Go for Gold funding of equipment and infrastructure to support greater sport participation across Queensland

The Queensland Government’s $100 million Go for Gold program is set to support greater sport participation across the state, encouraging students to be more active and potentially compete at the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

680 successful schools including 530 state schools will be receiving grants to the value of nearly $2.5 million as part of Round 1 of the program.

More than half of all successful schools are located throughout regional Queensland – meaning more children, from Coolangatta to the Cape, will benefit.

In Cairns alone, 28 schools will benefit in nearly $90,000 in new equipment, including netballs, high jump mats, soccer nets, bats and more. Cairns State High School is one school set to benefit from round 1, with the school set to receive $3000 for new soccer balls and mesh bibs. The Daintree State School will also receive $3000 for active play equipment to help further engage Children with physical activity.

At Isabella State School a $5000 grant will provide equipment for track and field, soccer and hockey and aspiring athletes at Trinity Beach State School will receive a welcome $3500 grant for athletics equipment.

QLD Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk also opened applications for the next round (Round 2), which will allow all Queensland schools, both state and non-state, to apply for up to $5 million for new or upgraded sports infrastructure.

Premier  Palaszczuk notes “from Badminton sets in Biggera Waters, to soccer nets on Saibai Island – schools the length and breadth of Queensland are benefitting.

“As with Round 1, we will see schools in remote and regional Queensland, and disadvantaged schools, given priority for funding for Round 2.

“This means more children around the state will experience the magic of sport.”

Eligible infrastructure includes:

• Indoor or outdoor sports facilities

• multi-purpose courts

• athletics pitches or upgrades to ovals

• refurbishment of outdoor court surfaces

• investment in emerging sports

There will be three categories of Round 2 funding:

• Category 1 – is up to and including $500,000;

• Category 2 – is over $500,000, up to and including $2.5 million; and

• Category 3 – is over $2.5 million, up to and including $5 million.

Category 1 applications will close at the end of Term 2, 2023. Categories 2 and 3 applications will close at the end of Term 3, 2023. This will give all schools time to prepare applications.

Infrastructure projects are expected to cover a broad spectrum, including building new facilities, upgrading existing facilities, replacing facilities that are at the end of life, and extending the period of use of sports infrastructure.

QLD Education Minister Grace Grace adds “this program is about giving young Queenslanders the equipment and infrastructure they need to be more active and go for gold in 2032.

“We will prioritise schools in smaller regional and remote communities, and where the opportunities for fundraising are limited.

“Go for Gold will not only benefit schools, but it will be great for communities right across Queensland.”

Two-time Olympic gold medalist Ariarne Titmus shared “The Olympics is just so huge and to have a Games in my hometown of Brisbane is just unreal.

“To have a program like this is an incredible opportunity. If I had $5 million available, I would love to put it into a school that didn’t have facilities, or a school that needed to upgrade facilities in a regional area – a town that no one expected a superstar to pop out of.

“I would love to see to more people come from regional towns and break barriers and show you don’t have to be from a capital city to be a superstar. This is something I am very passionate about.

“But to increase those odds we need to get more kids into sport and that starts with facilities.”

The list of successful applications for Round 1 will be available online.

More information on Go for Gold Fund can be found via Education Queensland.

Regional breakdown (Please note: all figures are inc. GST)

•CENTRAL QLD :100 state and non-state schools – totalling $395,735 in funding.

•DARLING DOWNS SOUTH WEST : 111 state and non-state schools – totalling $442,954 in funding.

•FAR NORTH QUEENSLAND: 73 state and non-state schools – totalling $285,512 in funding.

•METRO: 121 state and non-state schools – totalling $304,755 in funding.

•NORTH COAST: 119 state and non-state schools – totalling $421,937 in funding.

•NORTH QUEENSLAND: 61 state and non-state schools – totalling $254,084 in funding.

•SOUTH EAST: 95 state and non-state schools – totalling $321,355 in funding.