Western Australia’s innovative outdoor experiences secure funding

Funding from the Western Australian Government will provide 15 local community organisations the opportunity to deliver an array of innovative outdoor recreation activities throughout 2025 and 2026.

The Outdoor Active Recreation Participation Program will deliver almost half a million dollars to support a variety of groups in achieving innovation in delivering accessible, inclusive and diverse outdoor experiences.

Administered by the Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries, the latest round of grants includes funding for projects supporting surfing for neurodiverse people, learn to sail programs for people with disability, and initiatives centred on hiking, mountain bike riding, high ropes courses and promoting nature play.

The 15 supported projects will provide exciting opportunities for more Western Australians to participate in recreational activities.

The recipients of the 2024-25 Outdoor Active Recreation Participation Program are:

• ATLAS - $28,770 for ATLAS Outdoor Recreation;

• Australian Deaf Sports Federation - $25,000 for Opportunity Outdoors for Young Deaf and Hard of Hearing Western Australians;

• Denmark Environment Centre Inc - $23,610 for Living Landscapes: Explore, Engage and Experience Denmark;

• HikeWest Inc - $49,180 for All Abilities Hiking Program;

• Kids Camps Inc (TA Cahoots) - $45,575 for Cahoots Day Adventure;

• Mandurah Tourism Inc (TA Visit Mandurah) - $37,218 for Paddle-trails to Nature;

• Nature Play WA - $37,200 for Nature Play in the Park;

• Ocean Heroes - $18,000 for Staff and Volunteer Training/Development;

• Rockingham Swimming Club Inc - $36,318 for Empowered Youth Swimming: From Pool to Ocean Swim Program;

• Royal Perth Yacht Club of WA - $49,500 for RPYC Sail and Foil WA;

• Sikh Association of WA Inc - $30,000 for Ride, Paddle and Connect: Exploring Sikh Heritage and Indigenous Traditions;

• Shire of Donnybrook-Balingup - $13,750 for Bike Rescue;

• Sailability WA Inc - $14,148 for Learn to Sail & Volunteer Training Programs;

• Trigg Island Surf Life Saving Club - $36,160 for Run, Row, Ride!; and

• WestCycle Inc - $49,000 for Women on Wheels - Mountain Biking.

WA Sport and Recreation Minister David Templeman noted "we are so lucky to live where we do with our weather and natural landscapes. These grants give Western Australians exciting and meaningful opportunities to become involved in outdoor activities, including many that may normally have been unavailable to them.

"The diversity and inclusivity of the opportunities are amazing and the organisations developing them are to be congratulated.

"The beauty of these projects is they so much more than opportunities to be involved in outdoor recreation. The activities promote healthy habits and can also teach fun, lasting life lessons in leadership, problem-solving and resilience.

"The Outdoor Active Recreation Participation Program continues to deliver life-changing outcomes to many Western Australians."

For more information on the Outdoor Active Recreation Participation Program

Image. Credit: HikeWest