Macster said..
We ran the numbers on turning a Facebook group into a formal club so that we could hold proper events, ride days etc.
Essentially just to break even we'd have to charge members $20 per event just to kite at the same spot they can kite at fir free on their own.
Australia has gone too far with its red tape and suing. Council permits, 3rd party liability insurances, qualified first aiders, life guards, rescue boats etc.
Then there's all the other ATO crap you have to do for registering a club, setting up directors, protecting assets.
It's not for the faint hearted.
As they say, If you looking for reasons to not make to make the effort, that's easy and it not hard to find them! Its a fair bit of work, but worth while, and is done by every other sport.
Council permits; FYI as a club this gets done differently. Sailing clubs dont ask for permits, they get them done though your local YA.
Support boat/first aid etc; if something happens, how would you deal with this? just wing it??
You dont need life guards, just first aiders
3rd party insurance for events; if something happens and you personally get sued, can you afford to pay them their wage for the rest of their life? KA insurance for clubs covers this so what is the issue? why would you not want to protect yourself and the people that are volunteering at your event?
ATO .... unless you planning on doing over 75k a year through the books, just run it like a school yard tuck shop, keep some basic books and you dont even need a yearly audit.
The websites for clubs, even help do most of the house keeping, memberships, events regos etc, meetings, finances.
checkout Tidyclubs or if you affiliating with YA as well they they have fox sport their new system. these both cost under 250/year for the whole thing.
Check out our one www.pkr.club
Red tape is there for good reason, so that wing nuts dont put people at risk. Charging people to join a club and attend events is common to every sport, there is no such thing as a free lunch.
If a kiters don't want to join a club, or join an event. That is their choice. But if they do want to, its fair that they would be charged a fee. At least give them that choice too.... and let them make up their own mind.