Committee 2022/2023

The President, Vice President, Treasurer and Secretary are, under the Club’s Constitution, statutory office bearers of the River Canoe Club of NSW and sit on the Executive and Club Committees. Members of the Executive Committee, together with the Public Officer, are eligible to be authorised signatories for Club bank accounts, correspondence, etc

Gary Strachan
Vice President

I am fairly new to paddling, and I can’t believe I didn’t find it earlier. I am very keen to talk to anyone about my new found passion and have people join me!

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Kevin Songberg
Whitewater

Kevin has paddled in a few slaloms and done many whitewater river trips over recent years plus some sea kayak adventures. He plans to help lift the club’s paddling skills and increase the number of people giving paddling guidance. With more skilled and experienced people our club will be able to do an even greater range of fun trips.

Scott Brunero
Boat Captain

I am new to kayaking, starting mid 2020, after five years of ice skating! enjoying it so far. I have been on a lot of the club trips, and a regular on the cook’s river. As the newly appointed ‘Boat Captain’ I am hoping to keep the clubs fleet of kayaks in good shape for everyone to enjoy, see you on the river.

Robert Walker
Safety and Training
JP Collins
Webmaster/Digital Communications
Vacant positions - come join us 🙂

The club's committee has space for a few more people. Roles up for grabs:

  • Memberships.
  • Social
  • Secretary

if interested in joining the committee,  just let us know.

Cath Snelgrove
Club Co-Sectretary
Bridget Cleaver
Environment and Community Partnerships

I coordinate “the Mullets”,  a bunch of eco warriors who regularly clean the river by kayak and canoe. I also belong to Paddle NSW’s Environment group who are focused on empowering the NSW paddling community to care for and improve our environment.

Darby Carr
General member (Community Partnerships)
New to kayaking and to the club. Love it to pieces and wish I'd found it years ago.   I'm a proud local who is impressed with the clubs commitment to all things paddling, community,  environment, diversity, and fun.  Passionate about education, food, and a ton of other things.  I'm very keen as a local to help build partnerships and to help create some great events - get that BBQ up and running with some great social activities. 
Jenny Saleeba
General member (+ Club Accounts)

Jenny reactivated her latent kayaking skills a few years ago when she joined the club, expanding on her past attempts at easier white water and river touring by learning to turn ridiculously long sea kayaks. She seeks to find peace with the tension point between tracking and manoeuvring

Simon Wilkes
President

Simon has been paddling for 20 years and loves to share his skills with all comers. With some whitewater, sea kayaking, canoeing and the occasional race, it's the diverse range of paddling activities and the club community that he really enjoys. 

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Russel Miller
Treasurer

Russel made some poor life choices and became an accountant. He also loves paddling and was an intrepid traveller in a past life, having visited over 100 countries. Being a Cooks River local (yuck - it smells!), Russel is a big fan of the clubs' tireless environmental efforts on the River as well as the clubs dual mission to encourage new people into paddling and to challenge experienced paddlers with new adventures.

Russel has his own accounting practice, www.resultsmatterbp.com.au

Elected Office Bearers

If you’re looking for minutes from committee meetings agenda & minutes, please click here
Please contact our friendly co-secretaries (secretary.rivercanoeclub@gmail.com) if you would like to add an idea to the agenda of any upcoming committee meeting.

(any issues with access? Please contact our friendly co-secretaries for assistance secretary.rivercanoeclub@gmail.com)

Why get involved and nominate for a Committee position?

  1. So you know what’s happening across all paddling and club opportunities.
  2. To set the direction and priorities for the club. It’s your club.. let’s have some fun adventures.
  3. To spend money on paddling gear! That’s always fun…new paddling gear.
  4. To make a real difference there are many easy wins along the way.
  5. It’s great for for your career… learn new skills, meet great people, develop your leadership capabilities
  6. It’s great for your networking... you’ll get to meet all many of interesting people, from all over NSW
  7. It’s great for your mental health.
  8. To make sure the club is still around for many years to come !
  9. To enjoy wine and cheese an essential ingredient for the monthly committee meetings! (also the option to dial in in from home..)
  10. Complementary boat storage – if you’re actively paddling with the club, boat storage is free (normally $150/year)
  11. All of the above.. 🙂

What’s the focus for of each committee position?

Exec Roles:

  • President                               Lead the direction and priorities for the club, setting up the club for the future.  
  • Vice Pres                                Work with the committee on exciting club projects and initiatives, helping steer the direction of the club.
  • Treasurer                               Steer the financial direction for the club and keeping us financially afloat while buying lots of paddling gear.
  • Secretary                               Keep the committee and club on track – with minutes, agendas and occasional paperwork.  

Other roles:

  • Memberships                        Ensure new and existing members feel part of the club, and keep member databases up to date. 
  • Volunteer coordinator        Manage our ‘to-do’ list and encourage members to help tick things off. A form of ‘match-making’.
  • Webmaster                            Maintain and develop our online presence, so new and existing members have access to useful information.
  • Splash!                                   Collate fun and interesting articles for our regular e-newsletter.                         
  • Accountant                            Have fun with numbers, pay for things and keep our books up to date.
  • Whitewater coordinator     Be a point of contact for whitewater activities, encourage members to organise trips/paddles across the year. 
  • Flatwater coordinator         Be a point of contact for flatwater activities, encourage members to organise trips/paddles across the year           
  • Openwater coordinator      Be a point of contact for openwater activities, encourage members to organise trips/paddles across the year
  • Education and community Build partnerships with other organisations, to create win-win opportunities and outcomes. 
  • House                                      Manage our club house and make it our home off the water. Oversee upgrade projects like a new roof!
  • Boat Captain                         Maintain our fleet of boats and buy new gear so we can all keep doing what we love.
  • Safety and training              Keep building a strong safety culture in the club. Look for training gaps and opportunities.
  • Social coordinator               Organise social events for on and off the water.
  • Grants coordinator              Look for grants and arrange for applications to be submitted – there are lots of people who want to give us money!
  • General                                           Be on the committee and start to get involved, as suits.