Joining a Club

The 4WD Club Network

A quick glance at one or two of the 4WD chat sites on the Internet, or simply perusing some of the 4WD press, and you soon come to the conclusion that most of the general four wheel driving public have little or no concept of the structure and function of the organised 4WD Club movement. Even some club members, particularly the newer ones, often struggle to come to grips with what we're about. So here's the way it is - from local club to National Council - an organisation of over 10000 family memberships.

Most 4WD Clubs start from humble beginnings. A few friends who enjoy the outdoors and each other's company holiday together in more remote and natural areas decide to become a more formal group so they can share resources and experience. They start to notice that access to their favourite areas is becoming more and more restricted and realise that they need to join others in the struggle to prevent track closures.

The pooled strength of 4WD Clubs in each Australian State and Territory is the 4WD Association, now becoming more commonly known as Four Wheel Drive Queensland etc. These Associations are no more or less than bodies of elected 4WD Club members, all volunteers, working with one goal - to maintain and regain access to Australia's 4WD track network and remote destinations. Association committees typically work many evening and weekend hours on Association commitments. They are comprised entirely of 4WD Club members who have been nominated and elected to State committees by their peers. They are not, as one chat site chump would have you believe, "highly paid fat cats with secretaries and company cars". Far from it - none are paid and most wouldn't even claim expenses.

While clubs focus primarily on member activities, including 4WD trips and social activities, with many providing driver training, the focus of State and Territory bodies is clearly on maintaining and regaining environmentally sustainable access to Australia's diminishing network of 4WD tracks and remote destinations. They do this by lobbying government and negotiating with land management agencies, promoting driver training and the positive aspects of recreational four wheel driving and remote camping. Add to this the field work required to support written submissions to park and forest management plans and related legislation and regulations.

Then there's the business side of running a State organising body. Most Associations work to raise income outside their membership base to keep affiliation fees down and expand membership. Good communication with clubs also is vital if State bodies are to identify and respond to club member's needs and if clubs are to provide the support needed for the State body to be effective.

Every State 4WD Association has a member on the executive of the Australian National Four Wheel Drive Council, the national organisation with seven executive members and several appointed support officers, again all voluntary. The Council works to improve cooperation and communication between State and Territory bodies so that successful strategies are shared and mistakes not repeated. There is also a National public liability scheme, supported by a 4WD vehicle and equipment insurance policy written by the council for its membership.

The ANFWDC has also produced, through its member Associations, the only Nationally Recognised 4WD Training documents and distributes these to training providers across the country.

So if you're in a 4WD Club, don't ask what it can do for you, get involved - or you just might find that special place you go four wheel driving has disappeared. If you're not in a club ask yourself why not.

The above article appeared in 4x4 Australia in October 2003. You are welcome to reproduce the article in full with source acknowledgment as ANFWDC.

Ian Lacey, PR, ANFWDC, July 2003