Cloncurry is set for a big year as it celebrates 150 years as a gazetted town with the steam train arriving for the Show next month and then the C150 celebrations beginning in earnest in September.
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This weekend the town had an excellent curtain raiser as it hosted the Arthur Beetson Foundation Shield Northern v Southern Queensland Outback Junior Rugby League Challenge Carnival which brought hundreds of players, officials and supporters from across Outback Queensland to the town.
It was a great event for a town with a rich rugby league tradition and of course celebrating the Cloncurry Eagles as current Mount Isa Rugby League premiers for the first time.
For this carnival the Queensland Police Service and the QRL joined forces to promote the opportunities in country Queensland for young men and women.
The QPS faces challenges to attract and retain police officers and support staff in rural and remote communities and saw opportunities to recruit people “from the bush to work in the bush.”
The Queensland Police Service recognised a great opportunity to engage with communities using QRL events as an entertainment platform to attract people to enjoy the games and take the opportunity to meet one on one.
As well as stalls for police recruiting and the Major Organised Crime Squad (previously known as SARCIS – Stock and Rural Crime Investigation Squad) the Queensland Police brought along their A Grade representative team to take on a Northern Outback invitation team, drawn from players competing in the MIRL.
Ahead of the game, members of the police team conducting school visits and clinics on Friday before accompanied by NRL Game Day Development officers which included Wayne Smith (father of Kangaroos, Maroons and Melbourne Storm captain Cameron Smith), QRL officials and senior constable Stephanie Hancock who also happens to be the current captain of the Australian and Queensland Women's Rugby League teams.
It was a great weekend and plaudits to QRL, QPS, Cloncurry Shire Council and partners for putting it on.
Derek Barry