IPSWICH council has been counting the hours for its report card on the city’s sports fields and facilities.
The numbers reveal that 500 hours of organised sport is played at council’s 47 sports fields, every day of the year.
Tally the full year and that means 182,000 hours of games played.
And according to Cr Jacob Madsen, those 2024 – 2025 figures represent more than a 12 percent increase on the previous year.
He said the numbers reflect the surge in the city’s population.
“The city continues to attract huge numbers of new residents as one of Australia’s fastest growing cities,” Cr Madsen said.
“Ipswich’s population grew by 3.5 per cent to 265,854 in the 12 months to June 30 this year, as more than 9,000 people.
“We are seeing that translate to our sporting fields with tens of thousands of Ipswich residents representing more than 165 sport and recreation clubs across the region.”
He said the report card indicated huge grassroots support of sport across the community.
“The annual Community and Sport Report Card highlights the goals, achievements and key deliverables for 2024 – 2025 and identifies the collaborative approach undertaken by council and the community to deliver great outcomes,” Cr Madsen said.
Moving from play hours and people numbers, Cr Madsen counted the city’s new sports facilities and projects.
Those that came online last financial year included the $3.5 million Silver Jubilee Clubhouse at Spring Mountain, the Blue Gum Reserve canteen and change rooms, and the Redbank Plains Bears JRLFC scoreboard. And he added in the Goodna Community Centre which was restored and renamed after 2022 flood damage, with the facility helping to improve community health outcomes.
The numbers game continued with a broader count of fields, clubs and sports across the city:
• 166 sport and recreation clubs across 41 codes
• 47 locations providing 287 playing spaces
• 101 courts with 91 per cent under lights
• 105 fields with 74 per cent under lights
• 91 other facilities, including practice nets, bowls, croquet and motorsport
• $1.87m in community funding delivered through 424 approved applications
• 1,953 activities delivered through Active and Healthy Program
• 31,397 instances of participation in program events
• 182,000 hours of organised sport at council sporting fields
Cr Madsen said the 12.3 per cent increase in use of council sporting fields and facilities was “encouraging and could see the next generation of sports stars emerge in the build up to the 2032 Brisbane Olympic and Paralympic Games”.
“From the dynamic athletics duo of Gout Gout and his coach Diane Sheppard to breakout Brisbane Broncos NRLW star Shalom Sauaso, and Olympic champion swimmer Molly O’Callaghan, Ipswich certainly punches above its weight in so many different sports,” Cr Madsen said.
“The dedication and hard work at all levels in sport is incredible. Athletes, coaches, volunteers and administrators continue to proudly represent Ipswich on the state, national and world stage.”
