Outback Rowing Bush Town Project

& Bush Boat Bank

What is a Bush Town Project?

The Outback Rowing Australia Bush Town Project is about giving people living outside our major cities the opportunity to get together, get on the water and build their own local rowing community.

You don't need an existing rowing club.

You don't need to own boats.

And you don't necessarily need to have rowed before.

What you do need is a group of like-minded people in your town who are prepared to give it a go.

Outback Rowing Australia helps provide the boats, equipment, training and support to get you started through our ORA Bush Boat Bank.

The idea is simple: we help incubate rowing in your town.

How does it work?

A town interested in becoming part of the program starts by getting a group of people together and contacting Outback Rowing Australia at hello@outbackrowing.com.

We'll work with you to look at where you can row, who is interested, what support you need and whether we can establish a 12-week Bush Town Project in your community.

Once everything is in place, boats from the ORA Bush Boat Bank are allocated to your town for approximately 12 weeks.

During that period, we'll help your group learn how to use the equipment, develop rowing skills and progressively train together.

The goal isn't just to teach individuals how to row.

We're trying to help your town develop the people, knowledge and confidence to create something that can continue beyond those first 12 weeks.

Why Rowing?

There's something particularly special about rowing in a small community.

It provides fitness and time outdoors, but there's also a very strong social element to it. You have to work together. Everyone in the boat contributes, and everyone has to learn to move together.

For people living and working in regional and rural communities, it can also provide a reason to step away from work and everyday pressures for a while, get out on the water and do something completely different.

We've seen rowing help new residents connect with their community, create friendships between people who might not otherwise have met and give towns another way of being active together.

That's really what the Bush Town Project is about.

It's not just putting a boat in a town. It's helping create a rowing community around it.

The Bush Boat Bank

The ORA Bush Boat Bank is a collection of rowing boats and equipment made possible through the support of businesses, sponsors, community organisations and local councils.

Rather than expecting a new rowing community to immediately find the money to purchase its own fleet, Outback Rowing Australia can provide access to equipment while the town establishes itself.

This removes one of the biggest barriers to starting rowing in regional Australia.

Access to the Bush Boat Bank is available to eligible regional communities participating in Outback Rowing Australia programs. Everyone using the equipment must be a current Outback Rowing Australia member and meet the participation requirements of the program.

The 12-week challenge

We like our Bush Town Projects to have something to work towards.

For many towns, that's the Outback Rowing Regatta at the end of September.

Over approximately 12 weeks, your group goes from learning how to row and working together as a crew to having the opportunity to represent your town at the Outback Regatta.

It's a goal, a challenge and a pretty good excuse to get a group of people together a few times a week.

Your town can also seek local sponsorship and fundraising support to help cover the cost of participating in the Regatta.

Local businesses are often keen to get behind a town crew, particularly when the project is bringing people together, encouraging physical activity and representing the community at an Outback event.

What does our town sponsorship pay for?

Money raised by your Bush Town Project is held to support your group's participation in the Outback Rowing Regatta.

This can be used towards the cost of the events your town enters and other agreed participation costs associated with getting your team to the Regatta.

Your individual Outback Rowing Australia membership is separate and remains the responsibility of each rower.

Our town has raised money – what do we do now?

If you're part of a Bush Town Project and your town has raised sponsorship or fundraising money, you still need to enter the Regatta events you want to participate in.

Choose the events you and your crew would like to enter and complete your registrations.

Your town's sponsorship funds can then be applied towards the cost of your participation.

Outback Rowing Regatta entries:

https://www.outbackrowing.com/events/349757

Don't wait for Outback Rowing Australia to enter your crew for you. Choose your events and get your entries in.

If you're unsure which events are suitable for your crew, get in touch and we'll help you work it out.

Want to start a Bush Town Project?

If you're sitting in a regional town thinking, we've got some water, we've got some people and we'd love to give this a go— that's enough to start the conversation.

Get a few interested people together and contact:

hello@outbackrowing.com

We'll talk you through what's involved, the availability of boats through the Bush Boat Bank, membership, training, local support and how you could build towards the Outback Rowing Regatta.

You don't have to start a fully formed rowing club.

Start with some people. We'll help with the rowing.

One Club. Many Locations. One Rowing Community.