Joining FCC or Renewing membership

Membership

Renewing FCC members: renewing members guide is here, and you can pay your club membership via the membership portal now. 

Membership structure at FCC

Fairfield Canoe Club welcomes prospective new members. Our membership fees may look a little complex at first; we strongly recommend that you visit the club on a Sunday morning between 9.45 and 10.15am to talk to our Director on Duty, to understand the fee structure and to have a tour of the club.

Fairfield Canoe Club Co-operative Ltd operates as a non-trading co-operative with shares. All adult members are required to become shareholders when they join FCC.

All FCC full members are equal members and as such must be shareholders in our cooperative, receive a key or fob to the clubhouse/ boatshed, can vote at our AGM and can stand for election to our Board of Management. Full members may be adult or junior or student - but in all cases the same shareholding is required per person.

NOTE: New members of FCC are welcomed, however all new memberships are initially provisional, subject to approval by the board at the next of our monthly board meetings.

NOTE ALSO: While all members gain fob access to our club boats and paddles ... membership comes with responsibility to take care of yourself, of others and of our club equipment.  To assist this, we provide new member orientation sessions on a regular basis, to show new members how to safely carry, empty and care for boats.   All new members must attend one of these sessions, or a beginner paddling course, to learn how to care for self and equipment, before using any of our fibreglass boats.

Essential information for new members is on our Just Joined FCC page.

New members need to be aware that boat racks for private boats at FCC are in very short supply, that we have a waiting list for boat racks of up to 2 years and that boat racks are only available for relatively narrow craft - sea kayaks and stable plastic boats are too wide for our racks.  We do have a fabulous selection of club boats which are available for all members to use.

Membership fees comprise the following:

1. A once-off shareholding fee - which forms part of the capital base of the club. This shareholding is returned to you when/if you elect to leave the club.  The shareholding fee is $450 per full member.  If a child joins without an adult, then the child needs to purchase a shareholding.
2. Annual fee - for FCC (Fairfield Canoe Club).  For 2023-24 this fee is $210 per adult and $105 per child/ full time student/ concession.
Additional cost for Boat storage (one boat stored at the club is included in membership cost, additional boat storage is $100/boat/year) - NOTE however that there is a long waiting list for boat racks at the club - waiting time of up to 2 years.
Additional cost for Dependent children(U18) (if applicable).  For dependent children of adult members, the first child membership is free, each additional child membership is $50/year.
3. Annual fee - PV (Paddle Victoria) and PA (Paddle Australia) membership.  PA/PV fees for 2023-24 are $110/adult and $60/child, less 30% for families of 3 or more people including at least one child.

FCC's financial year runs from 1 July to 30 June. Pro-rata memberships are available for new members joining part way through a financial year: a 6 month membership from 1 January and a 3 month membership from 1 April.  At the end of each financial year your membership needs to be renewed by paying the next year's membership.  Access to the club through our electronic access system ceases on 1 July unless you have renewed your membership.

The membership and shareholding fees are automatically calculated by our online membership system "JustGo".  Note that JustGo will only add the shareholding to your fees on the first time that you use the system - if it does not add the shareholding, please contact our treasurer to arrange payment.

Our membership structure, fees and details of rights and obligations of membership are described in our FCC Membership policy.  In many cases the membership policy reflects the detail of the FCC Rules.  If there is any discrepancy between these two documents, the FCC Rules prevail.

Pay membership fees

Click here to go to our online membership portal.

Paddle Australia uses the JustGo system .

For FCC members renewing their membership - you will find our JustGo Guide for renewing FCC Members helpful - it steps you through membership renewal including family membership.

For new members - you will find our JustGo guide for new members helpful.

Paddle Australia also provides some guidance, however this is not specific to FCC.  PA's renewing member's guide for JustGo may be helpful if renewing before 30 June.  After 1 July, the lapsed members guide for JustGo will probably be more helpful.  For new members - the new member's guide for JustGo may be useful.

Once you have paid your shareholding and membership fees, you will need to meet one of the directors at the club to receive your fob which provides access to the club.  As noted above - your membership is then subject to ratification by the board at our next board meeting.