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Privacy Policy

How GoldenTrail handles the small amount of personal information we collect, and the rights you have over it under Australian law.

Last updated: 1 June 2026

GoldenTrail is an independent pet care education and publishing website for Australian audiences. We provide general educational information only — we are not a veterinary service and do not provide diagnosis, treatment or professional advice.

1. Introduction & scope

GoldenTrail ("GoldenTrail", "we", "us" or "our") respects your privacy. This policy explains how we collect, use, store, disclose and protect personal information when you visit goldentrailgroup.com or interact with us by email or through our forms.

We handle personal information in accordance with the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs). "Personal information" means information or an opinion about an identified individual, or one who is reasonably identifiable. Because we are a content website rather than a shop or clinic, we deliberately collect very little.

2. What we collect

The personal information we may collect includes:

  • Newsletter email. If you subscribe, we collect the email address you provide so we can send our newsletter.
  • Contact-form details. If you contact us, we collect the name, email address and the contents of the message you choose to send.
  • Analytics data. When you browse, we may collect technical and usage information such as a truncated or anonymised IP address, browser and device type, pages viewed, referring pages and approximate region. This is used in aggregate.
  • Cookies and similar technologies. We use a small number of cookies and local storage entries to remember your preferences and to understand which guides are most helpful. See our Cookie Policy for full detail.

We do not ask for and do not knowingly collect sensitive information, payment details or government identifiers. Please do not send us this kind of information through our forms.

3. How we use it

We use personal information only for the purposes for which it was provided, and related purposes you would reasonably expect, including to:

  • send our newsletter and respond to your enquiries;
  • operate, maintain, secure and improve the website;
  • understand, in aggregate, how our content is used so we can write better guides;
  • remember the preferences you set on the site; and
  • meet our legal and regulatory obligations.

We do not sell your personal information, and we do not use it for unrelated marketing without your consent.

4. Fair handling

We only collect personal information by lawful and fair means, and only where it is reasonably necessary for our activities. Where the law requires consent — for example, for non-essential cookies or to subscribe you to the newsletter — we rely on the consent you give, and you may withdraw it at any time. You can unsubscribe from the newsletter using the link in any email, and you can change your cookie choices on our Cookie Policy page.

Where you choose not to provide certain information — such as an email address — we simply may not be able to provide that particular feature, like the newsletter or a reply to your message.

5. Third parties

We use a small number of reputable service providers to run the site. These may include:

  • an email and newsletter provider that stores subscriber addresses and delivers messages on our behalf; and
  • an analytics provider that helps us understand site usage in aggregate.

These providers may process information on our instructions and are expected to keep it secure and use it only to provide their service to us. We may also disclose information where required or authorised by law. We otherwise do not disclose your personal information to third parties for their own marketing.

6. Data security

We take reasonable steps to protect personal information from misuse, interference and loss, and from unauthorised access, modification or disclosure. These include serving the site over encrypted connections, limiting access to information on a need-to-know basis, and choosing providers who maintain appropriate safeguards. No method of transmission or storage is completely secure, so we cannot guarantee absolute security.

7. Data retention

We keep personal information only for as long as we need it for the purpose it was collected, or as required by law. Newsletter subscriptions are kept until you unsubscribe. Contact-form messages are kept for a reasonable period to handle your enquiry and our records. When information is no longer needed, we take reasonable steps to delete or de-identify it.

8. Your rights under the Australian Privacy Principles

Under the APPs in the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth), you have rights in relation to the personal information we hold about you.

Access

You can ask us for access to the personal information we hold about you. We will respond within a reasonable time, and in most cases there is no charge.

Correction

If the information we hold is inaccurate, out of date, incomplete, irrelevant or misleading, you can ask us to correct it, and we will take reasonable steps to do so.

To make a request, contact us at hello@goldentrailgroup.com. We may need to verify your identity first. If we cannot give access or make a correction, we will explain why in writing.

9. Children's privacy

Our website is intended for an adult, general audience. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If you believe a child has provided us with personal information, please contact us and we will take reasonable steps to delete it.

10. Overseas disclosure

Some of our service providers — for example, email or analytics platforms — may store or process information on servers located outside Australia. Where this occurs, we take reasonable steps to ensure the information is handled consistently with the APPs and remains appropriately protected.

12. Changes to this policy

We may update this policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or the law. The current version will always be available on this page, with the "Last updated" date at the top revised accordingly. Significant changes may be highlighted on the site.

13. Contact us & complaints

If you have a question, an access or correction request, or a privacy complaint, please contact us first at hello@goldentrailgroup.com. We will acknowledge your complaint and aim to resolve it within a reasonable time.

If you are not satisfied with our response, you may complain to the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) at oaic.gov.au.