From the first stroketo the start line

Paddle Collective Booking, Cancellation and Waitlist Policies

At Paddle Collective, we keep it simple and flexible so you can focus on the fun of ocean paddling. These policies cover all our services, like sessions, clinics, camps, workshops and events, booked through our websites or partners. Questions? Message us through the site or on Instagram @paddleco_au.

Cancellation Policies: Flexible and Fair

Free changes and cancellations: up to 24 hours before, no charge. Log in or email reece@paddlecollective.com.au.

Late cancellations: no refunds or reschedules within 24 hours, but emergencies get credits. No shows get 20% off their next booking.

Groups and privates: 48 hours' notice; late fees apply (50%).

If we cancel (weather and the like), full refund or reschedule. Updates by email.

Waitlist Policies: Jump In When Ready

Joining: tap Join Waitlist on full sessions.

Alerts: email when spots open; confirm within 24 hours.

Flexibility: join multiple waitlists; no expiry, but we refresh lists seasonally.

Camps

A deposit secures your spot. The balance is invoiced 60 days before the camp. Deposits are refundable only if your spot is resold.

Policies keep things smooth, but feedback is welcome at www.paddlecollective.com.au/feedback. Follow @paddleco_au for updates. Paddle on!

Camp and trip cancellation policy

We understand plans can change, and we aim to balance flexibility with our commitments to suppliers, guides, venues and participants. This policy applies to all multi day paddle travel holidays (camps, retreats, expeditions) booked through Paddle Collective.

Cancellations by customers

Requests must be made in writing to admin@paddlecollective.com.au. The cancellation date is when we receive your notice. Refunds are based on the total trip cost paid:

• More than 180 days before departure: full refund minus a $250 non refundable admin fee
• 90 to 180 days before departure: 75% refund
• 60 to 89 days before departure: 50% refund
• 30 to 59 days before departure: 25% refund, or full credit for a future Paddle Collective trip if available
• Less than 30 days before departure, or no show: no refund or credit

Alternative options

We may allow a transfer to another participant (subject to approval) or issue a credit voucher for a future Paddle Collective holiday, valid 12 to 24 months.

Non refundable components

Some elements (flights, permits, accommodation) may be non refundable under third party policies. These are noted in your booking confirmation, and refunds exclude non recoverable costs.

Cancellations by Paddle Collective

If we cancel (for example insufficient numbers, safety issues or unforeseen circumstances), you will receive a full refund of payments made, or you may choose a transfer or credit to a future trip. We will notify you promptly.

Force majeure

Paddle Collective is not liable for changes due to events beyond our control (natural disasters, severe weather, government restrictions, pandemics). Refunds depend on third party recoveries and may be partial or unavailable. We will minimise impact where possible.

Travel insurance

We strongly recommend comprehensive travel insurance covering trip cancellation and interruption, medical and evacuation, and adventure activities (paddling and ocean sports). Insurance is not included in the trip price.

Important notes

This policy does not affect your rights under the Australian Consumer Law. If a major service failure occurs, you may be entitled to a remedy regardless of this policy. All bookings are subject to our full terms and conditions. Questions: admin@paddlecollective.com.au.

Participation waiver

You accept this once, on your first booking, and we keep it on file.

Privacy Policy

Effective date: 15 October 2026. This version replaces the policy dated 22 October 2025.

This policy explains how Paddle Collective collects, holds, uses and discloses personal information through paddlecollective.com.au, goldcoast.paddlecollective.com.au, our booking system, our online shop, our mobile app, our events and camps, and our communications with you.

Paddle Collective (ABN 67 690 991 729) operates paddlecollective.com.au and goldcoast.paddlecollective.com.au, all sessions and subscriptions in Western Australia and Queensland, all camps and clinics, the online shop and the mailing list.

In this policy "we", "us" and "our" means Paddle Collective. We handle personal information in line with the Australian Privacy Principles in the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth), whether or not the Act formally applies to us at a given time.

What we collect

Information you give us when you book, buy, subscribe, register for an event or contact us:

• Name, email address, phone number and address
• Date of birth where a session, camp or race has an age requirement
• Emergency contact name and phone number for camps, races and multi day trips
• Signed waiver and release, including your signature
• Anything you choose to tell your coach in the "Message for Coaches" field, which may include health, fitness or injury information relevant to your safety on the water
• Payment details, which are handled by our payment providers and never stored by us
• Ski preference, hire details and gear sizes
• Social media handles if you tag or message us
• Photos and video taken at sessions, camps and events where you have given media consent on the waiver

Information collected automatically when you use the website or app: IP address, browser and device type, pages visited, time and date of visit, and the approximate region you are visiting from. We use your region to send you to the Perth or Gold Coast version of the site. We do not store that lookup against your name.

Health and fitness information

If you give us information about a medical condition, injury, medication or fitness level, we treat it as sensitive information. By providing it you consent to us using it to keep you safe on the water, sharing it with the coach running your session or camp, and passing it to emergency services or medical staff if you are hurt. We only ask for what we need to run a safe session. You can decline to provide it, but for some activities (camps, crossings, downwind runs) we may not be able to take you if we do not have enough information to manage the risk.

Why we collect it

• To run your booking, subscription, hire, purchase or camp and to communicate with you about it, including weather calls, cancellations and changes
• To keep you safe, including sharing relevant details with your coach and with emergency services
• To hold a signed waiver for insurance and legal purposes
• To send you news, session reminders, camp launches and offers where you have subscribed or booked with us, with an unsubscribe link in every email
• To run races, events, competitions and giveaways
• To operate, secure and improve the website, booking system and app
• To comply with the law, manage insurance claims and incident reports, and resolve disputes

We do not sell personal information.

Who we share it with

We use third party providers to run the business. Each one holds only what it needs for its job:

• Wix: hosts the website, the booking system, the online shop, member accounts, the mobile app, contact records and form submissions, including signed waivers
• Wix Payments and Stripe: process card payments. We do not see or store your card number
• MailerLite: sends our newsletter and camp announcements and holds your name, email and which list or group you are in
• Xero: holds invoices and payment records for camps, deposits and ski orders
• Google Analytics and Meta (Facebook and Instagram) tools: measure how the website performs and let us show ads to people who have visited
• An IP geolocation service (currently ipapi.co): receives your IP address only, to work out which state you are visiting from

We also share information with:

• Our coaches and staff, for the sessions and camps they run
• Emergency services, medical staff and surf lifesaving personnel if you are injured
• Our insurer, lawyers and accountants where needed for a claim, dispute or compliance
• Partners who help deliver a specific camp or event (for example a ferry operator, accommodation provider or race organiser), limited to what they need for that event
• Courts, regulators and law enforcement where the law requires it, including WorkSafe WA or Workplace Health and Safety Queensland for incident reporting

Overseas storage

Wix, MailerLite, Stripe, Google and Meta store data on servers outside Australia, including in the United States, the European Union and Israel. Those providers operate under their own privacy and security frameworks. By using our services you acknowledge that your information will be stored and processed by these providers overseas.

How we protect it

Access to booking, member and health information is limited to the people who need it. Our site owner and administrator accounts are protected with two factor authentication. Coaches have access to the sessions they run, not to the full customer database. We do not keep card numbers. We delete exports of customer data once they have served their purpose. No system is perfectly secure, and if a breach occurs that is likely to cause serious harm we will tell you and, where required, the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner.

How long we keep it

• Booking records, signed waivers and incident reports: 7 years, for insurance and legal purposes
• Health and fitness notes given for a single session: deleted or de-identified once no longer needed for safety, and in any case within 12 months
• Emergency contact details: for the duration of the camp or event they were collected for, then deleted
• Marketing contacts: until you unsubscribe or ask us to delete you
• Financial records: 7 years, as required by tax law
• Website analytics: as set by Google and Meta, in aggregated form

Children

Paddlers under 18 must be booked by a parent or guardian, who signs the waiver on their behalf. We collect only what we need to coach them safely and we do not market directly to children.

Your rights

You can ask us at any time to:

• Tell you what personal information we hold about you
• Correct anything that is wrong or out of date
• Delete your information, subject to the retention periods above
• Stop sending you marketing, which you can also do with the unsubscribe link in any email
• Withdraw media consent, after which we will stop using new photos or video of you and remove existing ones from our channels where practical

We will respond within 30 days. We may need to confirm your identity first.

If you are booking for someone else, you confirm you have their permission to give us their details.

Cookies

The website uses cookies for essential functions (keeping you logged in, holding your cart, remembering that you have already been redirected to the right region), for analytics, and for advertising through Google and Meta. You can block or delete cookies in your browser; essential functions may stop working if you do.

Complaints

Contact our privacy officer using the details below. We will investigate and reply in writing. If you are not satisfied you can complain to the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner at oaic.gov.au or 1300 363 992.

Changes

We will post any changes on this page and update the effective date. Material changes will be emailed to current members.

Contact

Privacy officer: Reece Baker

Email: reece@paddlecollective.com.au

Phone: 0438 950 866

Paddle Collective, Scarborough, Western Australia

Paddle Collective Web Accessibility Statement

Effective Date: October 22, 2025

Paddle Collective is committed to ensuring that our website is accessible to everyone, including those with disabilities. We are continuously working to improve the accessibility and usability of our website for all people. If you have any questions or need assistance with any part of our site, please contact us.

At Paddle Collective, we are dedicated to ensuring digital accessibility for all users, including those with disabilities. We strive to make our website, paddlecollective.com.au, and associated digital services (such as our booking system and email communications) inclusive and usable by everyone, regardless of ability, device, or environment. This Accessibility Statement outlines our current practices and ongoing commitment to accessibility.

We recognize that accessibility is a fundamental right and aligns with our mission to create an open, welcoming community for ocean paddling along the Western Australian coastline. By prioritizing accessible design, we aim to remove barriers so that everyone can discover, book, and enjoy our clinics, camps, and events.

Our Commitment to Accessibility

Paddle Collective is committed to continuously improving the accessibility of our digital platforms. We conduct regular audits, incorporate user feedback, and collaborate with accessibility experts to enhance usability. Our goal is to meet or exceed established standards, making our content available to the widest possible audience.

Standards and Guidelines

We design and develop our website in accordance with:

• Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1: At Level AA conformance, as recommended by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C). This includes requirements for perceivable, operable, understandable, and robust content.
• Australian Web Accessibility Standards: Aligned with the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (Cth) and guidance from the Australian Human Rights Commission, ensuring compliance with national legal obligations.
• Digital Service Standard: Following principles from the Australian Digital Service Standard for user-centered, inclusive design.

Key features we implement include:

• Keyboard Navigation: Full site navigation possible using only a keyboard.
• Screen Reader Compatibility: Alt text for images, semantic HTML for structure, and ARIA labels where needed.
• Color and Contrast: Minimum 4.5:1 contrast ratios for text and sufficient color differentiation.
• Responsive Design: Optimized for various screen sizes, including mobile devices and assistive technologies.
• Captioning and Transcripts: For any video content (e.g., instructional paddling videos), we provide closed captions and transcripts.
• Form Accessibility: Clear labels, error identification, and instructions for booking forms.

Current Accessibility Status

Our website currently conforms to WCAG 2.1 Level AA for most pages, including the homepage, booking system, blog, and contact forms. We use tools like WAVE, axe, and Lighthouse for ongoing testing. However, we acknowledge that some third-party integrations (e.g., payment processors or embedded maps) may have limitations beyond our control, and we work with vendors to address these.

As of October 22, 2025:

• Fully Accessible: Core navigation, booking process, and content pages.
• In Progress: Enhanced mobile gesture support and live chat (if implemented).
• Known Limitations: Older blog posts may lack updated alt text; we are retrofitting these.

We perform automated and manual audits quarterly and after major updates.

Feedback and Reporting Accessibility Barriers

We value input from all users and encourage you to report any accessibility issues you encounter. Your feedback helps us improve.

• How to Report: Email us at admin@paddlecollective.com.au with details of the issue (e.g., page URL, description of the barrier, and your assistive technology). We aim to respond within 5 business days and resolve issues within 30 days where feasible.
• Anonymous Reporting: Feel free to submit feedback without personal details.
• Contact for Assistance: For booking help, call 0438 950 866 or DM us on Instagram @paddleco_au and we can guide you through alternatives.

If you believe we have failed to address an accessibility concern, you may also contact the Australian Human Rights Commission at humanrights.gov.au or 1300 656 419.

Enforcement and Compliance

Paddle Collective complies with applicable accessibility laws, including the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (Cth). We appoint an Accessibility Coordinator to oversee progress and report annually on improvements. Non-compliance claims can be directed to us first, with escalation to regulatory bodies if needed.

Changes to This Statement

We may update this Accessibility Statement periodically to reflect improvements, legal changes, or site updates. The latest version will always be posted here, with notifications via our newsletter for subscribers.

Contact Us

Paddle Collective Accessibility Coordinator

Email: admin@paddlecollective.com.au

Phone: 0438 950 866

Instagram: @paddleco_au

Address: Karrinyup, Western Australia

Thank you for paddling with us. We are all in this together, making waves accessible for everyone.

This statement was developed with reference to W3C templates and Australian best practices.