Events

Saturday, October 15, 2011

Battle of the mines (Charity Events)

Every mine in the district can compete in a round robin competition to have their name engraved on the shield if they win the grand final. The North Queensland Cowboys come every year to the Cloncurry Recreation Reserve to referee the games. Rotary provide a BBQ sausage sizzle breakfast and the Cowboys provide coaching. Over 100 young enthusiasts come from far and wide to gain the skills that can be taught at this clinic.

With the heavy involvement of mining in North West Queensland and the dependence of the RFDS to those involved in the industry for isolated medical services, talk was on the tip of everyone’s tongue how to assist raise much needed funds to assist the RFDS purchase and maintain modern and expensive medical equipment.

In 1996, born from this talk was “Battle of the Mines”.

The concept is to have every mine in the district compete in a round robin competition with the result being to have their name engraved on the shield if they were successful in winning the grand final on the day. The biggest winner the RFDS.

Since the very first carnival, the North Queensland Cowboys have played an integral part keeping the rules and judgement calls fair. They come every year to the Cloncurry Recreation Reserve to referee the games.

As the carnival is held in the later weeks of October when the temperature is already starting to warm up, the games consist of 15 minute halves. Teams can have up to 30 players and as the players are either not quite at their peak physical fitness, at the prime of the physical fitness or may have simply just let it slip by, an unlimited interchange is allowed. In saying this though, there is some first class and serious football played.

Each team pays a nomination fee which is donated to the RFDS. Over the past 10 years the “Battle of the Mines” has raised over $60,000 for the RFDS.

Every year a coaching clinic is held. Rotary provide a BBQ sausage sizzle breakfast and the Cowboys do the coaching. Over 100 young enthusiasts com from far and wide (Richmond, Camooweal, Normanton, Burketown, Dajarra, Boulia and of course Cloncurry) to gain the skills that can be taught at this clinic. This is considered on of the major events on the youth’s Calender.

Outbacknow proudly supports the communities of the Australian Outback