History
Club History
The North Cairns Australian Football Club was founded in 1955 however in the year 1965 after tireless
volunteers cleared the surrounding bushland, the club moved to its present playing fields on the corner
of Behan and MacNamara Streets Manunda, Cairns.
The current playing fields were opened by the Cairns Mayor, Darcy Chataway on 25 September 1965 after 6 years
of laborious and back-breaking work by volunteers and families who made up the Club.
The project to clear the land began in June 1957 when the then president King Watson was convinced by newspaper
reporter Frank Vaines that there was a future for the club to acquire and maintain a playing oval and room to build
a clubhouse. The Lands Department granted the swampy, undulating area of some 15 acres to the Club on July 8, 1959.
Although buoyed by the news of the grant, the reality of the cost of construction invited some trepidation
from the Committee and Club Members who, because of lack of funds or equipment, had no alternative but to roll up
their collective sleeves and throw themselves into the project. In true pioneer tradition, the men and the boys
felled and cleared the bush land while the women made endless pots of tea from water boiled in kerosene tins over
the camp fire. Anyone who should be passing by were presented with a picture of workers who were sweaty and
covered in dirt as they dragged logs, burnt brush and marked boundaries.
Just when the job seemed to be too hard for even the enthusiastic and determined workers, Pop Watson donated a
massive 500 pounds for earth moving equipment. The gesture was acknowledged when the ground was officially named
Watson Sports Ground. The Koppen Family stretched the kitty by allowing their company's hire equipment to be used
by the Club Members on weekends. Once the area was leveled, entire families became involved in cleaning and grassing
the field ready for the first game.
In keeping with the imagination and foresight of providing a playing field for not only inter-club games but to
host inter-city games, the Club invited Papua New Guinea side Boroko-Badilli to play North Cairns in a curtain raiser
to a Cairns versus Brisbane clash.
A clubhouse was built in the early seventies and has since been extended and renovated. The Club has a large
player membership of around 280 players from Senior grade through to Juniors including the Masters and Women's teams.
The Committee and Social Members combined make approximately 210. During the season the Club hosts 9 Senior games
and several more Junior competition games as well as the Masters and Women's competition.
North Cairns Australian Football & Sporting Club is and has remained a family club through the years and has been
consistent in its success at all levels.
Direction
While North Cairns Australian & Sporting Club is predominantly focused towards providing Australian Rules
Football opportunities for players and spectators, we provide an entertainment service to the wider community.
The Club has a strong association with the general community due to its central location taking in the suburbs of
Whitfield, Edge Hill, Parramatta Park, Manunda, Manoora and North Cairns. The benefits of providing a wonderful
sporting venue is not just confined to the members of the Club but we are host club to a number of Senior and
Junior players and spectators from the remaining six competitor clubs in the CAFL and CAFL Women's teams and
Masters competition. A local cricket club also uses our grounds and facilities for their training.
Junior football is gaining strength and players due to the incentive Auskick program introduced by CAFL. The entire
facilities of the grounds and clubhouse are utilised constantly on training afternoons and evenings twice a week.
Saturday (Senior Game Day) and on Sunday mornings which is game day for Juniors. North Cairns Australian Football
& Sporting Club have teams of Under 8's to 18's in the Juniors and these are matched in the same way by another five
football clubs in the Cairns Australian Football League. The clubhouse surrounds and grounds are required to look
aesthetically pleasing as many social events are held in and outside the clubhouse and Cairns weather offers
many opportunities to hold outside barbecues and social events for players, members and supporters.
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North Cairns Australian Football & Sporting Club has a lot of challenges ahead as the sport moves towards
semi-professionalism. Issues must be addressed with risk management and insurance, tightening and changing of the
liquor license laws, compliance and the club structure must be constantly assessed. Increased funding is essential
to promote quality multi-functional sporting facilities. We cannot however sit back and wait for the funding
rounds then expect to receive funding which is competitive in nature. We will take advantage of all opportunities
to apply for funding from various sources however we are looking within the Club to utilise club resources for
fund-raising opportunities by offering sponsorship packages.
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Many businesses who are not linked to the Club in other ways find benefit in sponsorship and there are many options
available. As the ground is used most days during the football season the advertising space around the ground and on
structures including scoreboard and coach's box for example has proved very effective. Some sponsors like their advertising
on the football jumpers or the club shirts. We have a huge area on the roof of the clubhouse which we would also like
to sell for advertising and this is negotiable with the club president.
I am sure you will agree that this is an excellent sporting venue which attracts thousands of players and spectators
annually who enjoy the entertainment and the wonderful facilities in a casual and relaxed atmosphere. We welcome you to
join us in our journey and keep our dream alive.
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