Gruelling obstacle course being built in Toowoomba
GETTING the best use out of the Toowoomba Showgrounds’ full 100 hectares has always been a bit of a challenge for the Royal Agricultural Society of Queensland.
Toowoomba
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GETTING the best use out of the Toowoomba Showgrounds' full 100 hectares - some of which includes some fairly hilly and scrubby terrain - has always been a bit of a challenge for the Royal Agricultural Society of Queensland.
And thanks to a $97,500 grant from the State Government's Department of Recreation, Sport and Arts, the society will soon be throwing out a challenge of their own to the public.
The money is being used to develop and install a gruelling 5km obstacle course that begins at the Showgrounds' hilly southern end, before heading to the western boundary and then north up the hill into scrubby country behind the workshop and pavilions.
The course will come with 10 obstacles, designed to challenge people's strength, agility, and balance.
Royal Agricultural Society Queensland CEO Damon Phillips said his organisation had applied for a government grant for the idea a couple of years ago, but were knocked back.
Some time later the government came back and gave the society the green light for the project, approving the funding.
"Originally, part of this process was that we weren't permitted to do any of the work ourselves," Mr Phillips said.
"And then when COVID-19 hit, because we really hadn't started anything, just because it was that time of the year where we were getting busy with the show … I talked to the department and said 'look, I've got to sack my blokes unless you give us permission to build it ourselves. They have the skills do to it.'
"And they gave us permission, which is really good because it means we are able to keep our guys employed."
Walsh Engineering Solutions were contracted to do the engineering drawings for the obstacles, and they're being built in-house.
Mr Phillips said the course would be free to use for the general public, and they were considering some sort of fee for commercial organisations.
He also said the society was looking at running an obstacle course competition/race once or twice a year.
"It does add an additional income stream, although it won't be huge," he said.
"But the showgrounds are a community asset and the show society is only the custodians of it.
"It's about us being able to give back in conjunction with the State Government, to improve a community asset for the people of Toowoomba."
The first obstacles will be installed over the next two weeks and Mr Phillips is hopeful of having the course complete and an event organised for November.