Sporting clubs back in the game after Cyclone Alfred

Another 27 southern Queensland sporting clubs impacted by last year’s Tropical Cyclone Alfred have scored Sport and Recreation Recovery Grant funding to support their operations and growth.

Assistance totalling more than $4 million has been provided by the Australian and Queensland Governments through the joint Commonwealth-state Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA).

The grants are designed to help impacted organisations with clean-up, repairs and the reestablishment of activities.

For clubs successful with their application this includes repairs to pitches, fields and tracks, the replacement of damaged scoreboards and lighting, and rebuilding infrastructure like concrete pathways and fencing.

For many communities, local sporting clubs are more than just a place to play, they're central to how neighbourhoods connect, especially in the aftermath of a disaster.

This new round of Sport and Recreation Recovery Grants takes the total number of projects funded in response to ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred to 51, spanning 18 local government areas from Gold Coast to Hervey Bay and west to Toowoomba. 

Among the clubs set to benefit are the Wynnum Manly District Cricket Club, which has secured more than $320,000 to restore its fields and replace equipment, and the Gold Coast Mountain Bike Club, which will use its $355,000 grant to repair and restore its trail network.

Nudgee Golf Club will receive nearly $400,000 for course and infrastructure repairs, Hervey Bay Bowls Club has been approved $750,000 to rebuild and replace its artificial greens, and Ipswich Basketball Association are excited to bring basketball back to Booval using an $825,000 grant.

Helping local sporting clubs play on after a major disaster event is a critical part of a community’s recovery journey.

This DRFA investment from the federal and state governments will bring people together and go a long way to restoring normality after a difficult time.