The review of the Australian Adventure Activity Standards (AAAS) and Good Practice Guides (GPGs) represents a significant step forward in establishing rigorous, empirically supported, and broadly consultative frameworks for outdoor adventure activities that are led by outdoor guides or facilitators in Australia.
Initiated in response to the evolving demands of regulatory bodies, insurers, and other stakeholders, this review aims to connect a wider group of stakeholders to ensure robust guidelines that meet the evolving industry expectations.
The new methodology adopted for the 2025–26 review cycle emphasizes a mixed-methods empirical research approach and extensive stakeholder engagement. This strategic shift is critical for ensuring that the standards are not only defensible and valid but also practical and applicable across diverse contexts, thus enhancing safety and inclusivity in outdoor adventure activities.
AAAS DRAFT 2026
IS NOW AVAILABLE
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Download the Drafts
Review the content and any changes that may impact your operations
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Provide comment
If you have any concerns or compliments please go into the survey section and provide your content before 31 JULY 2026
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FINAL AAAS will be released in September
OCA will be attending NOEC 2026 in September to help with questions
Frequently Asked Questions
I have comments about the DRAFTS, how do I send them?
The review portal provides an easy to use form that you can point to specific areas in the documents. You can access this url from www.outdoorcouncilaustralia.com/AAASReviewRelease
Can I send an email?
We would prefer you to use the system we have set up to ensure all comments are collected and able to be reviewed with ease.
What has changed?
Webinars are being hosted by states throughout July that highlight the changes to the documents. Anyone can join any webinar, and have been provided at various times to suit availability by the industry.
What hasn't been included in this review?
There are a few documents that have not been included in this review, these include the following and why:
- Snow Guidance Note - this will have further consultation to provide a Best Practice Guide before the Snow season of 2027.
- Slacklining Good Practice Guide - a proposed document has been supplied for consideration. This will be reviewed against the AAAS framework after completion of this process.
- There has been many requests about 'nature play / outdoor play' guidance, again this will be reviewed against the AAA framework after completion of this process.
Who's Involved?
Lori Modde
Chair, Outdoor Council of Australia
Lori Modde is the Chair of Outdoor Council of Australia and will lead the AAAS Advisory Board in the AAAS Review. Through a rigorous recruitment process, Oreas Group was awarded the contract with Dr David Marsden being the Project Lead.
Dr. David Marsden is a Director at The OREAS Group, which includes Journey 4 Good, Travel 4 Good, and OREAS Consulting. He has amassed over 30 years of expertise in the field, distinguishing himself as a leader in education, experiential learning, and adventure education.
His extensive career covers roles as an educator, academic, consultant, outdoor leader, SME and executive. Notably, he served as the Executive Director of The Outdoor Education Group, where he introduced 35,000 young Australians annually to the natural world. Dr. Marsden is a fervent advocate for environmental stewardship and outdoor safety, and his contributions extend to chairing the Adventure Activities Standards nationalisation project in 2016-18 and engaging in global initiatives that enhance outdoor leadership and recreation.
Dr David Marsden
Project Lead
Who has been involved in the process to date?
5 Star Training & Consulting |
Eltham High School |
Scotch Oakburn College |
Absolute Outdoors |
Emu Gully Adventure Education Group |
Scouts Australia |
Action Learning Initiatives |
Engender Equality |
Scouts NSW |
Active Education Australia |
Federation University |
Scouts Queensland |
Adelaide University |
Flinders University |
Scouts SA |
Adventure Guides Australia |
Fredericks Corp Pty Ltd |
Scouts Victoria |
Adventure Plus |
Girl Guides Australia |
Scouts WA |
Adventure Training Consultants |
Glenworth Valley |
Sea Kayak Australia |
Adventures Beyond Group |
Go Ride A Wave |
SAREA |
Alinta |
Great Southern Grammar |
Silverband Lodge |
Anglican Youthworks |
Greater Sydney Parklands |
SkillsIQ |
Australian Camps Association |
Heritage Hikes Australia |
Snow Resorts Australia |
Australian Navy Cadets |
Helena College |
South Metropolitan TAFE |
Australian Slacklining Association |
HikeWest |
Southbound Adventures |
Australian Speleological Federation |
Human Nature Adventure Therapy |
Southern Cross Kayaking |
AusCycling |
Immanuel College |
Southern Hills Christian College |
Baptist Camping Victoria |
Intrepid Management Services |
St Andrew’s Anglican College |
Baptist Care |
Jarrahfall Bush Camp |
St Andrew’s Cathedral School |
Barker College |
Jelajah Outdoor |
St Joseph’s College |
Bayview Adventure Camp |
Jervis Bay Kayaks and Paddlesports |
St Mark’s ACS |
Bedford Group |
Kiama Community College |
St Michael’s Grammar |
Beyond the Classroom SA |
Klepper Training Academy |
St Andrews International School Thailand |
Bibbulmun Track Foundation |
Knox Grammar School |
St Peter’s College |
Bindaree Outdoor Education |
Kokoda Youth Foundation |
St Philip’s College |
Birdwings Forest School |
Kosciuszko Thredbo |
Swan Valley Adventure Centre |
Blue Mountains Climbing School |
Leaders In The Wild |
TAFE NSW |
Blue Mountains Grammar School |
Little Planet |
TAFE SA |
Break the Boundary Inc |
MACS |
Tait’s Wongabel Stables |
Brisbane Boys’ College |
Margaret River Busselton Tourism Association |
The Capricorn Caves |
Brisbane Girls Grammar School |
Melbourne Grammar School |
The Collaroy Centre |
Brisbane Grammar School |
Meridian Kayak |
The Experiences Project |
Burgmann Anglican School |
Morph Outdoors Sdn. Bhd. |
The Grange |
Bush Kindy Australia |
Mulga Bicycle Tours |
The Heights School |
Bushsafe |
NatCORR |
The Lands Edge Foundation |
Bushwalking Australia |
National Parks South Australia |
The Northern Outlook |
Bushwalking Victoria |
NBONSA |
The Outdoor Education Group |
Camp Clayton |
Nord Anglia Education |
The Outlook |
Camp Manyung |
NSW Department of Education |
The School for Student Leadership |
Camp Somerset |
NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service |
The Tops Conference Centre |
Canberra Grammar School |
NSW Office of Sport |
The Urban Challenge |
Cancer Council NSW |
Oasis Camp Inc |
The Wilderness Group |
Capes Foundation |
Otech Consultants |
Tinaroo Environmental Education Centre |
Carey Baptist College, Forrestdale |
Out Doors Inc |
Tingira Adventures |
Caulfield Grammar School |
Outdoor Education Australia |
TOEEC |
Cave Hill Creek |
Outdoor Educators’ Association of South Australia |
Trail Running Association of Queensland |
CCC Camps |
Outdoor Enterprises A/NZ |
Treetops Adventure Australia |
Children and Youth Uganda |
Outdoor Health Australia |
Trinity Anglican School Cairns |
Climbers Association of Western Australia |
Outdoors Queensland |
Trinity Grammar School |
Coefficient |
Outdoors NSW & ACT |
Trinity Grammar School Field Studies Centre |
Coreplayers Pty Ltd |
Outdoors Victoria |
UCSSC Lake Ginninderra |
CRU |
Outdoors WA |
Uniting Venues SA |
CYC – Blue Lagoon |
Outward Bound Australia |
University of South Australia |
CYC Adventures |
Paddle Australia |
University of Tasmania |
CYC Ltd |
Paddle Tasmania Inc |
University of the Sunshine Coast |
CYCSA |
Parks and Wildlife Tasmania |
Valley Outdoors |
Cycle Canberra |
PGL Adventure Camps |
Victoria University |
Dare Adventures |
PLC Perth |
Walking SA |
Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions |
PNL 4WDriving |
Water by Nature |
Department of Education |
Prince Alfred College – Scotts Creek Outdoor Centre |
Wesley College |
Department of Environment, Tourism, Science and Innovation |
Queensland Department of Sport, Racing, Olympic and Paralympic Games |
Wesley Mission |
Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries |
Queensland Department of Tourism, Innovation and Sport |
Westminster School |
Department of Tourism and Hospitality |
RDA (NSW) |
Wieland Adventures |
Destination NSW |
Redlands School |
Women’s Adventure ACT |
Disability Voices Tasmania |
Regents School |
Wodonga TAFE |
DOXA Youth Foundation |
Risk Resolve |
YMCA NSW – Camp Yarramundi |
DPIRD |
Rockwire Mt Buller Pty Ltd |
YMCA Queensland – Camp Warrawee |
Duke of Edinburgh |
Rubicon Outdoor School |
YMCA Victoria |
Earthside Explorers |
Sail Ningaloo |
Yarra Valley Grammar |
East Coast Kayaking |
Samford Valley Steiner School |
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Educated By Nature |
Samson Creek |
Who is in the Expert Advisory Pool for this project?
Allan Riches |
Devon Greetham |
Liz Horne |
Peter Gould |
Angela Brown |
Dom Courtney |
Liz King |
Peter Guest |
Ashton Williams |
Dwight Hulme |
Luke Talbot-Male |
Peter Robinson |
Belinda Dalziel |
Gabrielle Darroch |
Lyle Dahms |
Phil Harrison |
Ben Niblett |
Geoff McCaul |
Marcus Morse |
Rohan Klopfer |
Ben Trewren |
Graham Sharpe |
Mark Geoffrey |
Samuel Tilley |
Bob Edwards |
Guy Drake |
Mark Thurgood |
Scott Polley |
Cearna (CC) McKenzie |
Hayden Goldstraw |
Mary King |
Sheila Tait |
Chris Sontag |
Hugh Sutherland |
Mary-Anne Stacey |
Stuart Matheson |
Christopher Wallace |
Hugh Ward |
Mike Thomas |
Tammy Scott |
Craig Kappes |
James Collins |
Nathan Brown |
Tara Ray |
Craig Meinicke |
Judith Storry |
Nicholas Glover |
Tim Entwistle |
Darren Robertson |
Julie Engelhardt |
Nicky Hanson |
Tom Walter |
David Chitty |
Justin Farrell |
Nina Arnott |
Tyson Schmidt |
David Marsden |
Kim Loane |
Nina Birss |
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David Mason |
Libby (Elizabeth) Buttress |
Paul Mackrell |
Who is on the Safety & Risk Advisory Panel for this project?
Ben Knowles |
Gabrielle Darroch |
Bob Edwards |
Murray Tucker |
Dr Clare Dallat |
Nicky Hanson |
Dr Matthew Cox |
Prof. David Eager |
Dwight Hulme |
Richard Thornton |
Ellie Hargrave |
Who is on the Diversity & Inclusion Panel for this project?
Andrew Gooday |
Nick Payne |
Ben Knowles |
Pei Ting Tham |
Dwight Hume |
Travis Saunders |
Ginny Mitchell |
Yvette Elington |
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