Townsville’s Home of Football gets fresh naming rights

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Townsville Home of Football
Image credit: Townsville City Council

Football Queensland have bolstered the growth of football in the Northern Region, announcing a partnership renewal with Paradise Outdoor Advertising.

The decision will instigate several significant investments in the game, and see the company become the official rights partner for Brolga Park in Townsville, the region’s home of football, as the facility is set to be renamed Paradise Park.

Paradise Outdoor Advertising (or POA) was founded in 1983 in Airlie Beach in Queensland’s Whitsunday region. Four decades on, it has since grown to become Australia’s largest regional outdoor advertising company. Now based in Townsville, the main business hub for Northern Queensland, the company continues to be a family operated business. POA’s billboard locations span across the state, from the coast to its innermost regions, in over 1400 locations and seen by more than 11 million sets of eyes every day.

POA are among the few outdoor advertising companies that complete all their work “in-house”, from graphic design to construction, to the maintenance of the advertisement sites themselves. The company’s strategic focus centres on building long-term relationships with stakeholders, continuous improvement of their processes and systems and adding value to their customers and clients. Most recently, POA has become a pioneer in the digital advertising space, developing advertising signs that work 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, at Queensland’s regional airports and shopping precincts.

Football Queensland General Manager for the Northern Region, Declan Carnes, said via press release:

“We look forward to seeing the continued growth of football in Northern Queensland, particularly in the women and girls’ space whilst we prepare for a huge year of football with the upcoming FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023. With over 4000 registered participants in the region, we see this partnership as an amazing opportunity for our game.”

CEO of Paradise Outdoor Advertising, Mitch James, added via press release:

“POA is celebrating its 40th year of business. We’re a local Townsville family business, and we’re delighted to continue our community involvement with this partnership with Football Queensland. Junior Sport is dear to us, and its great to be involved at a grass-roots level. Paradise Park is an expression of our support of Townsville and its strong engagement with football.”

As Townsville’s Home of Football, Paradise Park will play a key role in participation leading into the Women’s World Cup. Home to other sporting codes, such as basketball, cricket and hockey to name a few, it is a great hub for people to train and play competitively.

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Football NSW calls on clubs to Make It Red for Heart Health Round

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Football NSW is calling on clubs and associations across the state to register for the 2026 Make It Red campaign, joining a national awareness movement aimed at reducing heart-related deaths on sporting grounds ahead of Heart Health Round on the weekend of June 5 to 7.

The campaign, developed by the Heartbeat of Football Foundation, asks sporting clubs to wear red, raise funds and build awareness around heart disease and sudden cardiac arrest, which is the leading single cause of disease burden and death in Australia for both men and women, and one that health authorities say is largely preventable through modifiable risk factors.

The call to action comes as the Foundation continues its work to map and register Automated External Defibrillators across NSW sporting facilities, a project that has already engaged twelve football associations and fed data into both the NSW Ambulance GoodSAM registry and NSW Health’s public AED map. The availability of a functioning, registered AED on site is among the most significant determinants of survival following sudden cardiac arrest, with survival rates declining sharply for every minute without defibrillation.

Football NSW is encouraging clubs to engage with the campaign across three areas. Clubs can register for the Make It Red campaign to help fund research, education and prevention programs. Participants, particularly those aged over 35, are encouraged to seek a free heart health screening test from their local GP or enquire about hosting a Heartbeat of Football testing day. Clubs are also urged to ensure their grounds have active, accessible AEDs in place, with guidance available through Football NSW’s Rescue Ready Guide.

The Make It Red campaign runs from June 5 to July 12, with Heart Health Round taking place across the opening weekend. Clubs can register and access participation resources at makeitred.org.

Community Spirit Shines on AFC Grassroots Football Day 2026

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Image credit: Football Australia

This week, Football Australia (FA) celebrated AFC Grassroots Football Day 2026, championing the people and communities who continue to hold up a safe, inclusive and supportive environment in the football landscape.

‘For all, for life’

In collaboration with Football NSW, Canterbury Football Association and community club, Balmain & District Football Club, the day reflected the very best of what football provides.

The event brought in participants of all ages – from 4-74 years-old – and reached a total of 400 people. Girls-only programs, all-abilities sessions and over-age football ensured all were catered for.

Such a diverse range of participants builds on a wider drive during FIFA World Football Week, which seeks to promote the sport not just as the dazzling lights of 100,000-seater stadiums, but as a way to foster community spirit and social development.

Furthermore, FA support through its Club Changer program was a welcome addition to the action, emphasising the organisation’s commitment to nurture a real love for the game across communities in Australia.

“Through Club Changer we support our clubs to provide a safe, fun and enjoyable environment where everyone is welcome; whether that be as a player, volunteer, referee or supporter,” explained National Program Manager Club Development at FA, Grace Lambourne.

“Everyone should feel they belong and are welcome to play, stay, and love the game.”

 

A welcome celebration

While the upcoming FIFA World Cup will no doubt inspire millions of future Socceroos and Matildas, events like the AFC Grassroots Football Day represent something beyond just inspiration.

It is a platform. An opportunity to express a love for football and to connect with others while doing so.

And connections between the professional and grassroots game is more important than ever if Australia is to nurture the next generation of talent.

This is particularly clear in the rise of women’s football across the nation. Since the FIFA Women’s World Cup, female participation rose by 32%, and registrations for the MiniTillies Program skyrocketed from 264 in 2023, to 1223 in 2024.

The professionals spark passion. But communities turn that passion into playing time.

That is why celebrating grassroots football – and the volunteers and families who sustain it – is a vital part of Australia’s football future. Together, FA and the AFC are creating strong foundations built on positivity, engagement, and inclusivity for all with a love for the beautiful game.

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