About Archery Australia

History 

The sport of archery was introduced to Australia by European settlers in the 18th and 19th Centuries and is known to have been a flourishing social and competition activity during the mid-1800s. From records held at the Australian National Library, officers of the First Fleet practised archery at Sydney Cove in 1789, making archery the oldest organised sport practised in Australia.  

In the late 1930s, a leading archer in Western Australia, Dudley Preston, proposed organised archery Australia-wide. After the Second World War, his proposal came to fruition at a conference of State delegates held in Sydney on 17-18 January, 1948 where the first major item on the agenda was the motion that: 

“The Archery Association of Australia be and is hereby formed.” 

This motion was carried and therefore has been regarded as the official date of birth of the Association. The meeting went on to consider matters of national and international associations and competitions, including a resolution to affiliate with World Archery (FITA), the international archery federation. 

The first Annual General Meeting of the Association was held in Sydney on the same weekend as the first National Championships over 3,4 & 5 October 1948. 

Australia first entered international competition at the FITA World Target Championships in 1965 and its first international medals were won by Graeme Telford and Hans Wright OAM in 1969 (Bronze Medals in the Target and Field Championships respectively). 

Australia has been represented at each Olympic Games since Archery re-entered the Olympics in Munich in 1972. At the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games Simon Fairweather OAM won the Gold Medal and at the 2004 Athens Olympic Games Tim Cuddihy won the Bronze Medal. 

In 1977, Australia hosted the 29th FITA Target World Championships in Canberra and in Adelaide in 1987at the 34th FITA World Target Championships.  

In Adelaide, the Grand FITA event was introduced, which was the first attempt at a progressive elimination competition and the forerunner of the current Matchplay event conducted at World Championships and Olympic Games. In 2002, the FITA Field Championships came to Australia, hosted by Canberra Archery Club. 

In 1993, the Archery Association of Australia changed its name to Archery Australia Inc.  

At that time, the Association was governed by a Board comprising eight societies (Archery Society of NSW, Archery ACT, Archery Victoria, Archery Society of Tasmania, ARCHERY South Australia, Archery Society of Western Australia, North Queensland Archery Association and the South Queensland Archery Society). The day-to-day affairs of the Association were managed by an Executive Committee. 

In 2001, the Board dramatically changed the structure of Archery Australia. The Constitution was amended, allowing an independent board comprising of up to four elected and three appointed, Board Members. The day-to-day affairs of the Association are managed by a full-time Chief Executive Officer and National Office. 

Annually, Archery Australia conducts National Championships (Target, Field and Clout), Youth National Championships (Target, Field, Matchplay and Clout), Australian Open Championships (Matchplay & Field) and Indoor National Championships. The sport also caters for a wide variety of disciplines and equipment styles during National Championships. 

What Is Archery Australia? 

Archery Australia is a not-for-profit community and membership-based organisation recognised by government at all levels as the National controlling body for the sport of archery in Australia. It is recognised by World Archery as the national federation for archery in Australia. 

Archery Australia comprises of the Archery Australia Boards and head office, State-based Recognised Governing Bodies (RGBs) and local Clubs. The National level of the sport provides standardised rules and regulations, policies and procedures, awards and classifications while delivering open and fair events and equity, as well as participation at all levels of the sport. The National level also represents the interests of its members to government, other sporting organisations and the international archery federation (World Archery). 

Archery Australia, as well as Recognised Governing Bodies and Clubs, are committed to the development and growth of the sport in all disciplines as a sport for all, for life.  

Archery Australia is committed to the provision of the highest standard of instruction, coaching, officiating and sports management for all levels of the sport; Youth, Senior, Master, Veteran and elite levels. 

How is Archery Australia Funded? 

Archery Australia is funded from individual membership subscriptions, paid annually and successful grant funding. These funds are used to manage the day-to-day operation of the sport. With that income, the sport can operate and archery and the interests of its members can be represented to government and the sporting industry. 

The High Performance Program is partly funded from annual subscriptions, although the majority of funding comes from the sponsorship of the Australian Sports Commission.