Australian Anglers Association (AAA) president Bob Smith predicts the national championships to start in Harrington this week will pump more than $2 million into the local economy.
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The championships will begin with the opening ceremony at Club Harrington at 4pm this Friday, June 22.
There’ll be teams from NSW, Queensland, Western Australia, South Australia, Victoria and New Zealand fishing in the beach and rock, off-shore and estuary sections, while there’ll also be a casting competition run at Port Macquarie.
“NSW will naturally have the biggest contingent but we’ll have 35 competitors from Queensland, 10 from WA, 20 from South Australia, 15 from Victoria and we’re expecting eight from New Zealand,’’ Mr Smith said.
“We’ll have 150 people here counting the competitors and family members.
“Some of them have already been here for two weeks and others will stay for a week after it’s over. All the accommodation in the Harrington area has been booked out.’’
Individual entries have also been received from affiliated fishing clubs. Mr Smith said there’ll be a handful of locals involved.
Mr Smith lives in Harrington. “So I thought Harrington would be a good choice at the venue,’’ he said.
The championships are held every two or three years, with each state taking a turn. Port Macquarie has been a venue in the past, although this is the first time the event will be held at Harrington.
We have excellent facilities here. The off-shore section will be held at Crowdy while the Manning River has a great estuary.
- AAA president Bob Smith of Harrington
“We have excellent facilities here,’’ Mr Smith explained.
“The off-shore section will be held at Crowdy while the Manning River has a great estuary.”
He said the boundaries for the beach and rock section will stretch from Dunbogan near Laurieton to Seven Mile Beach at Forster.
“If they can’t find a fish in that area they should give it away,’’ Mr Smith laughed.
He added anglers will comply to strict NSW Fisheries bag limits. Weigh-in for the beach and rock and estuary will be near Club Harrington while all the off-shore competition will be conducted at Crowdy Head.
Estuary anglers will start the championships on Saturday, June 23, with the beach and rock underway on Sunday, June 24. The boats will leave Crowdy Head on Monday, June 25 to start the off-short section.
Mr Smith explained the casting has to be held at Tuffins Lane in Port Macquarie as it is the only suitable venue available. This will be held on July 2 and 3.
On Thursday, June 28 competitors will take a cruise from Taree to Wingham where they’ll have lunch and also visit the Wingham Museum as well as having lunch.
Mr Smith said organisation started in earnest about 12 months ago. He said the next championship will be held in Queensland and the venue will be revealed at the AAA’s annual conference next week.
The championships will conclude with the presentation on Wednesday, July 4 at Club Harrington, the event headquarters.
