Quite simply the 2006 ANSA Q State Wide Conference was a great success.

Changing the venue to the Cool Waters facility provided an opportunity for ANSA Q members & their families to enjoy its many features. What’s more, quite few people ( juniors included) put their boats in at the adjacent Causeway Lake & cast the odd lure around. Significantly this waterway has had more Mangrove Jack tagged & released in it than any other local area in Central Queensland.

Increased club representation from delegates & participants alike , not only enjoyed the hospitality of the hosting Keppel Bay Sport Fishing Club but took a lot out of the guest speaker’s presentations. Alf Hogan, the Ron Dempster Award recipient for 2006, is a talented communicator who had everyone either in fits of laughter or totally engrossed in his presentation on “biodiversity” or rather new species of fish found in the Gulf.

The citation for the Ron Dempster Award provided by the Mondora’s , along with input from close friends within ANSA & the DPI/F was fitting to say the least . Truly a well-respected & worthy recipient of this prestigious award. Fittingly the photographs of some of Alf’s field exploits were displayed on the new projector screen & laptop PC that was purchased by the state executive from the successful state gambling fund application.

The Gladstone Area Water Board kindly added to the occasion by providing the marquee, which this presentation was delivered. The GAWB via the local Gladstone Hatchery supplied two Barra for the display in the Boyne Tannum Hook-Up display fish tank. Thanks also went to Bill Sawynok / John Platten via CAPREEF to setting up the BRUV (underwater video camera & mounting assembly) in this display tank. It was great to see all the movements of these Barra on the adjacent TV monitor.

Probably one of the big positives delivered by this conference was the field workshop on the Friday where all attendees enjoyed the bus tour of the recently installed fish ways on Raglan Creek . Ok …the bus unfortunately got dry “bogged” in a rather deep culvert on Old Epala Road & had to be pulled out by Peter Stoneley’s patrol. The planned fishing program in the Raglan system & adjacent nursery areas worked a treat, thanks to the efforts of members of the Gladstone Sport Fishing Club. Only three Barra were tagged & released but when water temperature was taken into consideration this was a more than reasonable outcome. All participants thoroughly enjoyed the day more so just from the participation aspect. It provided the opportunity to enjoy what ANSA is all about…. camaraderie , sharing & learning along the way.

The theme of the conference was Building Relationships & Knowledge through Participation…….everyone at the conference shared in this experience and had something “to take home” in this regard.