$1.9 million boost for Kearneys Spring clubhouse upgrade a ‘game-changer’

The Kearneys Spring Recreation Reserve has just received a major boost from the Australian and Queensland governments in a move which will help thousands of Darling Downs athletes.

The Kearneys Spring Clubhouse upgrade is underway. Picture: Toowoomba Regional Council

More than 7000 Darling Downs athletes are set for a major boost after the announcement of $1.9 million in funding towards the Kearneys Spring Recreation Reserve clubhouse upgrade from the Australian and Queensland governments.

The project could prove to be a catalyst for the 7000 plus athletes who compete there throughout the year and Toowoomba Touch Association president Chris Hillman could not contain his excitement for what lies ahead.

“It will be amazing, to be able to get a new canteen facility, new toilet amenities, changeroom amenities, a medical room, meeting rooms, it will genuinely be a game-changer for what we can do out of our association plus what the softball association will be able to run out of there.

“As our sports have both grown, obviously that’s an older facility and we’ve always been grateful for what we’ve had and the council has been an excellent supporter for both of our sports, but it will be brilliant to have these new changerooms.

“The changerooms will have the ability to change the size of the changerooms based on the sports and the teams using them so that’s pretty cool in itself that they are scalable changerooms.

“To be able to put each team into their own dedicated change rooms, that’s pretty special for the teams, we haven’t been able to offer that in touch footy.

“Obviously they do in the rugby league and so forth but I think it will just help bring touch footy in line with the other major codes.”

Suns players celebrate taking out the inaugural Toowoomba Elite Touch competition in 2023.

Touch football has been one of the fastest growing sports in the Garden City, with thousands of athletes both young and old taking part in the sport.

“We’ve got over 6000 members playing touch footy now, which is just massive when we run our Twisters Cup tournaments or when we bring 210 plus teams to a single carnival,” Hillman said.

“It is just gigantic, in term four we will have a 200 plus team junior comp running and in term one we will do the same thing again.

“The utilisation of a space like that and those facilities will bring pure benefits for our members.”

Touch football and softball will not be the only beneficiaries form this, with rugby league and football run from the complex as well as Darling Downs School Sport trials.

Toowoomba Region Mayor Geoff McDonald welcomed the $1.9 million boost from the SEQ Liveability Fund from the Federal and State governments which will help the council deliver the $2.4 million project which had recently broken ground at the Kearneys Spring complex.

“Council welcomes this opportunity to work with the Australian and Queensland governments to boost our grassroots sporting facilities like the Kearneys Spring Recreation Reserve,” mayor McDonald said.

Toowoomba Region Mayor Geoff McDonald. Picture: Kevin Farmer

“This funding shows what can happen when all levels of government work together to develop our communities.

“Drive past Kearneys Spring Recreation Reserve when sport is being played and you see literally hundreds of families at the ground.

“Kearneys Spring is a fantastic facility.

“This funding isn’t just a physical investment in bricks and mortar infrastructure.

“Sport adds so much more to the fabric of our community by building connections between each other and keeping people active and healthy.

“Council remains committed to developing infrastructure that will inspire future generations of players to potentially develop into the next generation of Australian sportsmen and women.”

Demolition of the old Kearneys Spring Recreation Reserve amenities block began last month and construction of the new building is expected to finish by the end of the year.