the RAAF and Department of Defence at Sale, and while the studies on the effects PFAS contamination continues, of equal concern is the economic impact on the asset value of the Heart Morass .

Another more positive issue relates to a recent study by Deakin University on the capacity of wetlands to store carbon emissions . This has already seen a call to protect and manage our inland wetlands . What it may add to the value of the wetlands is yet to be accurately quantified but it could be significant .


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C O N C L U S I O NThe enthusiastic support of all members of the Committee of Governors of the Heart Morass and the WET Trust is greatly appreciated . The foresight shown by past and present leaders of FGA on the above developments continues to work for the benefit of current and future members . The challenge facing all is to continue to build on this work and generate a positive understanding of the enormous conservation work undertaken by and on behalf of FGA members and friends .

D AV I D H AW K E R , A OChairman, Heart Morass Board of Governors

B U G B L I T ZThe Bug Blitz program for school students continues with strong support from the Hugh Williamson Foundation . The Chairman of Trustees, Martin Carlson is very positive about its progress and is expanding opportunities to take the story to Melbourne . Dr John Caldow continues to run Bug Blitz days and expects over 4,000 students to attend one this year at the Heart Morass and now the Connewarre Wetland Centre . Trent Leen is working with schools around Geelong to increase interest .

A U S T R A L I A N N A T I O N A L H U N T I N G A R C H I V EThe need to move the ANHA from Boronia demonstrated the practical skills of FGA CEO Richard Light . It also reminds us what an absolute treasure trove this unique collection contains .

Established 7 years ago after Max Downes, Victoria’s First Game Manager, made his collection available to the WET Trust, Max has continued to work on cataloguing the collection, which includes 4,500 books, 20,000 documents and an extensive database, photos, and the Otto Ruf collection involving more than 30 taxidermy deer heads and hunting records .

A Preservation Needs Assessment for the Archive has been undertaken by Conservator Erina McCann, and it is planned to relocate the collection to Seymour or nearby and include offices for public access and research .

W E T T R U S T F U N D R A I S I N G D I N N E R$15,000 was raised at the WET Trust Charity Dinner in Bendigo . The Board would like to acknowledge the Leen family for their extensive contributions to this night, which included a presentation to Gary ‘Pud’ Howard acknowledging his ongoing commitment to the Heart Morass .


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Hun t ing a nd Game Manage me n t

H U N T E R E D U C A T I O N I N S O U T H A U S T R A L I AFGA is committed to hunter education and in September 2017, we delivered the Shotgunning Education Program (SEP) for a second time in South Australia .

Word of the valuable learnings from SEP must have spread through the Riverland because the number of participants more than doubled, with an equal mix of male and female participants .

Conditions at Renmark Berri’s ground were less than ideal, with steady winds touching 55 km/h and gusting to 83 km/h . It was a tough day to shoot but the participants eagerly stepped up to take a shot at difficult clay targets so the instructors could assess their technique and standard .

For Nathan Baxter, attending the SEP was about increasing his effectiveness in the field and he was surprised to discover his main issue wasn’t technique, it was a gun fit issue .

“My pellet count on the boards was so low it wasn’t even worth counting,” he said .

After a little field dressing involving some wetsuit material and cardboard to raise his position on the stock, Nathan’s results improved dramatically .

“I learnt quite a bit from the course but I was surprised with my shotgun not fitting me . I have hunted well with it but the padding has made a noticeable difference,” he said .

A visit to a gunsmith is next on his list .

Brad Gillespie said he chose to do SEP to learn about pattern testing and to work out his optimal kill zone .

“I was really interested in the pattern testing; my eyes are starting to age so judging distance is more difficult,”

he said .

“I have learnt that probably my maximum distance would be 30 m .”

After washing off the dust, the FGA team joined members from Renmark Berri,

Waikerie, Barmera Moorook and Keith branches for an informal

information-sharing session .

We have great people with enormous passion and knowledge

across our branch network and these events are a chance to learn from each

other .

FGA looks forward to delivering more hunter education in the future .


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W A T E R F O W L C O U N T S U M M A R YThe table below shows totals of the November 2017 and February 2018 waterfowl counts . Each November and February a small group of dedicated FGA volunteers head out to assess waterfowl populations and wetland health . A huge thank you goes out to all our volunteers for contributing to this important survey .

Species Gippsland North East North West Port Phillip South West Total

Mountain Duck 1,502 58 687 70,100 13,836 86,183

Broods 0 0 0 10 0 10

Pacific Black Duck 4,050 1,138 993 6,404 3,789 16,374

Broods 0 0 0 3 0 3

Grey Teal 24,445 2,672 41,151 30,300 24,439 123,007

Broods 2 0 27 5 2 36

Chestnut Teal 8,054 47 201 55,600 696 64,598

Broods 0 0 0 10 0 10

Australian Wood Duck 2,829 1,246 1,807 0 1,981 7,863

Broods 4 0 30 0 0 34

Pink-eared Duck 147 52 11,220 12,000 8,488 31,907

Broods 0 0 0 0 0 0

Hardhead 964 334 2,223 27,000 437 30,958

Broods 0 0 0 0 0 0

Blue-winged Shoveler* 463 31 410 350 424 1,678

Broods 0 0 0 0 0 0

Total Game 42,460 5,578 58,749 201,782 54,092 362,661

Freckled 29 0 100 4 18 151

Broods 0 0 0 0 0 0

Total Game & Protected 42,489 5,578 58,849 201,786 54,110 362,812

*Blue-winged Shovelers were taken off the list of game bird species for the 2018 Victorian Duck Season.

G A M E B I R D S U R V E Y S U M M A R Y 2 0 1 3 – 2 0 1 8This displays the FGA waterfowl count totals for game birds in the 2013–2018 period .

0

50000

100000

150000

200000

250000

201820172016201520142013


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P E S T A N D V E R M I N R E P O R T S U M M A R YThere’s been a marked increase in both reporting and numbers of pest animal species taken; however, the full extent of voluntary pest animal hunting performed by our branches and members is under-reported .

Benalla branch has returned to form with high numbers of pest animals removed across a range of species, and Geelong have spent over 1,000 hours travelling to hunt pest animals in regions where it’s most needed .

Branch

Species Taken Time in Hours

ExpensesTotal

Time and Expenses*Tr

avel

Hun

ting

Fox

Fera

l Cat

Rab

bit

Wild

Dog

Fera

l Pig

Fera

l Goa

t

Har

e

Oth

er

Benalla 198 0 19 8 22 0 36 250 136 2,400 $1,499 $39,539

Geelong 48 0 4 0 0 0 2 0 1,018 1,165 $4,820 $37,565

Rushworth 43 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 180 408 $100 $8,920

Sale 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 15 133 $250 $2,470

Shepparton 158 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 360 1,560 $4,000 $32,800

South Gippsland 32 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 96 342 $1,320 $7,890

Total 483 0 24 8 22 0 38 250 1,805 6,008 $11,989 $129,184

*Total Time and Expenses is calculated at $15 per hour for Travel and Hunting Time.

The Victorian Government’s fox bounty has continued to offer further incentive to pest animal hunters, with over 618,000 foxes and 2,675 wild dogs removed since the program began in 2011 .

This averages out to 98,413 foxes per year . Using volunteer hunters at critical times, in critical places, in conjunction with other management and control methods can deliver positive outcomes for primary producers and native wildlife .


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Simulated Fiel d

U P D A T I N G T H E R U L E B O O KIn late 2017, FGA undertook a long-overdue rule review for Australian Simulated Field and the development of a new rulebook, as the previous version had been issued in 2011 .

The 2018 rulebook has been completely restructured and mostly rewritten, with the aim of making the book easier to use, reference and understand . The content for much of the rules is still the same, but there have been some major changes, including:

� Changes to ground setting requirements to make it easier for branches to set compliant grounds .

� Veteran age shooters may elect to shoot their grade or in Veterans on the day of competition .

� Proof of membership requirements have been updated and clarified .

� Lines on jackets are no longer required and shooters of any grade or category may shoot gun up or gun down .

� Sighter targets may now only be shown for the first shooter in the squad . All sighter targets must be shown before the first shooter begins shooting .

� A minimum barrel length for firearms has been introduced and a maximum shot load for cartridges is being phased in .

� Valid shot sizes for ammunition have been defined .

� The process for conducting Shoot-offs has been clarified .

� A maximum score of 25 per round has been introduced for handicap scores, and ‘beginner’ handicaps are now calculated at the end of a shooter’s first event, not after their first round .

FGA would like to thank all branches and members who provided feedback, suggestions, and questions during the revision process .


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2 0 1 7 N A T I O N A L C A R N I V A LA plan was hatched 3 years ago to put on the biggest National Carnival ever and Wodonga Albury FGA rose to the logistical challenge of a new format . The concept was simple: six grounds and 150 targets to be shot once by each competitor over 2 days .

The biggest challenge was day one: getting 529 shooters through four grounds and 100 targets . The key was to keep the squads moving – that took a bunch of hard-working volunteers from Wodonga Albury, Cobram and Benalla to keep the traps full and delays from breakdowns short .

More volunteers toiled away organising the squads and doing the paperwork while a third wave kept the small army of competitors fed and watered . Wodonga Albury president Mark Reynolds said the members set a lofty goal and couldn’t have wished for more .

“It has been fantastic; everybody here who helped out, the whole support team, the committee, our friends from the Cobram and Benalla branches, you couldn’t have asked for a better event,” he said .

“Because we had six grounds you only shot every target once. It was a new concept embraced by Field & Game Australia and we were very proud to present the first one.”

Mark even found a positive in a couple of delays during the weekend when shooting paused because of an echidna and a goanna .

“It just shows how lightly we tread on our ground; we shoot a few targets, but it really is still pristine bush and a haven for wildlife,” he said .

John Younger walked away with his fourth FGA National Champion title in 2017, with Brooke Tangey taking out the Ladies Championship for the first time .

We’re looking forward to the 2018 National Carnival at Bairnsdale, and improving on an already solid new format for the biggest event in FGA’s simulated field calendar .


NATIONAL CHAMPION John Younger 140

AA GRADE1st Brenton Irons 1402nd Blake Nankervis 1393rd Brian Mortensen 138

A GRADE1st Ricky Crawford 1222nd Kennith Atkin 1223rd Anthony Pitt 120

B GRADE1st Alex Labib 1122nd William Murray 1113rd David Charles 106

C GRADE1st Andrew Portelli 1042nd Grant Middlemiss 1013rd Bill Moran 91

LADIES1st Brooke Tangey 1062nd April Thompson 1053rd Felicity Richardson 100

VETERANS1st Roger Kerslake 1222nd Alec Ceccato 1213rd Dominic Azzopardi 118

JUNIORS1st Billy Cain 1292nd Luke Willemsen 1283rd Mark Du Rose 128

SUB-JUNIORS1st Nicholas Brighenti 1092nd Brendon O’Brien 1083rd Benjamin Studham 107

NATIONAL HANDICAP1st Ben Kuschert2nd John Younger3rd Andrew Portelli4th Blake Nankervis5th Brian Mortensen6th Grant Middlemiss7th Brenton Irons8th Noah Bazzano9th Lee Berger10th Bill Zogogiannis11th Matthew Libbis12th Jack Gibbs13th Craig McNeil14th Mick Keirl15th Adam Du Rose16th Con Scalora17th Alex Labib18th Adam Bennett19th Billy Cain20th Jeremy Kent21st Wayne Lowan22nd William Murray23rd Liam Hill24th George Pilipasidis25th Scott McIntyre26th James Saliba27th Daniel Lillis28th Mark Du Rose29th Luke Willemsen30th Kennith Atkin

BRANCH TEAM EVENT1st ABZ Shooting Team: Frank Cefai, Brent Harbour, Emmanuel Attard, Andrew Portelli 2nd Bendigo Poachers: Andrew Campbell, Barry Eastwood, Mark Daley, Matt Davis 3rd Pinegrove: Adrian Orchard, Brook Nichol, Josh Simms, Molly Nicholson

JUNIOR TEAM EVENT1st The Future: Mark Du Rose, Billy Cain, Luke Willemsen2nd Shepp Young Guns: Xavier Russell, Harry Wilkie, Thomas Bilney3rd O’Fitzidean: Riley Fitzgibbon, Kiara Dean, Brendan O’Brien


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C L A Y T A R G E T P A R T I C I P A T I O NBranch Open Ladies Junior Sub Junior Veterans Participants Targets Total Targets

Bairnsdale 730 67 50 47 88 982 1,225 81,100 Ballarat 1,033 61 35 32 90 1,251 925 107,625 Balranald 122 13 7 7 12 161 400 16,100 Bar-Rook 476 45 33 14 33 601 300 45,075 Benalla 821 75 73 34 72 1,075 1,005 93,745 Bendigo 1,001 51 54 - 103 1,209 875 97,100 Canberra 437 34 9 - 29 509 1,200 50,900 Capricornia 176 22 14 - - 212 675 12,625 Casterton 290 5 38 - 52 385 575 32,550 Clunes 1,097 46 33 28 143 1,347 925 105,725 Cobram 591 24 29 22 34 700 930 61,035 Colac 1,132 49 29 34 55 1,299 950 105,525 Cranbourne 793 39 29 - 89 950 925 73,175 Deniliquin 360 36 20 13 29 458 1,000 41,100 Dorset 331 16 23 - - 370 1,121 34,875 Dunolly 110 2 2 8 33 155 300 9,150 Echuca-Moama 981 100 58 46 83 1,268 875 94,950 Frankston 797 39 34 4 75 949 975 76,875 Furneaux 337 4 53 - - 394 1,100 44,350 Geelong 728 29 24 2 74 857 825 64,275 Keith 89 2 7 - - 98 200 6,625 Kilmore 1,170 28 41 14 58 1,311 900 98,325 Kingston SE 245 24 1 9 35 314 450 23,550 Mallacoota 93 27 18 - 49 187 1,000 16,500 Melbourne 484 14 14 7 59 578 475 46,250 Metropolitan 813 10 36 13 63 935 800 74,450 Minyip 505 31 13 34 62 645 675 45,175 Moe 571 57 30 28 54 740 800 59,350 Mornington 401 29 25 - - 455 300 - Morwell 345 32 10 8 49 444 550 42,875 Natimuk 926 52 47 42 97 1,164 825 86,700 Northern Territory 221 19 7 8 - 255 350 14,925 Orbost 140 16 24 28 46 254 300 12,700 Pinegrove 923 73 57 41 88 1,182 950 93,900 Port Phillip 1,034 65 33 26 97 1,255 1,050 110,100 Renmark Berri 352 23 17 2 18 412 810 30,560 Sale 951 115 89 80 129 1,364 475 71,400 Seymour 1,042 52 62 38 80 1,274 725 106,300 Shepparton 301 16 165 82 17 581 430 32,750 South East 73 1 1 - 5 80 375 6,000 South Gippsland 42 2 3 - 4 51 50 2,550 Sunraysia 813 25 37 - 30 905 1,030 96,565 Swan Hill 416 26 25 32 29 528 635 34,165 Timboon 411 23 29 8 45 516 875 41,550 Traralgon 503 34 17 17 52 623 750 51,475 Wagga Wagga 482 31 26 - 5 544 928 42,281 Waikerie 212 17 23 - 23 275 710 19,880 Warrnambool 598 12 55 - 50 715 800 60,475 Westernport 644 49 33 - 75 801 975 75,150 Wodonga Albury 360 25 30 23 24 462 725 50,225 Totals 27,503 1,687 1,622 831 2,437 34,080 37,024 2,700,606

Unlisted branches either do not hold shoots, or have not returned their participation forms to the National Office.


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Milesto ne: 60 Ye ars of FGA

FGA celebrates its 60th Anniversary in 2018 . Dr Hugh Martin was one of the foundation members of the then Victorian Field & Game Association in 1958 and was the Association’s founding President . His original membership number was 15 - a far cry from the seven digits we use today .

One of the first actions the Victorian Field & Game Association took was to lobby the government of the time to introduce a Game Licence, with the monies raised from fees to be directed towards purchasing and conserving wetland habitats – a long-sighted view from concerned hunters . It was this foresight and consideration for the future that caused Victoria’s unique system of SGRs to be formed .

Today the handful of habitats that were initially earmarked for restoration and conservation has grown to 200, with the most recent SGR, at Kerang, declared in 2016 . Over the past 60 years, FGA has been a respected voice speaking up for wetland habitat conservation, hunting, and law-abiding firearm owners .

There’s much for FGA members to be proud of, and as we continue on into the next 60 years, it’s humbling to think back on the origins of FGA and Victoria’s SGRs .

Over 75,000 hectares of wetland habitats at 200 sites have been conserved, all starting with the Victorian Field & Game Association’s lobbying to bring in a £1 Game Licence to hunt in Victoria .

A N N U A LR E P O R T

Field & Game Australia 2017-18

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