Rowing Queensland and Rockhampton Regional Council regret to advise that the 2024 Higgins Coatings State Schools Championships will be relocated from the Fitzroy River following the recent rain event.
Last week, the Rockhampton Region experienced a significant rain event with its highest August rainfall in 84 years. This resulted in widespread damage to local infrastructure, flash flooding and saw significant impacts to the Fitzroy River rowing course. Impacts included partial destruction of the wired course which became dislodged and washed downstream. Council is continuing these retrieval efforts with parts of the course still impacting waterways.
Immediately following the event, teams from both Rowing Queensland and Rockhampton Regional Council began a coordinated effort to assess the situation, prioritise response actions and explore every possible option to continue the event in the region.
This included identifying potential temporary infrastructure and the logistical requirements to install a make-shift course within the limited timeframe before the event, all while recovery efforts are ongoing.
The two organisations considered these options and their practicalities in light of the significant challenge, with Rowing Queensland offering to procure a temporary course that would ensure the safe and efficient delivery of an event of this size.
Whilst both organisations acknowledge the genuine effort of their teams as well as Central Queensland rowing clubs to find creative and collaborative solutions to the issues at hand, the risk to deliver this temporary solution with a large degree of unknown variables remains a challenge.
Therefore, in order to provide certainty to Queensland rowing schools and clubs, the two organisations have today agreed to relocate the event from Rockhampton with alternative arrangements to be advised by Rowing Queensland in the coming week.
A key element of this decision was the safety of competitors and the timeframes and risk to delivering a solution even under the best circumstances.
Both Rowing Queensland and Rockhampton Council acknowledge this will be difficult news for many schools, competitors and their families who will need to adjust their plans and preparation. However, both organisations believe this decision gives the event the best chance of continuing.
Rowing Queensland has provided advice to schools and stakeholders regarding alterative options and their next steps.
Both organisations remain committed to holding the event in 2025 in Rockhampton and will provide advice on that event following further discussions.
Quotes attributable to Rowing Queensland Chief Executive Officer, Matt Bialkowski:
"It is with a heavy heart that Rowing Queensland together with the local organising committee, officially advise the rowing community of the decision that the 2024 Championships will not take place in Rockhampton.
"We thank our naming rights partner Higgins Coatings and all event partners for their patience and understanding. Our whole community were very excited to showcase their talents on the Fitzroy, and I truly feel for the local athletes who have worked so hard to be ready for the State Championships on their home course.
"Rowing Queensland wishes to provide confidence in the rowing community, especially in Rockhampton, that the 2025 Championships will continue to be held in Rockhampton as planned.
"I would like to take this opportunity on behalf of Rowing Queensland to express my sincere thanks and gratitude to the local organising committee. Their tenacity, resilience, understanding, patience, and support has been immeasurable.
"I would also like to thank Mayor Tony Williams and the Rockhampton Regional Council team for their support over the past week. Amid a clean-up, salvage and recovery effort, Council was very motivated to maintain the event in region, working in partnership with Rowing Queensland to assess all options.
"We are now working with our school rowing community to assess our options for relocation and will advise as soon as possible."
Quotes attributable to Rockhampton Mayor Tony Williams:
"This decision has not been easy with a lot of painstaking effort and time put in to exploring options by both teams over the past week.
"We recognise the importance of this event to the rowing community and our local economy, and that many will be disappointed by this news.
"I want to commend the team at Rowing Queensland and all the local volunteers and committee members who provided their advice and support.
"We hoped that we might have an option with a temporary course but there were simply too many uncertainties and just not enough time.
"We will continue to engage with Rowing Queensland and stakeholders and discuss the next steps ahead of the 2025 championships."
Background:
- In December 2023, Rowing Queensland and Rockhampton Regional Council partnered to deliver the Queensland State Schools Championships in Rockhampton in 2024 and 2025.
- On Wednesday 14 August 2024, the Fitzroy Rowing course was destroyed following significant rainfall in the region and washed downstream.
- Sections of the rowing course remain in the freshwater area north of the Rockhampton Barrage while other sections of the course are currently being retrieved from the saltwater section of the river.
- The rowing course is essential for the running of the State Schools Championships.
- Rockhampton Regional Council staff and Rowing Queensland have been working together to assess, plan and consider temporary solutions to the loss of the course.
- This included various on-going meetings involving executive and technical staff from both organisations over the last week.
- Rowing Queensland is currently considering alternative options for the event and working with the rowing community around the feasibility of different locations.
