Part 2: North Burnett Sports Tour goes from strength to strength

The 2004-05 program again built on past successes and was the biggest and best to date, involving more than 4,000 participants from four to 94 years of age. It was another shining example of what can be achieved through working together.

The annual tour is a collaboration of the Biggenden, Eidsvold, Gayndah, Kolan, Monto, Mundubbera and Perry shire councils through the North Burnett Sport and Recreation Council, strongly supported by the Department of Communities.

Coordinator Matt Hansen explains how the concept has developed over the years and what made the 2004 tour the biggest and best ever...

Why was the tour established?
How is the tour managed?
How was the 2004 tour funded?
What made the 2004 tour so noteworthy?
What were the benefits?
What support did the sports tour receive from the Department?
Want to know more?


Why was the tour established?

Sport has always been very popular in the North Burnett, but fairly narrowly focused on mainstream games like cricket, rugby league and netball.

The tour was established so school-aged children could try other sports and develop their skills generally.  It also provides an opportunity for local coaches, officials and administrators to enhance their knowledge and delivery of sport in the region.

Over the years, the tour has increased participation rates across the board by fostering a positive attitude towards sport and active recreation.

How is the tour managed?

Each year, one of the shires is given direct responsibility for preparing and delivering the overall program in collaboration with the other shires and the Department of Communities.  The individual councils then do their bit by overseeing the program in their shires.

Over the years, a manual has been developed to help the transition from year to year and council to council.  It provides a starting blueprint with important information such as regional and state contacts, core programs and critical timelines.

Towards the end of each tour, the manual is updated and passed to the council responsible for organising the following year's program.  It is an extremely useful resource that allows the tour to build on its successes from year to year.

How was the 2004 tour funded?

Each of the seven councils submitted applications to the Department of Communities for funding under the Local Government Development Program (now known as the Local Sport and Recreation Program) and received individual grants of $5,000.

That provided a total budget of $35,000, which covered the major costs of equipment, workshops, presenters' fees, travel, accommodation, bus hire, catering, advertising, ambulance attendants and general administration.

What made the 2004 tour so noteworthy?

In the past, the program has generally involved a single intense period of about two weeks.  The 2004 tour extended over six months from October to March.

New initiatives included a Locker Room hosted by the Department to open the tour, Stay on Your Feet Program for seniors, sports nights, training needs analysis, education and training tour and the Extreme Sports Expo to close the tour.

This was also the first tour to be headed by an Olympian, which helped generate a lot of extra interest and media coverage.

What were the benefits?

The tour has now become part of the sport and recreation culture in the North Burnett - something the whole community looks forward to from year to year.

We estimate that the overall participation rate in sport and active recreation has increased by 10-15 percent as a direct result of the tour.

The children get really excited in the countdown to the come-and-try days at school and talk about them for months afterwards.  It is a wonderful experience that broadens their horizons and opens their eyes to the wider world.

This year's program had the added bonus of involving seniors with the Stay on Your Feet Program delivered by Queensland Health and that should help a lot of the older residents keep mobile, avoid falls and reduce their risk of serious injury.

The training needs analysis conducted by the Department of Communities at the sports nights also provided the basis for further workshops during the tour and helped expand the knowledge and skills of local coaches and administrators.

One of the tour's side benefits has been to open and improve the communication with State sporting organisations and ensure the region is not overlooked in Brisbane.

What support did the sports tour receive from the Department?

There wouldn't be a tour without the Department of Communities. Departmental staff in Bundaberg have played a key role in program planning and delivery for years. The Department was involved in all the events and conducted the training needs analysis at the sports nights.

The Department of Communities also provided all the information we needed to apply for funding.  Even though the tour has been going for quite a few years and the application process is reasonably familiar, there are changes over time and it is important to keep up to date.

Want to know more?

For more information on the North Burnett Sports Tour, contact the Department's Bundaberg office on (07) 4151 2007 or the 2004 tour coordinator, Mr Matthew Hansen, Senior Administration Officer, Mundubbera Shire Council, on (07) 4165 5708 or finance@mundubbera.qld.gov.au.

For details about the Local Sport and Recreation Program click here or contact Communities.

Part 2: North Burnett Sports Tour goes from strength to strength

The 2004-05 program again built on past successes and was the biggest and best to date, involving more than 4,000 participants from four to 94 years of age. It was another shining example of what can be achieved through working together.

The annual tour is a collaboration of the Biggenden, Eidsvold, Gayndah, Kolan, Monto, Mundubbera and Perry shire councils through the North Burnett Sport and Recreation Council, strongly supported by the Department of Communities.

Coordinator Matt Hansen explains how the concept has developed over the years and what made the 2004 tour the biggest and best ever...

Why was the tour established?
How is the tour managed?
How was the 2004 tour funded?
What made the 2004 tour so noteworthy?
What were the benefits?
What support did the sports tour receive from the Department?
Want to know more?


Why was the tour established?

Sport has always been very popular in the North Burnett, but fairly narrowly focused on mainstream games like cricket, rugby league and netball.

The tour was established so school-aged children could try other sports and develop their skills generally.  It also provides an opportunity for local coaches, officials and administrators to enhance their knowledge and delivery of sport in the region.

Over the years, the tour has increased participation rates across the board by fostering a positive attitude towards sport and active recreation.

How is the tour managed?

Each year, one of the shires is given direct responsibility for preparing and delivering the overall program in collaboration with the other shires and the Department of Communities.  The individual councils then do their bit by overseeing the program in their shires.

Over the years, a manual has been developed to help the transition from year to year and council to council.  It provides a starting blueprint with important information such as regional and state contacts, core programs and critical timelines.

Towards the end of each tour, the manual is updated and passed to the council responsible for organising the following year's program.  It is an extremely useful resource that allows the tour to build on its successes from year to year.

How was the 2004 tour funded?

Each of the seven councils submitted applications to the Department of Communities for funding under the Local Government Development Program (now known as the Local Sport and Recreation Program) and received individual grants of $5,000.

That provided a total budget of $35,000, which covered the major costs of equipment, workshops, presenters' fees, travel, accommodation, bus hire, catering, advertising, ambulance attendants and general administration.

What made the 2004 tour so noteworthy?

In the past, the program has generally involved a single intense period of about two weeks.  The 2004 tour extended over six months from October to March.

New initiatives included a Locker Room hosted by the Department to open the tour, Stay on Your Feet Program for seniors, sports nights, training needs analysis, education and training tour and the Extreme Sports Expo to close the tour.

This was also the first tour to be headed by an Olympian, which helped generate a lot of extra interest and media coverage.

What were the benefits?

The tour has now become part of the sport and recreation culture in the North Burnett - something the whole community looks forward to from year to year.

We estimate that the overall participation rate in sport and active recreation has increased by 10-15 percent as a direct result of the tour.

The children get really excited in the countdown to the come-and-try days at school and talk about them for months afterwards.  It is a wonderful experience that broadens their horizons and opens their eyes to the wider world.

This year's program had the added bonus of involving seniors with the Stay on Your Feet Program delivered by Queensland Health and that should help a lot of the older residents keep mobile, avoid falls and reduce their risk of serious injury.

The training needs analysis conducted by the Department of Communities at the sports nights also provided the basis for further workshops during the tour and helped expand the knowledge and skills of local coaches and administrators.

One of the tour's side benefits has been to open and improve the communication with State sporting organisations and ensure the region is not overlooked in Brisbane.

What support did the sports tour receive from the Department?

There wouldn't be a tour without the Department of Communities. Departmental staff in Bundaberg have played a key role in program planning and delivery for years. The Department was involved in all the events and conducted the training needs analysis at the sports nights.

The Department of Communities also provided all the information we needed to apply for funding.  Even though the tour has been going for quite a few years and the application process is reasonably familiar, there are changes over time and it is important to keep up to date.

Want to know more?

For more information on the North Burnett Sports Tour, contact the Department's Bundaberg office on (07) 4151 2007 or the 2004 tour coordinator, Mr Matthew Hansen, Senior Administration Officer, Mundubbera Shire Council, on (07) 4165 5708 or finance@mundubbera.qld.gov.au.

For details about the Local Sport and Recreation Program click here or contact Communities.