Foundation members of the QRFN

The core members who formed the QRFN, have collectively hundreds of years involvement with Fisheries Management in Queensland and elsewhere. They have intimate knowledge of the state’s fishery from the NSW border to north of Cooktown on the east coast, and the Gulf of Carpentaria from the Northern Territory border around the top of Cape York.  Following are brief biographies of most of these members.



Lance Murray – Mackay
  • Lived and fished around Mackay for 40 years
  • Chairman Mackay Sunfish for many years
  • Member of REEFMAC
  • previous Chairman Mackay Recreational Fishers Alliance Inc

Scott Mitchell – Fraser Coast
  • An obsessed angler since an early age. 
  • Involved in the fishing tackle industry for over 25 years.  
  • Involved with the introduction of the NSW general recreational fishing license.
  • Owner of specialist tackle store The Alpine Angler between 1991 – 2006. 
Involvement with numerous fishing associations and committees including:-
  • President Wollongong Sport fishing Club Inc
  • ANSA NSW recorder
  • President Snowy Mountains Trout Festival
  • Chairman Cooma Acclimatisation Society
  • Member of ACORF – Peak advisory body for NSW recreational anglers for 12 years
  • Member of Sunfish Qld Management committee – 3 years
  • Chairman Fraser Coast Fish Stocking Association Inc
  • Current Chairman Fraser Coast Fishing Alliance Inc
  • Member of the Board of Directors of KAF (Keep Australia Fishing)

  Kim Martin – Yeppoon
  •  2 x Central Qld light gear fishing interclub Junior Champion (early 1970’s)
  •   Member ANSA since early 1970’s
  •   Fishing writer since 1981 (Fishing World, QFM etc)
  •   TV Fishing show host (Cookie’s Catch, Fraser Island Fishing Expo)
  •   Former Chairman Capricorn Sunfish
  •   Life Member Sunfish Qld
  •   Level 2 Angler Education Instructor and Instructor trainer
  •   Member of Trop MAC almost 10 years
  •   Secretary Captag (20 years)
  •   Developed and co-facilitated Future Leaders Workshop for Qld & NSW 2011
  •   Major input into development of national Future Leaders Framework (FRDC Project)
  •   Presented session on Leadership at 2012 National Recreational Fishing Conference
  •   Co-event designer and member of Rocky Barra Bounty organising committee
  •   2 years on Fisheries Qld Inshore Fisheries Working Group 2021-23

Martin Bellert – Fraser Coast

Entire working career spent with the NSW Department of Agriculture in all name changes including + Fisheries

  • Minor Crop  Experiments -  5 years
  • Front Line Extension  Officer - 8 years
  • Research  Station Manager - 13 years
  • Agricultural Environment Officer - 13 years
  • Secretary Fraser Coast Sunfish Branch and Fraser Coast Fishing Alliance - 15 years.

Dave Donald –  Weipa 
  • fishing for over 50 years, enjoy all regimens – lure casting, fly fishing, beach fishing
  • writing about fishing since 1971, hundreds of media articles published, video and TV shows
  • activist for improved recreational fishing since 70’s
  • owned tackle shops for 10 years, worked in marine industry 3 years
  • member TropMAC, GulfMAC, former member Sunfish, member ANSA since 1969
  • 25 years as full-time professional guide/charter operator, mainly based Cape York Peninsula
  • board member Tourism Cape York, former board member Cape York Sustainable Futures
  • reports on fishing related issues for FRDC and Western Cape Chamber of Commerce published
  • totally frustrated with Qld and Federal government attitude to recreational fishery
  • have witnessed first hand the destruction of the once amazing Gulf of Carpentaria fishery

Paul Aubin – Cairns
  •   grew up fishing in the 60’s with commercial and recreational family members in Lake Macquarie and Hawkesbury NSW
  •   moved to Cairns in 1979 and worked on Marlin boats and trawlers. Now owns and operates two recreational fishing/tourism businesses in Cairns
  •   became a full time yachty on the GBR 1985 – 2000
  •   worked as resort manager and sail and fishing guide in the Whitsundays
  •   became interested and active in fishing politics during the GBRMPA RAP 2004
  •   founded and co-ordinates CAREFISH (CAirns REcreational Fishing Industries StakeHolders)
  •   ran parliamentary backed petition to remove gillnet fishing from inner Cairns 2011 (3000 signatures in 3 weeks)
  •   made recreational fisher representation to numerous Ministers and bureaucrats
  •   liaises with the commercial, political, environmental and science sectors
  •   has been an active LMAC (Local Marine Advisory Committee) member since 2007 and has represented the chair position
  •   was selected to sit on the $9m Net Buyback Committee by LNP Fisheries Minister
  •   produces many articles and submissions on fishing and the politics of fishing
  •   has been editor and co-editor on various study documents focusing on fish abundance and management issues

Steve Bain – Brisbane
  •   Proud QUEENSLANDER - has fished Moreton Bay since age 4 and from the Tweed River to Torres Strait
  •   Australian Army Major (psc) – specialising in logistics and project management
  •   Government Engineer (BEng-Civil + others) specialising in both design and legislation
  •   Businessman in the recreational fishing industry covering, retail then wholesale and media.
  •   Founder of the bass, barra, bream tournament concept in Australia – the biggest activity in recreational fishing so far this century.
  •   Administrator of fishing tournaments and events for over 30 years (since age 17).....club owner, president, secretary etc
  •   Former representative on SUNFISH - left a long time ago
  •   Has made representations and spoken to a sitting of QLD Parliament on rec fishing matters
  •   Vastly experienced in recreational fishing legislation options, he and his family having fished the laws of over 30 countries.
  •   Fishing for over 40 years, enjoy all regimens – lure casting, fly fishing, game, freshwater, saltwater, beach fishing
  •   Family business has been writing about fishing and the outdoors since late 1980’s, thousands of media articles published, video DVD, and TV        shows
  •   Have witnessed first-hand the destruction of the once amazing Moreton Bay fishery from 1980 to 2010; meanwhile has intimately watched other     fisheries brought back from extinction in the same years of 1980 to 2010 internationally.
  •   Former Game and Sportfishing professional crewman and multiple tournament winner with 100's of titles as either angler or crew.
  •   Father and coach of Kim Bain billed in the international media by Time as the First Lady of Fishing, by ESPN as one of the 50 most influential        sportswomen of all time, and in Australian fishing media as Australia’s most successful international angler. Queenslander Kim won multiple            Australian and World Titles in both Freshwater and Saltwater and a World Championship. 
  •   Husband of Lynn Bain, Queensland’s most published monthly seafood writer.

Randal McLellan  - Fraser Coast
  •   Veterinary surgeon with a lifetime of fishing.
  •   Grew up in the estuaries around Mackay and still enjoys estuary fishing but also passionate about sports fishing, surf fishing, and reef fishing.
  •   Some years as avid fishing club member including club captain.
  •   Has witnessed and considers the disastrous decline of the inshore fishery is an embarrassment of those empowered to manage it over the last 30 years.
  •   20 years involvement in recreational fishing management.
  •   Established Sunfish Fraser Coast.
  •   Member of various Zonal Advisory Committees and Management Advisory Committees.
  •   Author/co-author of numerous submissions on fisheries management.
  •   Coastal Director for many years on Regional NRM body.
  •   Recently instrumental in forming the Fraser Coast Fishing Alliance.
  •   Performs voluntary veterinary marine working with turtles, dugong etc.
  •   7 years experience as a local government councillor.
  •   Member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and has previously and currently filled a number of various board positions with a               particular interest in good governance and driving outcome focused management.
  •   Passionate about reform of fisheries management in Qld and tired of the "Status Quo" mentality of both fisheries management in Qld and               successive governments.

Rhyce Bullimore - Townsville/Hinchinbrook
  • Chair member of Townsville Barramundi Restocking Group since 2009
  • President of the Townsville Barrmundi restocking Group since 2013
  • Member of the East Coast inshore netting working Group since 2021
  • Member of the Ingham Rod and Reel Club since 2021
  • Presented and represented Recreational anglers at various state government workshops across the state (including SIPS and other working groups)
  • Present yearly to GBRMPA as a recreational representative’s view
  • Supported industry events.
    • Presented at BCF club nights.
    • Australian Fishing Championships
  • Champion angler / Team x 3 events for Hinchinbrook Invitational fishing Tournaments
  • Competed in ABT evets (Impoundment fishing)
  • Competed in Rocky Barra Bounty
 
Phil Laycock – Cairns/FNQ
  • first job was working after school at legendary Jack Erskine’s tackle shop
  • has worked as a Barramundi guide and Game fishing deck hand
  • Science degree in Marine Biology and has own consultancy business PES Consulting (People, Environment, Sustainability)
  • drafted the Douglas Shire Council’s “Fish for the Future” action plan for that local community.
  • provides services in Natural Resource Management with a focus on water quality stewardship and works with Traditional Owners supporting Sea Country management planning and Cultural stewardship plans
  • chapter President of Cairns OzFish Unlimited
  • member of the Fisheries Queensland Inshore Fin Fish working group
  • member of the Federal governments Recreational Fishing Advisory Committee.
  • member of the Cairns Regional Council’s Recreational Fishing Development Strategy working group