What happened to the Aussie reefing community?

[firechild]

I've been in the hobby for over 20 years and there used to be a big community in Australia that involved frag trading, group buys, social activities and other community events. This was mostly done through MASA and the associated states societies and made the hobby more accessible as well as helping to keep people in the hobby by giving them access to not just information but experience and assistance. I've recently returned after a hiatus and it appears that no community really exists. Is there something I'm missing or has the hobby moved back to a solo deal where everyone just does their own thing?

 

[DanNG]

Hi Aaron?

Im looking at getting back into the hobby after a good 15 year hiatus, wondering the same thing, used to be in MASQ/RTAW

This forum seems to be the most active?

 

[firechild]

Hey Dan.

This does seem to be the most active place and I've seen a few users from Australia but apparently most have migrated to facebook where I understand there are small private groups which I assume won't be easy to find. I'm not a facebook user so I've struggled to really make contact with anyone locally. RTAW went offline some time in the last year, not sure exactly when. The reefuge is still online but nobody posts there. I think it's hard to get excitement about the hobby without the sense of community that there once was, will be interesting to see where that leads in time.

 

[DanNG]

Forums in general seem to have died off with FB groups, but they are just a mess really with no organisation.
Hopefully there is a forum revival

I've literally only started looking back into the hobby and found R2R, a tonne of reading/progress to catch up on, the LED lighting systems look amazing compared to MH.

 

[firechild]

Forums in general seem to have died off with FB groups, but they are just a mess really with no organisation.
Hopefully there is a forum revival

I've literally only started looking back into the hobby and found R2R, a tonne of reading/progress to catch up on, the LED lighting systems look amazing compared to MH.

Always good to see people coming back and yeah, a lot has changed in the last 15 years. LED has been a huge win for the hobby IMO, I've not used any of the commercially available units on my own tanks as I've built all mine but the flexibility they offer is phenomenal.

 

[Atdm]

I am in brisbane and was also a member of masq back in 2008

recently set up a new fowlr tank and tried to rejoin masq and to my surprise the forum is not active anymore

i know peter from 100% reef is still around

i was actually referred to the facebook groups

but really miss those group meets and frag exchange

 

[robs.mark]

Almost everything is on facebook now gents. There are a few groups and they’re very easy to find, just the way of the world now I’m afraid. Even Reefcentral has died off. I’m in Perth, and have been in the hobby for a while if anyone from this neck of the woods wants to chat to catch up on things.

 

[DarkReefer]

Hey guys,
Bit late to the party but thought I'd pop my head in as another Aussie.

New to the hobby in the past couple of years.
I do wish there were more forums/groups around for reefing here in Aus.

I detest facebook and all the drivel on it, yet so many businesses don't even use their own dang websites to advertise anymore, it's all done on facebook. Unfortunate the way things have gone in that regard.

 

[bnord]

All I can say is that following a business trip to Melbourne and popping in a few shops, then a 3 day diving and snorkeling trip to Cairns, you folks have all the reason in the world to be friggin'reefrockstars......

 

[Raphael Dalmeida]

I'm in Sunshine Coast QLD, while it's amazing here and we have readily available snorkeling sites just off the beach (not like GBR of course).

I don't see any local reef groups, heck we don't even have saltwater LFS anymore, i usually have to go to kippa-ring or Brisbane when looking for goodies or try my luck on Gumtree.

I have a friend who lives near me who is also a reefer. Would be cool to find other like minded aquarists, even a community or local club.

I do see the Facebook groups but as someone mentioned here they are a giant mess, and nothing beats real world interaction and connections.
Facebook seems more like a quick thing where you don't really "connect to a community".

 

[AMPalsson]

I've been in the hobby for over 20 years and there used to be a big community in Australia that involved frag trading, group buys, social activities and other community events. This was mostly done through MASA and the associated states societies and made the hobby more accessible as well as helping to keep people in the hobby by giving them access to not just information but experience and assistance. I've recently returned after a hiatus and it appears that no community really exists. Is there something I'm missing or has the hobby moved back to a solo deal where everyone just does their own thing?

Another Aussie here, formerly on MASQ/RTAW
I used to be in Lennox Head and because I was much closer to Brisbane than Sydney, I was a MASQ member
Now, I am planning another project after a long hiatus
This was my last tank