The Sunshine Coast Council will receive a $1.33 million boost to attract high value sports tourism to the area and position the region as the premier destination for high performance sports training.

Federal Member for Fairfax, Ted O’Brien MP said the funding from Australian and Queensland governments would be well received in the region.

“With our eye on the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games in Queensland, this funding brings further critical investment of our already growing sport tourism sector,” he said.

“From AFL and rugby, netball to water polo, the Sunshine Coast is already proving a popular destination for elite sporting teams.”

Athletes’ haven

Federal Member for Fisher Andrew Wallace said the region was “perfect” for athletes and sports tourism.

“With major sports teams from all over the country based here on the Coast last year, and some of the NRL’s most important matches happening at the Sunshine Coast Stadium, we have all seen firsthand what a big difference sport can make to our local economy,” he said.

“We have the perfect climate, the perfect facilities and the perfect lifestyle to accommodate and develop high performance athletes in a wide range of sports.”

Funds for bushfire recovery projects

This project is part of the third round of projects announced in Queensland and the first for 2021.

They come from $36.8 million for bushfire recovery projects under the Local Economic Recovery program, announced by the Australian and Queensland governments last year.

Nine Local Economic Recovery projects were recently announced by the Minister for Agriculture, Drought & Emergency Management, the Hon David Littleproud, to support recovery in Queensland communities hit hard by the 2019-20 bushfires, including Sunshine Coast Council’s Train Sunshine Coast initiative.

“This funding for the Train Sunshine Coast Initiative is yet another example of the Federal Government helping to support jobs and boost the Coast’s economic recovery by backing our region’s strengths,” Mr Wallace said.

Minister Littleproud said the announcement brought the total projects approved under the LER Program in Queensland to 27 with a total value of more than $26 million, with further projects still to be approved.

“The devastating effects of the fires have been exacerbated even further by the COVID-19 pandemic, so I am pleased this LER funding is available to help communities, local economies and natural areas recover,” Minister Littleproud said.

For more information on the Local Economic Recovery program in Queensland visit www.qra.qld.gov.au/LER

For information on Local Economic Recovery projects funded in Queensland – and across Australia – visit www.bushfirerecovery.gov.au/local-recovery-projects