Current Advisory Committee Members

Julia Menzies (chair)

Julia has over 8 years’ experience working as a Fisheries Manager, has chaired the Statewide Recreational Fishing Roundtable for the past 4 years and is a mentor for the WIRF program. She has developed strong working relationships with stakeholders in the recreational fishing community. She lives on small farm with her husband and 3 kids running their family hospitality business.

Shea Bloom

Shea is a prominent face in the fishing industry, WIRF (Women in Recreational Fishing) leader and proud recreational fisher. She is actively involved in many clubs and committees, all with a similar aim of improving and protecting fishing for future generations. Shea resides in the Upper Murray region and enjoys freshwater fishing with her husband and two boys, but at other times you’ll find her out chasing Marlin!

Doug Braham

Doug started bait and lure fishing at age 12 with his father’s hand-built cane rods. He has been a member of Yarra Valley Fly Fishers for 26 years and is also a member of the Mornington Peninsula Fly Fishers. He has also competed at State and National fly fishing competitions and served as a volunteer controller at national Championships. Doug is the current president of the CVFFC and delegate to VRFish and has been a member of the Statewide Recreational Fishing Roundtable for several years. Doug’s passions are protecting and improving habitat for all recreational fisheries and encouraging young people to experience fly fishing.

Joanne Dobson

Joanne has been an active fisher in both fresh and salt water for over three decades and has extensive experience in the fishing tackle business sector. Joanne brings excellent business management and accounting skills to the Advisory Committee and is also a very strong advocate of getting more women involved in recreational fishing.

Niki Duckstein

Niki is a keen recreational fisher who has experience in various styles of fishing in both fresh and salt water. She brings an excellent set of business and professional skills to the group and has experience in the workings of fishing clubs being a member of two different fishing clubs.

Greg Hellsten

Greg is the secretary of the Midland & North Central Angling Association Inc and the OzFish Campaspe Loddon Chapter and has been involved with projects aimed at developing fishing clubs, juniors in fishing and fishery environmental improvements for twenty-five years. His memory of his first fishing experience as a five-year-old involved a Little Jim rod, worms, redfin, a farm dam and his grandmother cooking his catch; an opportunity which all young Australians should have. Greg brings experience as a mechanical engineer in contract, project and team management to the opportunities to improve recreational fishing and fishery sustainability.

Steven Relf

Steven is the nominated representative of the Victorian Recreational Fishing Peak Body (VRFish). He provides advice that reflects the views of the Victorian recreational fishing community, as well as organisations affiliated with VRFish, and the VRFish Board. He is a seasoned recreational fisher and brings a wide range of knowledge and experience from his previous career in Local Government.

Lee Spyrou

Lee is currently the first female Boathouse Captain at Albert Park Yachting & Angling Club, established in 1909. Lee started fishing at a young age with her father for Murray cod, redfin and golden perch at Yarrawonga. These days she mainly targets snapper, whiting and squid in Port Phillip Bay. Her passion is encouraging young girls and women to get involved in fishing and boating, regularly running Boat Licence courses, which are eagerly attended by more females than males.

Steven Threlfall

Steve or ‘Trelly’ as he is widely known, has been appointed to the Advisory Committee to represent the recreational fishing industry and provide advice that reflects the views of recreational fishers as identified through that industry. When not attending to his tackle business, Trelly loves to unwind by fishing for native species such as Murray cod and golden perch.