Warwick economy, accommodation providers brought to life by visitor influx for state sporting championships

With close to 700 elite athletes and even more spectators bound for the Rose City this weekend, accommodation providers from Warwick to the Granite Belt are booked out amid a boom for small business.

Josh Hagenbach on field at the Warwick Hockey Association in Queens Park. Picture: file

Warwick is gearing up for one of the biggest sporting events the town has seen for some time, with hundreds of athletes and spectators completely booking out motels across the region in a massive boost for the local economy.

The 2021 Queensland Hockey Women’s Masters Championships will be hosted by the Warwick Hockey Association from Thursday to Sunday.

Close to 700 of the sport’s elite female athletes from across the state will make the journey to the Rose City to compete, representing 46 teams across six divisions.

The enormous turnout of athletes and spectators has proven enough to book out motels across Warwick and the wider region, with McNevin’s Warwick Motel manager Debbie Bender reporting 100 per cent capacity for the first time in months.

She said the combination of in-town events with increased construction and this week’s snow forecast was keeping their team on their toes.

“It’s a lovely turnaround to be able to fill our rooms again. I think it’s nearly impossible to get a room in Warwick, or even in Stanthorpe this weekend,” Mrs Bender said.

“I was looking at the numbers the other day and it’s such a significant difference to this time last year, and even the previous years as well, because our numbers are up from the year before COVID too.

“It’s fantastic the economy it’s bringing into town for small businesses. Warwick isn’t just coming back to life, but coming back fighting.”

Shots from the Queensland Women's Masters Hockey Championships, Division 1 final in 2020. Picture: Scott Radford-Chisholm / News Corp Australia

With just more than 24 hours to go before the massive Masters tournament kicks off, the Warwick Hockey Association is busy putting the finishing touches to the fields at Queens Park.

Club president Carly Hansen said she was thrilled to host the event that would both kickstart the sport’s championship season and bring so many visitors to the Rose City.

“It’s good to see we’ve got people staying in Warwick and Stanthorpe, so they’re spread across the region, and it’s really encouraging to know Warwick can hold an event of this size and support the community,” she said.

“(Hockey) is a sport people can play into their sixties and seventies, if they’re bodies are willing, and I feel it’s a sport where you don’t lose your skills as you get older.

“At that age women can still be playing against or with women who are 20 or 30 years younger. There’s no segregation at this point, it’s just all in and have some fun.”

The Warwick Potters Association will host an evening market from 5pm – 9pm on Saturday in conjunction with the tournament, featuring a variety of food vendors and stallholders.

Game times will run from 7am – 10pm Friday and Saturday and 7.15am – 1.30pm on Sunday.

The Warwick side will compete in Division 5. Find the team’s confirmed game times below:

Friday, 9.30am: Warwick v Brisbane 6

Friday, 1.15pm: Warwick v Gympie 2

Saturday, 9.30am: Warwick v Cairns 2

Remainder of Saturday, Sunday: TBC

Originally published as Warwick economy, accommodation providers brought to life by visitor influx for state sporting championships