Rockhampton Regional Council, Media Release, 1 June 2023

Queensland Country Rugby Union have announced that the 2023 Queensland Country Rugby Union Championships will be hosted at Victoria Park in Rockhampton, proudly sponsored by Rockhampton Regional Council. The event is expected to attract between 700-800 players and their families at the end of June this year and will be held in Rockhampton again in 2024.

The Queensland Country Rugby Union Championships are contested in U13 to open levels for both men and women from South Queensland, Central Queensland and North Queensland. The event is an exciting acquisition for Rockhampton off the back of securing the Queensland Touch Junior State Cup for ten years, which was announced last October.

Rockhampton Region Mayor Tony Williams said that Council will work closely with Capricornia Rugby to ensure a smooth event and are excited to hold this event in Rockhampton.

“Major sporting events like these are not only good for our economy, but they also evoke a sense of pride amongst our community,” Mayor Williams said.

We are looking forward to welcoming the competition’s players and families to our region and showing them all of the great things you can do when you explore Rockhampton.”

Parks, Sport and Public Spaces Councillor Cherie Rutherford said Rockhampton is the perfect destination for state sporting events like these with our central location allowing similar travel time for players coming from both the north and the south.

“Rockhampton is home to national, international and Olympic standard sporting facilities that nurture beginners through to professional athletes, and we are proud to add the Queensland Country Rugby Union Championships to our major events calendar.” Cr Rutherford said.

Tournament Director Ben Wiltshire said that Queensland Country Rugby Union have been working closely with Advance Rockhampton to activate the city with evening markets and really show off our city to players coming from outside the region.

“The Queensland Country Rugby Union Championships present the opportunity for senior and junior country-based players to represent their region and vie for selection in the Queensland Country Heelers selection.

“We are excited for our local players and Capricornia Rugby to host a state-wide event on our home turf.”

Advance Rockhampton’s Acting Executive Manager Zac Garven said that as the lead tourism, marketing and major event agency in the region, hosting a sporting event of this size presents a significant boost to Rockhampton’s visitor economy.

“Rockhampton’s Sporting Destination Guide has again put Rocky on the Radar as a destination of choice amongst state and national sporting peak bodies. This document provides a comprehensive overview of our sporting facilities, infrastructure and experiences to make an easy decision-making process for event managers,” Mr Garven said.

“According to Tourism Research Australia, visitors spend over $28 billion per year on domestic travel and this event is another way to increase visitation to our region, fill our hotel rooms and increase spend in our tourism and hospitality businesses.”

The Queensland Country Rugby Union Championships will be held from 30 June to 2 July, 2023 with 2024 dates to be confirmed.

For more information about the Queensland Country Rugby Union Championships, visit http://www.explorerockhampton.com.au/rugby