History of Archery Action
Archery Action had its origins back in 1973 when five people founded the Townsville District Bowhunters club and this club decided to produce a newsletter. It was produced in March 1974 and contained local club news and a score card for an event which was the forerunner of today’s ABA three arrow round. Feeling proud of its efforts, the club decided to produce the ‘Australian Bowhunters Magazine’ as a club project, to develop and promote bowhunting in Australia.
The first edition, published in September 1974, contained 14 roneoed foolscap pages and 50 copies were distributed to known bowhunters throughout Australia. The following edition, Townsville District Bowhunters decided not to support the magazine project any more, so Kev Whiting, Richard Snape, John Ursem and their wives funded the project. This issue was offset printed, contained photos and advertising and 200 magazines were published, all hand collated and stapled.
In July 1975 the magazine partners attended the first Queensland Championships where they influenced the founding of ABA with Kev Whiting as Chairman of the Steering Committee. December 1975 saw expansion in the partnership with Alan Podlich joining the team. With Alan’s business, magazine binders were produced. Kev Whiting resigned from the magazine partnership in November 1976 because of his health. The magazine is now assembled in Ipswich where the Snapes were transferred in 1975, with help from the Ursems who lived out west for a while. The magazine is now printed in Brisbane, and contains 64 pages with more ads and photos.
May 1977 saw an improvement in quality of the magasine, which has grown to 72 pages, but it was the last ‘Bowhunter Magazine’. A ‘make or break’ decision was then made to increase the size to A4 and attempt to unite all branches of archery to gain the support necessary for survival and progress. The new format is released as ‘Archery Action’ and is distributed throughout Australia by Gordon and Gotch Ltd.
The Snapes move yet again, this time to Canberra and the Ursems also have the opportunity to reside there, so they take the offer and the original partners are in the same city again. January 1978 saw the contents of the magazine done on a phototypesetter – what a change from doing the copy on a typewriter. The magazine of November 1978 featured another improvement, this time a full colour cover photograph and the printing is now done in Warwick at the Warwick Daily News, and it is still printed there.
Early in 1981, the Ursems buy their own phototypesetter instead of hiring time on one. By the end of the year, they have moved to South East Queensland and set up Action Graphics to typeset magazines as a full time business.
John Ursem’s brother, Peter and his wife, join the team in March 1984 and soon archery targets are being screenprinted by Action Graphics. In July 1987, Richard leaves the RAAF and he and his family move to Byron Bay to work on the magazine full time. Another step to increase circulation and advertising was taken in November 1987 when it was decided to include articles on outdoor equipment, survival and four wheel driving. The magazine had a slight change to the name and incorporated ‘with Outdoor Connections’.
November -December 1988 issue was the last edition published by Archery Action as it was sold to ABA. The Snapes returned to Melbourne and other work. Action Graphics still typeset the magazine for Artemis Publishers and screenprint targets for ABA.