The grassroots story behind the community sport movement

Townsville residents registered 2,400 new junior players across football, netball and touch football clubs in the first six months of 2026.

The increase follows the end of the national school holiday programs in late June, when families sought affordable weekly activities close to home instead of travelling to larger stadiums.

Local clubs filling the gaps

At Murray Sports Complex on Murray Street in Railway Estate, the Townsville Touch Association added two new under-12 teams last month after a waiting list reached 48 children. Further north, the Kirwan Netball Club on Kern Street opened its courts on Tuesday and Thursday evenings for a $12 casual session fee that covers lighting and basic insurance. Both venues sit within five kilometres of the city centre and draw players from suburbs including Vincent and Heatley.

These groups operate without corporate sponsorship and rely on parent volunteers who set up cones and collect fees at the gate.

Numbers that show steady growth

Club records show the Townsville Basketball Association on Palmer Street recorded a 28 percent rise in its Saturday morning mini-ball program between January and June this year, with 312 children aged five to eight now listed. The same association charges $85 for a ten-week term that includes a reversible singlet and access to three indoor courts. Similar patterns appear at the Townsville Sports Reserve, where touch football numbers climbed from 1,050 registered players in 2025 to 1,310 this season.

Parents wanting to join the next intake can visit the Murray Sports Complex office on weekday afternoons or email the Kirwan Netball Club at [email protected] before the July 25 cut-off for the August term.