Our First Decade: 2010 – 2019

Between 2010 and 2019, Hastings Fly Fishers grew in reputation and activity, cementing its place as one of the most welcoming clubs on the Mid North Coast.

Members embraced both the social and environmental sides of fishing. Fundraising, raffles, and community events became fixtures, while local TV, radio, and newspapers highlighted our work.

In 2013–14, the Club faced a challenge when several long-time members split. Don Dixon stepped up as President and also took on Secretary duties, helping the Club stabilise and regain momentum.

By 2014, milestones included our first guided fly fishing trip to New Zealand, which soon became a biennial tradition. Closer to home, members took part in a trial mangrove planting project with NSW DPI and local oyster growers. The muddy but rewarding work showed our commitment to improving local waterways. That same year, a revision of the Club Constitution provided a stronger foundation.

Adventures Further Afield

Our outing program continued to flourish, from local rivers and estuaries to destinations further afield. Highlights of this decade included:

• 2015 – Adaminaby / Snowy Mountains: a memorable Club trip fishing the alpine lakes and streams around Adaminaby, cementing the Snowies as a favourite annual destination.
• 2016 – South Island, New Zealand: members travelled across the Tasman for spectacular trout fishing around Lake Tekapo and Omarama.
• 2017 – Hinchinbrook, North Queensland: the Club explored saltwater flats and estuaries in one of Australia’s premier tropical fishing destinations.

Community and Conservation

The annual Lake Liddell Carp Bash, run in conjunction with the Hunter Valley Fly Fishing Club and Sydney Fly Rodders, became a fixture in our calendar, combining friendly competition with an important environmental purpose (Lake Lidell being an artificial lake on the grounds of the soon-to-be-decommissioned Liddell power station).

The Club was also proud to contribute to fisheries management and recovery programs. We assisted in fingerling releases with NSW DPI and the New England Trout Acclimatisation Society (NETAS), including stocking thousands of trout and bass across our region. In 2017 and 2018 alone, members helped introduce over 18,000 bass fingerlings into the Hastings and Forbes Rivers.

Equally important were our contributions to the community through Casting for Recovery, held at the Dutton Trout Hatchery. Our members volunteered as fly-casting “buddies” and provided catering for women recovering from breast cancer, helping to create supportive and memorable experiences on the water.

By the close of the decade, the Club had established itself not only as a social and family-oriented fishing club, but also as a group dedicated to conservation, community, and the enjoyment of fly fishing in all its forms — whether in local creeks, pristine alpine streams, or far-off rivers of New Zealand.