JOHN DUNPHY

Hall of Fame Inductee – 2013

John founded Dunphy Sports/Fishing Imports in 1981 and, a short time later, secured the distribution rights for Shimano in Australia and New Zealand. Over 30 years, John and his team, including several family members, built Shimano from a relatively obscure name to be the market leader in fishing in Australia and the Oceania region.

John was highly respected not only within the fishing industry at large for his extensive knowledge & foresight but also within the global Shimano community & in an advisory capacity with government fisheries departments. He was a strong advocate for ensuring the Australian passion for fishing is sustainable for future generations & was heavily involved in such measures as fish restocking programs. In that regard, he was often mentioned as a visionary & creator.

In 2008, Shimano Japan acquired 100% ownership of Dunphy Sports/Fishing Imports. John remained with the company in an advisory capacity until 2011.

John was a long-time member of the Australian Fishing Trade Association. He served on the board for a long time before becoming AFTA President, a role he held until his retirement in 2013.