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The Outdoor Council of Australia (OCA) has welcomed the appointment of Dr David Marsden as the Project Lead for the much-anticipated review of the Australian Adventure Activity Standards (AAAS) and Good Practice Guides (GPG).

The commencement of Dr Marsden’s contract marks the start of the review period to ensure that the industry guidelines are keeping up with expected practice in the outdoor industry.

Dr Marsden, a respected leader in the outdoor and adventure industry, brings extensive experience in standards development, stakeholder engagement, and safety practices. In this role, he will oversee a comprehensive consultation with industry that will update any components of the AAAS and GPG that are needed to ensure they reflect current safety, environmental, and industry best practices.

Beginning his tenure in March 2025, he will lead a wide-reaching industry consultation, engaging outdoor recreation, education, and tourism stakeholders across Australia.

His work will focus on:

• Liaising with industry on their thoughts on the current AAAS and GPGs;
• Establishing expert review groups to refine updates based on industry knowledge and experience;
• Provide recommendations for changes to the existing AAAS and GPGs;
• Extensive Stakeholder engagement to ensure the proposed updates to the standards reflect industry needs; and
• Ensuring inclusivity, accessibility, and applicability across a broad range of adventure activities.

Welcoming the commencement of the review, Neil Le Febvre, Chair of the OCA, stated "the Outdoor Council of Australia is committed to ensuring adventure activity standards remain practical, relevant, and aligned with industry needs.

 "Dr. Marsden’s expertise and leadership will be invaluable in guiding this process, fostering industry collaboration, and enhancing safety and best practices across the sector."

The timing of this review parallels the important Outdoor Leadership Qualifications review as the two tools support each other in providing a professional, safe, sustainable industry for the future.

The project is expected to be completed by June 2026, with the revised standards set to provide a strong foundation for the future of adventure-based activities in Australia.

Image credit: Rockwire at Mt Buller.

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